The first Mennonite in the Miami Valley was a man by the name of Christian Augspurger. He was a farm manager from Strassburg, near the French-German border. He arrived here In 1818. With him came six families. He purchased land near Collinsville and also near Trenton. As time went on, others came to the area. However, in 1832, a shipload of Hessian Mennonites came to Butler County. Some did not stay long and moved on to Illinois and Iowa.

Hessian Meeting House, in use from 1864 to 1908

When the Hessian Mennonites came, they were a little different than those already here. They were from a different section of Germany and had other customs. They had musical instruments and wore modern clothing. On May 8, 1835, it was decided to divide because of these differences. Rev. Naffziger was to head the new church. Rev. Augspurger and Rev. Schrock were to remain with the mother church. Some of the families which united with the new church were: Holly, Naffziger, lutzi, Kennel, Gingrich, and Sommer. The mother church, or Amish branch, was called the Augspurger Congregation. In 1863 they built a church near Overpeck, on land donated by Christian Sloneker.
 

Peter Imhoff was elected minister in the year 1861. In 1870 he was elected to the office of Bishop. It was during his ministry that the congregation experienced a revival and the two congregations gradually drew closer together. It was his hope that the two churches would be united into one. He was the minister until his death In 1896. During the next year the churches united and formed this congregation.

Apostolic Mennonite Church, dedicated October 11, 1908

 

Now let us skip back to the Hessian Congregation. Some of the early ministers were: Peter Holly, Peter Kennel, Christian Holly, and Joseph Augspurger III. He urged the building of a church and incorporation of the organization. On August 29, 1863, the congregation was incorporated as the Apostolic Mennonite Society of Butter County. On November 19, 1863, land was purchased for a church site and cemetery. Although the building has since been torn down, our cemetery continues to be on this land.

Mennonite gathering in 1902: Front row: Olga Habel, unidentified, Edna Habel, Edna Kennel. Back row: Bertha Ehresman, Victor Ehresman, Bertha Kinsinger,  Herbert Augspurger, Ida Auspurger, Walter Jotter, Marie Habel,  Alma Kennel, Herbert Ehresman. (photo courtesy of the Trenton Historical Society)

In 1864 the Hessian church was built and used for worship. The church continued to grow during the following years. Then in 1892 it was decided that a trained man should take over. Henry Krehbiel began his duties as minister that year. It was during his ministry that the Augspurger congregation joined the Hessian Church. They now had a total membership of 250.
 

	Sunday School played an important part in our church. It was organized in the year 1876, and again in 1890. Until 1890 all the lessons and services were in German. The building of a church in Trenton was considered at a business meeting on January 6, 1904.  (Source:  Trenton Mennonite Church history courtesy of the Trenton Historical Society)
The Trenton Mennonite Church is still in use today (photo courtesy of the Trenton Historical Society)

 © 2000 by the Butler County Historical Society