Rev. Jonas Ferguson Yerger (1836-1908)

YERGER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/13/2017 at 23:14:38

From Nevada Representative September 9, 1908

Pioneer Minister Dies at Loring

Rev. J. F. Yerger of Des Moines, while delivering a sermon last Sunday at the quarterly conference of the Evangelical church in session at the Mount Zion church in Loring, was stricken with paralysis and died a few hours later. He was 72 years of age and had been in the ministry 43 years. He had twice served for a term of years as pastor of the Evangelical church at Story City, his last term closing but three or four months ago. Because of the weight of years he then laid down active work and removed to Des Moines. He had been a pioneer in his denomination and was greatly beloved. His dying utterance, "I would sooner die in the pulpit than anywhere else," denotes the spirit of his life and degree of his devotion to his work. His funeral was held Monday afternoon at his residence in Highland Park, Des Moines, and interment was at Story City.

From Nevada Representative September 11, 1908

It has been recalled that Rev. J. F. Yerger, whose burial occurred at Story City last Sunday, was pastor of the Evangelical church at Iowa Center, 1872-4; Colo, 1875; Story City, 1887-9; Presiding Elder, 1890-1902; Des Moines, 1903-1904; Story City, 1905-1908. Also that he was one of the two preachers who conducted the great revival meeting in the old brick church at Iowa Center in 1867 or 1868. Rev. Hezekiah Bowman being the other, at which meeting there were over one hundred and forty conversions. The house in which he then resided at Iowa Center, is now a part of the S. E. Cooper residence in Maxwell.

In the same issue of the newspaper:

Death of Rev. Yerger

Rev. J. F. Yerger died last Sunday evening at Loring while conducting quarterly services for the presiding elder. Rev. Yerger was born in Montgomery county, Penn., April 27, 1863 and died September 6, 1908, in Loring, Ia., aged 72 years, 4 months and 9 days. The Evangelical church was crowded to its utmost capacity at the funeral service Wednesday afternoon. Revs. Yaggy, Day, Worth, Wendell, and Alber acted as pall-bearers. The floral tributes were very beautiful. Rev. Fowall of Loring preached the funeral sermon. Interment was made at the Story City cemetery.