- Work
- Minister · Chaplain
- Along road
- Esch Road
- Eras
- Modern era
- Concepts
- religioncommunitymigration
- Within
- Beaver Island
Summary
Reverend Ralph Witmer was profiled by the Beaver Beacon in October 2002 at the beginning of his 91st year. The profile says he had spent about 70 years as a minister, served churches in Michigan and Wisconsin, worked as a chaplain in North Carolina, and came to Beaver Island in 1997 to retire from ministry.
It identifies his Beaver Island home as being on Esch Road. The profile says he later left that home for medical care in North Carolina and hoped to return.
Evidence and limits
The source provides an age statement and career narrative but no exact birth date, civil identity record, ordination record, or death date. The link to the road follows the reported home, not every church or ministry assignment.
Open questions
- Can church directories or obituaries establish Witmer’s full lifespan and ordination history?
- What was the exact Esch Road property and when was it built?
- Did he return to Beaver Island after the reported medical treatment?
Sources
- The profile says Witmer was beginning his 91st year in 2002, had spent 70 years as a minister, served churches in Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, became a chaplain, moved to Beaver Island in 1997, and built a home on Esch Road before leaving for medical care. It does not provide an exact birth date, civil identity record, ordination record, or death date.
Added 2 August 2026 · revised 3 August 2026. Recent changes
Cite this article
Beaver Island Archive, “Reverend Ralph Witmer”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/people/ralph-witmer/, accessed [date], citing Beaver Beacon, October 2002, “Reverend Ralph Witmer 90 and Going Strong.”.
Last revised 2026-08-03. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.
BibTeX for “Reverend Ralph Witmer”RIS for “Reverend Ralph Witmer”