Rev. Frank Henry WELLEMEYER

WELLEMEYER, FIEGENBAUM, KLAUS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/20/2010 at 18:51:16

14 July 1909
Garner Signal --Garner, Iowa

11 December 1849 -- 2 July 1909

Frank Henry Wellemeyer was born in a log house in Warren County, Missouri the 11th day of December 1848. His parents were Henry F. and Catherine E. Wellemeyer, nee Fiegenbaum, both of whom were natives of Germany. He was the oldest but one of a family of nine children. When about two years old he removed with his parents to Wapello, Louisa County, Iowa. Here for about twenty-two years he lived the life of a farm boy and helped his parents to win out in the struggle against the wilderness and against poverty. Educational advantages were meager and the deceased used to tell his children that he had reached the age of twelve before he even learned his ABC's. He acquired a common school education at home, and when nineteen, being temporarily unfit for farm work, attended school at Quincy, Illinois a short time. Soon after he came of age he began farming on his own account in Louisa County. Then, like the pioneer he was, settled on a farm at that time in the original prairie sod of Hancock County, Iowa, which he still owned at the time of his death. On 3 June 1875 he was married to Mary Klaus of Colesburg, Iowa. After two years spent on the farm, the call to the ministry, which he had first become conscious of at Quincy, became imperative. He left the farm and entered the ministry in 1876, being stationed at Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. He served without interruption for twenty years, at the following places: Henderson, Minnesota; Lemars, Iowa; Freeport, Illinois; Giard, Iowa; Dubuque, Iowa; Lemars, Iowa; Garner, Iowa and Dacorab, Iowa. Then in the fall of 1896, because of poor health and the desire to have his family find work at home, he moved to his farm at Garner, Iowa. Here were spent five of the happiest years in the history of the family. In 1901 he resumed his work as a pastor. His subsequent appointments were: Dubuque, St. Charles and Gladbrook, Iowa. During the time of his residence at Gladbrook from 1904 to 1906 his health broke down completely and his life was dispared of. His ailment was heart trouble. For this reason he retired from active work and lived quietly in the town of Garner. About a year later he decided to make Charles City his home, this being congenial because of the location of the college here and the fact that so many of his fellow workers of the ministry lived here. Activity was the very breath of life to him. He could not be idle. So when the conference needed men in 1907, he took his place in the ranks once more and was assigned to the church at Rudd, Iowa, whose pastor he was at the time of his demise. The last weeks were very busy ones. The last week in May found him at the Basket meeting at Flood Creek, where as usual he was in the harness. Then came the Commencement of the college and the annual meeting of the trustee board, of which the deceased was vice president. It was his custom to attend the Garner Camp Meeting and he went there. In the meantime a revival of religion had begun in the English M. E. Church at Rudd under the leadership of Pastor Comyns and Evangelist Decker. His family advised rest, but the "King's Business" required his presence and he went. The trio of workers were very congenial and God crowned their work with success. On Friday, 2 July, he preached at the afternoon meeting from a text taken from the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians. He was present at the evening meeting and was active in personal work. Even at ten o'clock he had the pleasure of influencing one of the audience to accept Christ. After the evening service, he and Evangelist Decker went to the Witzel home for the night. Brother Wellemeyer led in the evening devotions. In this prayer he said "We thank thee God that so far as we know we're saved up to date." At eleven o'clock he bade the assembled company goodnight and retired. The next morning he was called several times but did not answer. At length Brother Decker entered the room and found him lying as asleep. A closer examination disclosed the fact that he had departed this life. It is the testimony of all witnesses that there was no evidence of a struggle and death from heart failure undoubtedly ensured shortly after he fell asleep. To sum up his religious experiences, we may say that he was reared by parents whose Christianity was believed in by their neighbors. He was early converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. With true missionary instincts, he wanted others to find in religion the help he himself had found. He never allowed private business, inclement weather, pleasure, love of ease, or fear of man to stand in the way of the performance of his duty as a Christian minister. He was denied the advantages of a liberal education at school, and felt the loss keenly. This made him the more earnestly to desire better school advantages, not only for his own children, but for young people in general. His love for his family led him to sacrifice personal comfort and business ambition for their welfare. He was loyal to his friends regardless of consequences, and always championed their cause when necessary. He never learned what fear or expediency were, yet in dealing with those who he thought misunderstood or wronged him, he showed "Malice toward none and charity for all." It would be wrong to say he had no ambition, but it was directed towards building up the church where he was, not desiring honor or preferment. "Lift where you stand" was his motto. If his work was more successful among one class of people than another it was perhaps among our farmers. He knew every phase of farm work from having done it with his own hands, and even at the age of 50, few men could do a harder day's work. Those who survive him to mourn his loss and cherish his memory are as follows: an aged mother, (the father died in 1899) five brothers and three sisters. Of the immediate family are left: a wife, four sons and three daughters. Two children preceded him, Lois who died in infancy and Estella who died two years ago. His grandchildren numbered three. A nephew aged seven had also been a member of the household since infancy. The funeral services were held at Charles City, Iowa, Tuesday morning and burial took place at Garner, the afternoon of the same day.