Collection III/14/018 - Clinton Brick Mennonite Church (Goshen, Ind.) Records

1845    Mennonites began settling west of Goshen, in Clinton and Middlebury townships, in Elkhart County, Indiana.

1854    Founding date.  Log church building built, four and a half miles north of Millersburg.  Family names included Garbers, Hoovers, Nusbaums and Pletchers.  Belonged to the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, which began in 1854.

1880    Brick church building built; brick yard was within a few miles.  This is where the name of the church originates.

1889    David Garber ordained to the ministry.  Served until 1934.

1890s  Barbara (Matthews) Kauffman (1826-1898) remembers taking her children to revival meetings, so eager was she that her children should hear the gospel

1903    John Garber, ordained bishop by lot, had oversight over Shore Mennonite, Clinton Brick, and Emma Mennonite.  He was one of the first English preachers to serve.

1907    Amos Nusbaum, ordained minister by lot, served until 1954.

1907    Anna (Sunthimer) Nusbaum (1869-1950), was the pastor’s wife for 47 years and was faithful in her work and interest of the church.

1919    Brick church building remodeled, addition to west end

1921    Hannah (Nusbaum) Snyder (1859-1944) helped start the Sewing Circle together with Emma (Nusbaum) Beachy and Malinda (Miller) Graber.  Hannah also was a Sunday School teacher for many years.

1945    Building destroyed by fire

1946    Amsa H. Kauffman began serving as minister.  Was ordained as resident bishop in 1952, to assist Oscar S. Hostetler

1947    Brick church building rebuilt

1959    Brick church building enlarged

1959    John J. Yoder began serving as minister.  Served also as bishop in 1967.  Served until 1976.

1976    Several ministers from seminary served: Lester Sutter, Milton Schwartzendruber, John Heyerly, Paul Bixler, Denny Weaver, Ken Seitz and Brian Laverty

1978    Stanley Lee Miller, interim pastor

1979    Carl L. Smeltzer began as minister; served until 1989.