Mary Beery1

F, b. 4 September 1775, d. 23 August 1844
FatherNicholas Beery II b. 16 Jun 1739, d. 16 Feb 1811
MotherMary Elizabeth Keller b. c 1742, d. 1788
     Mary was born on Monday, 4 September 1775 in Rockingham County, Virginia. Mary married Henry Stemen circa 1795 at Rockingham County. Henry & Mary had children: John [10/25/1796-1/16/1861][m. Catharine Mericle, Isaac [11/28/1798-1/22/1884][m. Mary "Polly" Mericle], Elizabeth [6/10/1800], Nicholas [5/11/1802-12/28/1878][m. Catharine Beery], Mary [8/26/1806-6/12/1883][m. George Hunsaker, Henry S. [7/12/1808-9/12/1891][m. Rachel Beery], Magdalene [5/14/1810-1834][ m. Henry Sherrick], Susannah [10/15/181211/19/1892][m. Christian Miller], Barbara [4/14/1814-5/06/1903][m. Samuel Sherrick], Margaret [3/09/1818-11/02/1901][m. Henry Sherrick] & Samuel [9/21/1821-4/07/1898][m. Martha Magdalene Hilyard]. In 1803, the family moved from Virginia to their new home in the woods near Bremen, Ohio. The family were Mennonites. In 1809, Henry became a minster in the church and & 1820, he was ordained bishop, a position he held until he gave it up in the later years of his life. In 1841, Henry led a group of Mennonites to Allen County, Ohio [located on the west side of the state] and founded the Salem Monnonite settlement there in Sugar Creek Township. Mary departed this life on Friday, 23 August 1844 in Elida, Sugar Creek Township at age 68 years, 11 months and 19 days. She was buried there in the Salem Mennonite Cemetery. The inscription on her tombstone reads: Mary, wife of Henry Stemen - Died August 23, 1844 - aged 68y 11m, 19d.

Citations

  1. [S51] Joseph H. Wenger, History of the Descendants of Nicholas Beery Born 1707. Immigrated from Switzerland to Pennsylvania in 1727, pages 24-25 - 6) Mary Beery, born in Rockingham Co., Va., Sept. 4, 1775, and died near Bremen, Fairfield Co., Ohio, Aug. 23, 1844. Henry Stemen was born in Pennsylvania May 26, 1775, and died near Bremen, Ohio, Aug, 19, 1855, over 80 years of age. The above couple were married in Virginia and emigrated to Ohio in 1803, settling in the woods at the place where Bremen is now located. In 1809 he was called to the ministry in the Mennonite church. In 1820 he was ordained to the office of bishop, which office he held during life. In the last year of his life he delivered his bishopric to John M. Brenneman, later of Elida, Ohio, In Rev. Stemen's first years of .the ministry the people in general were rude and were more accustomed to the howl of the wolf and the yell of the Indians than the cheery sound of the Gospel.
    He was one among the most eloquent preachers of that day, and made great inroads upon' the unconverted communities. He never traveled by buggy or railroad, but on horseback, and often swam the high water streams to meet his appointments. His meetings were always conducted in the German language in the forty-six years of his ministry.
    Children: John [Oct. 25, 1796]; Isaac [Nov. 28, 1798]; Elizabeth [June 10, 1800]; Nicholas [May 11, 1802]; Mary [Aug. 26, 1806]; Henry S. [July 12, 1808]; Magdalene [May 14, 1810]; Susannah [Oct. 15, 1812]; Barbara [April 14, 1814]; Margaret March 9, 1818]; Samuel [Sept. 21, 1821].
    Note: The name Stemen was formerly known in the German language as "Stehmann." Rev. Henry Stemen's father, Christian Stehmann, was born May 28, 1747. His ancestors emigrated from Europe. Christian died Aug. 28, 1844, at the home of his son, Rev. Henry, and is buried at the Mennonite church cemetery, near Elida, Allen Co., Ohio. He was aged over 97 years. He was a Mennonite and raised a family of twelve children.