Mennonite Church Safe
Name/Title
Mennonite Church SafeEntry/Object ID
2023.14.7Description
Church safe that was kept by the local bishop in his home, to hold church monies and records. Late 19th century.Context
The combination to the safe is: 78 - 47 - 82 - 36 From Bob Weaver I'm not positive, but typically one turns it three times to the right, stopping next on 78, then left stopping at 47 on the third time, then right 2 x, then left to 36. I suppose the locksmith assumed that I knew how to use the numbers. I'm a bit afraid to try, but those numbers will work somehow. Precision Locksmith cam out to determine the combination some years ago, and should be able to give guidance on this. Their records would be under my name Robert E. Weaver. https://www.precisionlocksmithllc.com/contact-us/ I'm certain that this was obtained for the Mennonite Church, Middle District, in Rockingham Co., by Bishop L. J. Heatwole. His father-in-law was Bishop Samuel Coffman, also in charge of Middle District of Virginia Mennonite Conference. This safe would have been obtained for the church by Bishop L. J. Heatwole, who was ordained to the ministry at Weavers Mennonite church in 1887. He may have bought it then, or when he came back from Missouri in 1893, by then a Bishop. Samuel Coffman passed in 1894, but was quite ill the last years of his life, so I doubt that he purchased this safe in the last years of his tenure when ill, and the time frame for the manufacture and marketing of this safe fits perfectly L. J. Heatwole's tenure starting in 1887. I've always been told that L. J. obtained this safe for the church monies. The safe would appear to be of the style of 1880s=90s. A lot of brands of safes at that time looked the same so likely the same manufacturer and companies like Montgomery Ward just put their brand on it. It appears that the carpet on the bottom is original to the manufacture, as other safes of that era have that type of carpet on the bottom inside. Some examples: https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/757308493609031368/ https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/83387030593559108/ The BM Heritage Center has a number of items that belonged to Bishop L. J. Heatwole, including items from his office such as his typewriter and chair. This safe was, I've been told by my mother (his granddaughter)always kept in his office at home. This makes sense as at that time the meetinghouses would have been vacant except some Sunday mornings (at times church only met every other week) so it would not be logical to have left the safe at the meetinghouse. After L. J. passed in 1932, his son (my great uncle) Justus Bare Heatwole (J. B.) was in charge of finances and the building committee (for the new meetinghouse in 1943) for Weavers Mennonite church, so the safe stayed with the family at home, in Dale Enterprise, where it remains now.Cataloged By
Sam FunkhouserCategory
Household