Rev. G.W. Syfert, 1861-1942

 My church has a very well documented history.  We date back to 1865, when the members met in a log cabin.  I have been on the Historical Committee off and on for over a decade now, and am always looking for new things to showcase for our current members to see.

A year or so ago, I started a family tree for each of our early pastors.  I didn't go into many details at the time... just got the basics going.  I try to change the history display case once a month... and for this month, I chose to tell the story of one of our pastors.  I chose our 12th pastor, Rev. G.W. Syfert... here is his story (or at least the parts that I was able to find).

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Rev. George William (G.W.) Syfert

Born: June 6, 1861 in Beecher City, IL

Died: September 11, 1942 in Herrin, IL

Buried: Herrin City Cemetery

12th Pastor of Herrin FBC: 1901-1906

Rev. G.W. Syfert, thought to be around 1903-04

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G.W. Syfert grew up on a farm near Shelbyville, IL. His father owned 40 acres, with 3 horses, 4 milk cows, 10 sheep, and 19 pigs.  They grew wheat, rye, corn, Indian corn, oats, peas, beans, and Irish potatoes.  They also had an orchard. His parents were Nathan and Mary Ann (Dunaway) Syfert, both born in Ohio.

We don’t know when or where he first began his ministry work.  He appears in 4 census records as a Clergyman, Baptist Minister, Preacher and Minister.  His obituary states he was a Baptist minister for 20 years, and that he served part of that time in Herrin, Salem, Vandalia and Villa Grove.  In research, we learned that he also served at the Woodlawn FBC, Watson FBC, and at the Paradise White Church in Perry County, IL.  We do not know how long he spent at most of these churches.

In 1883, at the age of 21, he married Laura Jones, in Fayette County, IL.  They had one child, Walter.  Laura passed away in 1939, and G.W. married Anna Wilson in 1940.

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Sept. 26, 1903
From “The Standard”, a Baptist newspaper

"Herrin is a city of 5,000 people and is but a few years old. It is a great coal mining town.

The Baptists have had a country church there for fifty years and the city has grown entirely around the meeting house lot of six acres. It has sold half the land for a ward school and sold the old meeting house to the Methodists and has built a new church and parsonage.

Rev GW Syfert became pastor of this church about three years ago. Since that time he has added about 400 members to the church. One year he baptized more converts than any other pastor in the state. The church seats about 500 people and is almost always overcrowded. Bro Syfert does his own evangelistic work.

Both this church and Marion have raised more than double their apportionment this year for state missions."

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Church dedication program, 1903

Some important things that happened while Rev. G.W. Syfert was at our church: -- Held one of the greatest revivals in the history of our church in 1901. There were 140 conversions, 108 accepted for baptism, and 13 received by letter.

-- The church outgrew the building. Land was purchased and a new church was built in 1902. The name of the church was changed to First Baptist Church on January 18, 1902.

-- In January of 1903, the Sunday School was reorganized and all of the classes were graded for the first time.

-- In June of 1903, there was a small-pox epidemic. The church was closed for 3 months.

-- In 1905, the first music committee was appointed. A new addition and a baptistry were added to the church. Membership had grown to 675.

Wilhelm Henry Offerman 1868-1894

Wilhelm Henry (or William) was born in Otto Township, in Kankakee county, Illinois (possibly in Chebanse) on December 24, 1868.  He was the first child born to Heinrich Christian and Maria Sophia (Doscher) Offerman.  His brother John is my Great Grandfather.

Heinrich Offerman family, circa 1898 (William Henry is in the portrait)

Both the 1870 and 1880 census records list this Offerman family in Otto Township. Heinrich was a prominent farmer.  He and wife Maria Sophia were born in Germany and had come to America in 1867.  So William grew up farming, but at some point he learned how to operate a traction engine.  The article about his death calls him a Traction Engineer.

I looked it up… a Traction Engine, was a steam engine that could move on it’s own (not pulled by horses or oxen).  A real benefit on big farms!  One thing I read stated… “The steam engineer was a trained and skilled professional of the simpler unmechanized times.  The engineer was a breed of proud, strong and very important men who loved their work.”

Example of a Traction Engine, 1894

Sadly, the only other thing known to tell about William’s life… is how he died.  

Here’s what the Kankakee Daily Republican newspaper had to say…  “William Offerman, a young engineer, met his death in a horrible manner on a traction engine at 3 o’clock this afternoon in Otto Township.  The engine was hauling a corn sheller from one farm to another.  William Offerman was standing between the engine and the water tank running it, unsuspicious of the horrible fate in store for him.  The engine had reached the center of a wooden bridge across one of the small creeks in Otto, when the structure suddenly parted in the center.  The engine and water tank came together and the life of the young engineer was crushed out.  Death occurred instantly.  The men who assist in running the engine and corn sheller say that Offerman never uttered a cry.  His body is horribly mangled and still remained between the engine and the water tank when news of the shocking accident was brought to this city.  It was impossible to pull the machinery of the engine apart to extricate the mutilated remains of the unfortunate engineer without the assistance of a derrick or a large force of men.  Leon Hay brought the news to this city.  He notified the coroner, Jacob Willman, who immediately left for the scene of the accident.  The dead engineer is well known in Otto Township where his parents live.  He was 26 years old and unmarried.”

Technically he was 10 days shy of turning 26 years old.  William is buried in Mound Grove Cemetery, in Kankakee.