Elmira C. Dech, GW #10

Elmira was born 18 May 1842 in Northampton County, Pa. to Joseph and Elizabeth (Ritter) Dech.  Growing up and into adulthood, Elmira lived with her parents with no occupation listed in the census.  In the federal census of 1880, it is indicated that Elmira was disabled, living in Bethlehem with her parents.  I do not know what her disability was.  In the book, Women in Ministry “In Memory of Her”: A list of over 500 women in North American Ministries in the Missionary Church and its Predecessors, Elmira is listed as being in the Gospel Workers from 1895 to 1897.  She does not appear in the 1898 list of Gospel Workers in the yearbook of the Pennsylvania Conference of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.  At 55 years of age, Elmira died of heart trouble on 8 March 1898 in Hanover Township, Northampton County, at the home of her brother Osborn with whom she resided.  In her will she names her brother as her heir, to receive the inheritance she expected from their uncle.  Elmira is buried in Nisky Hill Cemetery in Bethlehem along with her parents.