:Ann Allebach
{{Short description|American Mennonite pastor (1874–1918)}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Ann Allebach
|image = Allebach Ann MennYearbook1919.jpg
|image_size = 190
|caption = Allebach, {{circa|1916}}
|alt = Ann Allebach photo portrait wearing a black gown and mortarboard
|birth_name = Ann Jemima Allebach
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1874|05|08}}
|birth_place = Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
|death_date = {{Death date and age|1918|04|27|1874|5|8}}
|death_place = New York City
|party = Progressive Party{{cite news|title=True Spirit of the Ballot is Humanitarian|newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|location=New York|page=15|date=June 8, 1913|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
|occupation = Mennonite minister
}}
Ann Jemima Allebach (May 8, 1874 – April 27, 1918) was an American minister, educator and suffragette. She was the first woman ordained as a Mennonite minister in North America,{{sfn|Fretz|1990}}{{sfn|Skinner Keller|2006|p=268}} on January 15, 1911.{{sfn|The Reading Eagle|1911|p=14}} There was not another Mennonite woman ordained until 1973.{{sfn|Skinner Keller|2006|p=268}}
Allebach was the first woman ever chosen from Kings County, New York, to be a delegate to a national political convention. She was chosen for the 1912 Republican National Convention held in Chicago but was not allowed to attend. She was a delegate from the Eighteenth Assembly District of the State Convention of the Progressive Party at Syracuse.
Early life and education
Ann Jemima Allebach was born on May 8, 1874{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and grew up near Schwenksville.{{sfn|The Reading Eagle|1911|p=14}} Her parents were Sarah Markley Allebach and Jacob R. Allebach, who was a banker and postmaster.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} As a child, she founded a chapter of Young People's Society of Christian Endeavour in her hometown.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} In 1893, she became a principal of a school in East Orange, New Jersey, and began her college studies.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} She studied at Ursinus College, New York University, Columbia University, and Union Theological Seminary.{{sfn|The Reading Eagle|1911|p=14}}
Career
Following her studies, she taught at Perkiomen Seminary in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania.{{sfn|The Reading Eagle|1911|p=14}}
=Ordination=
She requested ordination from the minister of her home church and a minister in Philadelphia.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} They agreed to her request,{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} though the culture in that part of Pennsylvania would remain generally opposed to women ministers for several decades.{{sfn|Skinner Keller|2006|p=268}} She was ordained on 15 January 1911 at the First Mennonite Church in Philadelphia.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} Following her ordination, she returned to New York City, living in Brooklyn.{{sfn|The Reading Eagle|1911|p=14}}
{{Quote|text= I foresee and foretell the time when, under good citizenship in the right sense and equality, an Americanized continent shall contemplate and inspire an Americanized world. Not a world or continents under single or similar control, but with governments moralized and spiritualized with the principles of liberty, equality, justice and opportunity regulated by righteous law, inspired by a righteous people, loving right, hating evil, helping the weak and restoring humanity to the plane of human brotherhood and sisterhood whereon it shall walk hand in hand with the Divine Fatherhood.
|author=Rev. Ann Allebach}}
=Right to preach and suffrage=
After returning to New York City, she spoke out about women's right to preach, and was also outspoken in supporting women's right to vote.{{sfn|The Reading Eagle|1911|p=14}} In Brooklyn, she preached at the Marcy Avenue Baptist Church from 1913–1915.{{cite news|title=Miss Allebach to Preach|newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|location=New York|page=9|date=January 15, 1916|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}} She also ministered to the poor, and was asked by the Mayor of New York to organize a conference on home religion and social services.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} She was frequently invited back to Pennsylvania to preach.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} In 1916, she was called to be the minister for the Sunnyside Reformed Church on Long Island.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}}
Death and legacy
On April 27, 1918, she died of a heart attack.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}} She was the first ordained female Mennonite minister in North America.{{sfn|Fretz|1990}}{{sfn|Skinner Keller|2006|p=268}}{{sfn|The Reading Eagle|1911|p=14}}
References
=Citations=
{{reflist|30em}}
= Bibliography =
- {{cite encyclopedia| last=Fretz | first=J. Herbert | title=Allebach, Ann Jemima (1874–1918) | encyclopedia=Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online | year=1990 | access-date=5 Dec 2015 | url=http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Allebach,_Ann_Jemima_%281874-1918%29}}
- {{cite encyclopedia |ref={{harvid|Skinner Keller|2006}}| title=Women of Anabaptist Traditions | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America: Women and religion: methods of study and reflection | volume=1 | first1=Rosemary | last1=Skinner Keller | first2=Rosemary | last2=Radford Ruether |first3=Marie | last3=Cantlon | publisher=Indiana University Press | year=2006 | isbn=0-253-34685-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EoJrHDirVQUC&pg=PA2685}}
- {{cite news|newspaper=The Reading Eagle | date=December 20, 1911 | author= | title=Rev. Ann J. Allebach, Known in Berks, Speaks of Work | location=Reading, Pennsylvania | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19111220&id=frQhAAAAIBAJ&pg=3416,5772530&hl=en | access-date=December 5, 2015|ref={{harvid|The Reading Eagle|1911}}}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allebach, Ann}}
Category:20th-century Anabaptist ministers
Category:Women Christian clergy
Category:Ursinus College alumni
Category:New York University alumni
Category:Suffragists from New York (state)
Category:Clergy from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Category:Clergy from New York City