First Families of Jasper County

Christian and Susannah Holdeman

1880

Christian Holdeman, the second son of Amos and Nancy (Yoder) Holdeman, was married June 10, 1862 to Susanna (Susannah) Martin, born January 1, 1838, daughter of John and Elizabeth Martin. She died December 30, 1914 at the age of 76 years, 11 months, 29 days.

Christian Holdeman was a minister of the Gospel in the Church of the Brethren, and preached continuously from the time of his ordination at the age of twenty-one until his health failed at about the age of seventy, a period of nearly fifty years. While living in Ohio he preached in the Mohican church, located one mile north of Lattasbury. On February 23, 1867 he purchased from Henry Gable and wife the old Grandfather Christian Holdeman farm, which he owned until November 8, 1880. On November 17, 1880 he left Ohio and, accompanied by members of his family, moved to Jasper County, Missouri. In Missouri he was pastor of the Spring River Brethren Church, located on the corner of his farm, for at least twenty-five years, and also had regular appointments in Lawrence County, Missouri. He was an elder in a considerable number of churches, traveled extensively, and conducted revivals. He has been described as "a faithful minister" and "an earnest worker". About four years before his death he was stricken with paralysis, from which he never fully recovered. He died within the bounds of Dry Fork congregation, Jasper County, Missouri, March 10, 1912, at the age of 72 years, 1 month, and 27 days.

The children of Christian and Susanna Holdeman were: 1. Laura Holdeman, born March 16, 1863; died February 17, 1933. Aged 69 years, 11 months, 1 day. 2. Franklin Holdeman, born October 19, 1864; died December 24, 1894. Aged 30 years, 2 months, 5 days. 3. Amanda Holdeman, born October 11, 1866; died November 5, 1929. Aged 63 years, 24 days. 4. Sarah Holdeman, born November 21, 1868; died February 24, 1878. Aged 9 years, 3 months, 3 days. She is buried in the Mohican cemetery, Wayne County, Ohio. 5. Ida Holdeman, born April 15, 1871; died February 9, 1909. Aged 37 years, 9 months, 24 days. 6. William Holdeman, born February 19, 1874. 7. Edward M. Holdeman, born September 18, 1878; died May 7, 1931. Aged 52 years, 7 months, 19 days. 8. Clara Holdeman, born February 28, 1881. The above were all born in Wayne County, Ohio, excepting Clara who was born in Jasper County, Missouri.

Christian Holdeman

They came from Wayne County, Ohio in November, 1880. He had been chosen to the ministry in the Mohican Church in Ohio. They located on a farm ten or more miles northeast of Carthage, Missouri where they reared their family and had an active part in the leadership of the Spring River Church. He was ordained to the eldership on October 20, 1883. Many years of service were ahead for him. He directed his home congregation during his years of ability, and assisted the adjoining elders as needed, and often held evangelistic meetings when called upon. He maintained an active part in District Meetings, and served as standing committee delegate at Annual Conference. One outstanding responsibility which he engage in, and seemed to enjoy, was District Mission work, helping other ministers organize or maintain new congregations, or developing new groups by his own labors. An outstanding example of this type of work was a tour of small groups of isolated members to the east of Cedar County. He often took along a minister from the Nevada, Missouri Church. Travel was by railway as near as it would take them to their destination, then continue by vehicle conveyance, or on horseback, or on foot. The service sometimes were a few sermons, or a love feast, or the organization of a new church group. It included the area near Bolivar, Buffalo, Lebanon, and as far as Waynesville in Pulaski County, where there was a church. Head there been sufficient ministerial supervisors for them, it is possible some would have developed into sizable congregations. Other ministers of the district were assigned to other areas. Each carried out their shares of responsibility with a zeal that was commendable.

The attentive response of people was such that Bro. Holdeman expressed his desire to stop and preach everywhere he went. He helped in other fields of the district, also. Bro. Holdeman was considered quite conservative, which he often expressed in his sermons- "walking circumspectly as they ought to walk". Yet he had a hidden sense of humor that could be discerned as he was preaching or in private conversation. It was common for him to carefully explain the deeper meaning of some scripture, and then add- "but it is so much plainer in the German language", upon which he would open his German Bible and read it from there, and proceed to explain the difference. Of course, every youngster in the audience was attentive to that. He carried a cane with a hook on it, and he was likely as not to hook some shy child around the neck with it, pull them over to him and seat them on his lap. After talking to the child awhile, he would slip a couple of pennies to them and put them down, changing their fear to friendship.

As community interests changed, as as his abilities declined, the Spring River Church also gradually went down, until services were discontinued after 1909. A final love feast was held in the fall of 1907, which also served as a homecoming.

In 1910 Bro. Christian Holdeman and wife Susannah moved to Jasper, Missouri, which put them within the Dry Fork Congregation, and near their son, William Holdeman and wife. Bro. Holdeman passed away March 10, 1912, and his wife, Susannah, on December 30, 1914. They are buried in the Dry Fork Cemetery (now Paradise Cemetery), three miles south of Jasper, Missouri.