Mobile-Monroe County AlArchives Biographies.....Schroebel, Jacob Henry March 17 1801 - September 21 1843
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Kellie Crnkovich markkell95@aol.com November 20, 2004, 4:17 am

Author: Bethlehem Baptist Association Records of 1843
Obituary:
Bethlehem Baptist Association Records of 1843
Pages 12 and 13

On Monday of the present Session of the Association, she received the painful 
intelligence of the death of Elder Jacob H Schroebel, who, for fifteen 
successive years had been a member, and the great part of the time her stated 
clerk.

It is not the purpose of this notice to panegyrise the subject of it, nor would 
the Association depart from the usual course in recording teh death of 
ministers of her body, if he ever whom she is now called to mourn, had not 
deservedly held unusually strong claims upon her affection.  In this instance, 
she trusts the cause of virtue and religion may be subserved by a short 
biographical sketch of his eventful life, just closed in the zenith of its 
usefulness.

He was born of German parents in the city of Charleston, South Carolina, on the 
17th of March, 1801.  His father was a respectable Minister of the Methodist 
Church, his mother a worthy member of the Lutheran Church, to which his 
predilection inclined him, and of which at the proper age he was confirmed a 
member.

In early life he exhibited evidences of that strength of intellect, high sense 
of honor, and decision of character, which stood out so prominent when his 
whole character was fully developed.  When quite young, he was indented an 
apprentice to the Tanning and Currying business, of which he acquired through 
knowledge.  On the 10th day of July, 1823 he married Miss Louiza Colzy of an 
ancient and repectable French family, whom he leaves widowed with seven 
children; of whose bereavement and feeling of desolation it were vain to 
attempt a description.  May the Lord God of the widow and the fatherless, 
soothe their sorrows, bind up, and pour into their wounded spirits the 
consolations of his grace, and be to them a friend that sticketh closer than a 
brother.

Early in 1825 he removed from Charleston to Claiborne, in this State, where he 
successfully pursued his avocation until the Spring of 1841, when he removed to 
Mobile.

In all the business and relations of life, he maitained an unblemished 
reputation, while his bland manners and social disposition made him a general 
favorite.

Although his moral habits were good, it does not appear that he had any special 
concern about the state of his soul, until early in 1828, when the eyes of his 
understanding were opened, and he beheld himself a poor condemned helpless 
sinner; his repentance was deep and abiding, until by faith he was enabled to 
trust in Jesus Christ as savior of sinners, in whom he saw such fullness and 
fitness as met every desire of his burdened heart, and made him rejoice with 
joy unspeakable, and full of glory.  On the 18th day of May, 1828 he, and his 
companion, who was then a member of the Methodist Church, were baptized and 
became members of the Claiborn Baptist Church.

His love to his Saviour, and concern for the salvation of sinners, now 
constrained him to activity in the cause of his master; he soon began to pray 
and exhort in public.  His mind being exercised on the subject of preaching and 
the Church believing he possessed useful gifts and that the Lord had called him 
to the Gospel Ministry; on the 18th day of September, 1830, licensed him to 
preach, in which he engaged with all the energies of his ardent sould.  His 
gifts and usefullness were so apparent, that on the third Lord's day in 
December following, hwe was ordained, and fully invested with the office of a 
Minister of the Gospel of Jeses Christ.  Immediately after this event Eldr 
Alexander Travis, under whose ministry he was awakened, and by whom he was 
immersed, resigned the pasoral care of the Church and Elder Schroebel was 
unanimously elected his successor.

The field of his labors now wopened extensively, and he yielding to the calls 
from the neighboring CHurches and destiture settlements, preached the word with 
great success; the Mount Gilead Church soon called him as Pastor, as did the 
churches of Limestone and Flat Creek, which four churches he continued to serve 
faithfully, acceptably and profitably, until his removal to Mobile.  In the 
Fall of 1840 he organized a Church of a few members at Montgomery Hill, where 
for some time he had been preaching, which has increased in numbers until it 
has become a strong, prosperous and happy one.

While thus laboring in the ministry, he was under the necessity of employing 
his time diligently throughout the week in the support of his family.

Early in March, 1841, the St. Anthony Street Church in Mobile, unanimously 
elected him Pastor, which, upon the advice of a few friends, and mature 
deliveration he concluded it was his duty to accept; dissolving his connexion 
with the four first named churches, he settled in Mobile.

It is proper her to state, that at this time the Church was a small, feeble 
body, divided, and struggling with difficulties that threatened her very 
existance.

Under these untoward circumstances, with an oppressive diffidence in view of 
his qualifications, he entered upon the duties and responsibilities of his new 
charge the latter end of April.  In all the delicate and often perplexing 
circumstances in which his position placed him, his cours was marked by such 
evident singleness of purpose, and christian prudence, as tended materially to 
restore harmony in the body, while his affectionate disposition and 
conciliatory manner won the affection and confidence of the membrs.  He gave 
himself to the work of the Lord, in which he was indefatigable both in public 
and private.  The chief shepherd smiled upon his efforts, and made him the 
honored instrument by which he has poured out his mercy upon the Church and 
community in sweet, refreshing showers; the fruits of his labors in part are to 
be seen in the fact that the Church has increased to upwards of seven hundred 
members of whome he immersed near three hundred.

It was however in the pulpit, that the stronger features of his moral and 
intellectual nature, and the power of his masculine mind were most clearly 
developed.  Notwithstandingit was his misfortune to have received but a very 
limited English education in early life, an circumstances by which he was 
surrounded (until his removal to Mobile) were unfavorable; he had gathered a 
rich fund of useful knowledge, in despite of all the disadvantages under which 
he labored. - His sermons were remarkable for clearness of perception, 
distinctness, and accuracy fo arrangement, powere, and compass of thought, 
expressed in rich and strong language, accompanied by an artless, graceful 
manner, deliverd with great energy: but the points of chief escellence in them 
were seen and felt, in his extensive and critical knowledge of the scriptures, 
the nunber and aptness of his quotations and illistrations, he preached the 
word; it was indeed, the Alpha and the Omega.

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