The Republic Columbus, Indiana Friday, October 12, 1906 Page 1 DEATH OF A PIONEER The Rev. William Pentzer who Died Thursday Night-Was ol time Circuit Rider. The Rev. William Pentzer died at the home of his son, Prof. O.W. Pentzer, 1608 Union street, Thursday night at 7:30 o'clock. The funeral will be held from the United Brethren church Saturday morning at 8 o'clock, conducted by the Rev. R.W. Harlow, pastor of the church. The remains will be shipped to Woodland, Illinois for burial. The Rev. Mr. Pentzer was born at Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania, November 25, 1820. His parents were Pennsylvania Dutch and they moved to Ohio, taking him with them when he was but a small boy. They cleared a farm in the woods and he worked on that farm for a few years. When he was converted he left all of his prospects to work for the church. He was one of the early preachers in the western part of this state and eastern Illinois, beginning his work in 1847. For many years he was a circuit rider when the circuits were large and the distances must be made on horseback. Three sermons each Sunday and three or four weeks between services at a given place was the common work of the pioneer of his time. He sufferedc a great many hardships while doing this work, but never gave it up. Most of the time he was poorly paid and some of the time he was not paid at all. The western part of Indiana and eastern Illinois were then considered wildernesses, but he made his was through the forests and spread the gospel wherever he went. In later years the Rev. Mr. Pentzer made his home with his son, both at Woodland, Illinois, and in this county. He was married in 1850 to Sarah Ann Sexton, of Middletown, Ohio, her family having but recently arrived in the new country at that time. She was a school teacher and kept up her work for several years. Two children were born to them, a daughter, who died in infancy, and Orrin W. Pentzer, of this city. Her grave is at Woodland, and it is by her side that Rev. Pentzer will be buried.