Administrative records of an early domestic mission of the (old) Mennonite Church. The Mennonite home for the aged was founded when David C. and Fanny Amstutz bequeathed their 160 acre farm and home to the Mennonite Evangelizing and Benevolent Board (later the Mennonite Board of Missions) in 1897 for the purpose of developing an old age home. The first building, with a capacity of 34 beds, was dedicated in 1901 but was destroyed by a fire in 1919. A second building was constructed in 1939, and the old age home operated until 1974. With the exception of Aaron Peachy, administrators tended to serve short stints at the Mennonite Old Age Home. J. D. Mininger and his wife, Hettie, managed the home from 1904 to 1909. Aaron Peachy and his wife, Katie, served as administrators from 1939 to 1961. Materials in this collection document the early and final years of the Mennonite Home for the Aged. The Home for the Aged initially was associated with the Mennonite Orphanage in Weilersville, Ohio. As a result, the earliest records of the institution that became the Mennonite Orphan's Home (and later Adriel School, in West Liberty, Ohio) may be found among the records of the Mennonite Home for the Aged. These inlcude minutes, reports, legal records, and financial records. Other early records include governing documents, contracts for the care of the elderly, building records, superintendent correspondence, a record of visitors, and some resident records.
Later records include correspondence, information on contributions, inspection reports, insurance information, and a file on the sale of the property. Researchers should note that there are very few records documenting the period between 1920 and 1960.