Jean frederic oberlin biography

Johann Friedrich Oberlin (born August 31, 1740, Strasbourg, France—died June 1, 1826, Waldersbach, Alsace, France) was a.
JF Oberlin (31 August 1740 – 1 June 1826) was an Alsatian pastor and a philanthropist.
Biography.

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J. F. Oberlin

Alsatian pastor and philanthropist (1740–1826)

J. F. Oberlin (31 August 1740 – 1 June 1826) was an Alsatianpastor and a philanthropist. He has been known as John Frederic(k) Oberlin in English, Jean-Frédéric Oberlin in French, and Johann Friedrich Oberlin in German.

Life

Oberlin was born the son of Johann Georg Oberlin (1701–1770), a teacher, and Maria Magdalena (1718–1787), daughter of lawyer Johann Heinrich Feltz, on 31 August 1740 in the German-speaking city of Strasbourg, where he studied theology. In 1766 he became Protestant pastor of Waldbach (now Waldersbach), a remote and barren region in the Steinthal (Ban de la Roche/Steintal), a valley in the Vosges on the borders of Alsace and Lorraine.

Oberlin set out to improve both the material and the spiritual condition of the inhabitants. He began by encouraging the construction of roads through the valley and the erection of bridges, rallying the peasantry to the enterprise by his personal example. He introduced an improved system of agriculture. Substantial cottages were erected, and vario

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Oberlin College and its town in Ohio were founded in 1833 and named in honor of John Frederick Oberlin (Jean-Frédéric) (1740-1826), an extraordinary Lutheran pastor who served in a remote region in Alsace until his death in 1826.

Oberlin's founders, having read a biography of J.F. Oberlin published in America in 1830, were inspired to create a new community and institution of higher learning, in what was then a wilderness, for scholars and students who wished to be of service to others and change the world for the better, as Oberlin had done in Alsace.

Today’s Oberlin College and its community are the inheritors of J.F. Oberlin’s belief that an enlightened education is the crucible for social change, a sustainable way of life, and a truly democratic system of governance.

Explore individual items from the collection for John Frederick Oberlin at the Oberlin College Archives here, or go to the multimedia presentation Oberlin's Namesake to explore John Frederick Oberlin’s life and work and the relationship between the College and its names

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Oberlin Alumni Magazine

By Cindy Nickoloff ’88

Oberlin College archivist Ken Grossi (right) shows archive items about John Frederick Oberlin to his descendant Anne Roser Perru and her husband, Didier.(photo by Kevin Reeves)The Perrus at the campus monument that pays tribute to Oberlin’s namesake, an Alsatian pastor.(photo by Kevin Reeves)

A visit from one of John Frederick Oberlin’s descendants brings Oberlin closer to its namesake

At the time of his death in 1826, John Frederick Oberlin had enjoyed fame unique in his era. In a world where communication between countries could take months, the life and work of the dedicated Alsatian pastor were renowned throughout Europe and beginning to make waves in America.

Anne Roser Perru of Paris, France, sent an e-mail message to Oberlin in summer 2009. She identified herself as a seventh-generation descendant of John Frederick Oberlin, one of about 40 direct descendants living in Europe. She and her husband, Didier, were planning a trip to the United States, primarily to visit the college named for her ancestor.

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