Rev. Job H. Yaggy (1845-1923)

YAGGY, MATTER, ORTH, VANDERSALL, EDWARDS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/24/2024 at 15:21:00

From Story City Herald October 25, 1923 (page 3)

Obituary of Rev. J. H. Yaggy

Another pioneer citizen, soldier of his country and soldier of the cross has gone to his reward. The following sketch of his life rehearses briefly a few of the incidents in a life that was crowded with service and sacrifice.

Job H. Yaggy was born March 10, 1845, in Fairfield County, Ohio. His parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Yaggy, came from Canton Berne, Switzerland about 10 years previous to his birth and had not only the usual traits of thrift and industry common to their nationality but were possessed also of high Christian ideals. They moved to Plainfield, Ill., in 1847, where they secured a farm upon which they resided until Job grew to young manhood.

He had always cherished an ambition for higher education and in 1862 he enrolled as a student in Plaifield College. Then came President Lincoln's call for men. Stirred by the thought of his country's need and by that love of freedom, peculiar to that ancient little republic among the Alps from which his ancestors had come, he brushed aside his cherished plans for a college education, packed his school books and bidding his loved ones goodbye, he enlisted in Co. E of the 124th Illinois Infantry that was being recruited in the neighboring town of Aurora. His leisure moments in the service were improved by reading and studying the few college text books he carried with him and all other good books he could borrow.

He followed the colors under General Grant from La Grange, Tennessee to Vicksburg. His regiment's history discloses the fact that he marched 4100 miles, took part in 14 skirmishes, 10 battles, and participated in 2 sieges of 47 days' duration. He was wounded at the siege of Vicksburg but quickly recovered, and was mustered out at Chicago with the rest of his company.

Modest and retiring in nature and of a kindly disposition, he was nevertheless a real soldier and was held in high esteem by his comrades and superior officers, having received the personal commendation of Gen. Grant for distinguished service. All through his army life he maintained his integrity as a Christian, often assisting the Chaplain in his work. He organized the men into a "Christian Union," the articles of which he himself had drawn up pledging themselves not to drink, gamble or use profanity. His unremitting efforts for good were highly commended by his superior officers in letters which the young soldier preserved to this day among his war correspondence.

At the close of the war he was married to Mary Ann Matter with whom he established a home on a farm near Plainfield. In February of 1870 they started for Iowa, crossing the Mississippi on the ice and finally reached their destination, which was a farm 2 miles west of Newhall, in Benton county.

In 1874, yielding to the call of God, he entered the Christian Ministry and began his career of nearly half a century of faithful and efficient service as a minister of the Evangelical Church. He was one of the promoters in the organization of the Des Moines Conference, the first session of which was held in Blairstown, April 13 to 17, 1876.

His church honored him with many positions of trust and responsibility, to all of which he brought an integrity, earnestness and sincerity of purpose, combined with a maturity of judgment which made his counsel of great value to his colleagues.

He served as Presiding Elder for 20 years in the Des Moines Conference, winning the confidence of both pastors and people in the Districts over which he was Superintendent.

He served as Treasurer of Northwestern College at Naperville, Ill., for five years, brining the college through a financial crisis which reflects credit upon his executive ability.

He repeatedly represented his conference as a delegate to General Conference of the Church and even after he had retired from active service his counsel and advice was sought and respected.

After an illness of several months of intense suffering he did Sept. 27, 1923, at his home in Des Moines, Iowa, aged 78 years, 6 months, 17 days. The interment was made in Salem Cemetery at Van Horne, at his request, where three of the children, who died in early childhood, are buried.

Funeral services were conducted at the home in Des Moines, in which a number of his former associates in the ministry took part and also in the Evangelical Church at Van Horne in which service the following participated: The sermon was preached by Rev. B. R. Weiner of Naperville, Ill., Field Secretary of the Missionary Society; Rev. C. H. Stauffacher of Cedar Rapids offered prayer; Rev. L. W. Bock of Waterloo read the obituary; Rev. J. Wirth of Wilton read the Scripture; Rev. D. D. Wendel of Van Horne read the Burial Service and had charge of the entire service. Rev. and Mrs. G. P. Cawaeti and Mr. Kuhn of Dysart with Mrs. C. D. Wendel of Van Horne composed the quartet which furnished several beautiful selections, Mrs. Wendel also singing a solo.

The four sons, with two sons-in-law, Rev. L. L. Orth of Story City and Rev. C. H. Vandersall of Cedar Rapids, served as pall bearers.

The aged companion Mrs. Mary A. Yaggy of Des Moines, one brother, E. H. Yaggy of Nora Springs, and the following children remain: Mrs. L. L. Orth of Story City; Lewis J. Yaggy of Davenport; Samuel Yaggy of Syracuse, Kan.; Mrs. C. H. Vandersall of Cedar Rapids; Rev. O. M. Yaggy of Blairstown; C. W. Yaggy and Mrs. R. D. Edwards of Des Moines, all of whom were present at the funeral.

Of this pioneer citizen, soldier and minister of the Gospel, it may be said as of one of old, "after he served his own generation, by the will of God, he fell asleep."