Child of William Armstead Crumbaker and Margaret Piper and husband of Elsie Ophelia Fellingham.

Born on the farm.

Married on October 12, 1880 in Verona, Grundy County, Illinois.

Children: Edwin William, Maurice Gilbert, Mary Elma, Wilbur Henry and Helen Margaret


Obituary from the Fairbury Blade newspaper dated Friday, December 3, 1926:

Funeral services for the late Reverend M. V. Crumbaker, who passed away at his home in Onawa, Iowa, on November 23, and who for forty-nine years was one of the best loved pastors of the central Illinois conference, were held in Onawa last Friday, and the remains bought here, where services were held Saturday afternoon. With many others in attendance at the service in the Methodist church, were twelve Methodist ministers: Reverends George E. Scrimger, W. R. Wiley, J. H. Ryan, F. E. Shult, G. P. Snedaker, L. F. Zinser, R. I. Stone, T. J. M. Crapp, O. C. Pentecoff and J. V. Kennedy, who had charge of the services. Dr. Shult read the obituary, Dr, Scrimger led in prayer, Dr. Wiley told briefly of Dr. Crumbaker's wonderful conversion, of which Dr. Wiley was an eye witness. Dr. Ryan read the scripture lesson and Dr. Jones preached the sermon from the text, Psalm 77:9. The remains of Reverend Crumbaker were laid to rest beside those of his beloved wife and son in the family lot in Forrest.

The following obituary was read at the services:

Marion Victor Crumbaker, B. A., M. A., D. D., son of William A. and Margaret Piper Crumbaker, was born in Muskingham county, Ohio, February 20, 1847. He was the third of twelve children, ten of whom, five boys and five girls, reached maturity and seven of whom still survive. His boyhood days were spent on the farm among the hills of Ohio. In 1864 he moved with his parents from the farm in Ohio to a farm in McLean county, Illinois, making the journey overland by wagon. At the age of 18 he enlisted in Company B, 152nd Illinois infantry, and served with this company until mustered out at the close of the war. After the war he returned to the farm in Illinois and in 1868, in a meeting of the Method at Episcopal church in Selma, or Pleasant Hill, Illinois, he was soundly converted to God and there united with the church to which he was able to render nearly three score years of service. In 1869 he entered Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, and worked his way through by farming, feeding stock, and teaching, graduating in 1874. The same year he was admitted to the Central Illinois conference at the annual conference at El Paso, and continued in active ministry for forty-nine years, retiring in 1923.

October 12, 1880, he was married to Elsie O. Fellingham at Verona. To this union were born five children, Edwin W., of Abingdon; Maurice G., who died in 1891 at the age of six years; Mary E., of Onawa, Iowa, who has been her father's constant companion since her mother passed away; Wilbur H., of Abingdon; and Helen M. Harris, of Omaha, Nebraska. The devoted, Christian wife was released from earthly cares on July 8, 1918. During his 49 years of active relationship with the Central Illinois conference, he served the churches and people at Clifton, Ashkum, Rutland, Verona, Tonica, Colfax, Sibley, Forrest, Wing, Sheldon, Iroquois, Kankakee First, Abingdon, Moline First, Fairbury, Onarga, Pekin, Wellington, Lacon and Preemption, in the earlier years often serving two churches at a time. He served as district superintendent, or presiding elder as it was then called, from 1892 to 1898, three years on the Macomb district, and when the conference was redistricted in 1895, he was transferred to the Rock Island conference for the remainder of this term.

In May, 1896, he served as a delegate to the general conference at Cleveland, Ohio. He also served as treasurer of the conference board of trustees from the creation of that office until his retirement in 1923. He was present at every annual session of the Central Illinois conference from 1874 until 1926. While a student at Wesleyan he became a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He was also an active member of the G. A. R.

In July, 1924, with his daughter, Mary, he established a home in Onawa, Iowa, to be near and supervise his farm land nearby. In September of this year he drove back to attend the annual conference at Pontiac, and with his daughter spent two joyous months visiting with many relatives and lifelong friends. He returned to Iowa on November 13 and passed away on the morning of November 23, having suffered from pneumonia since November 17.

Beside his four children, he is survived by four grandchildren and three brothers, Oliver M., of Fairbury; S. W., of Colfax, Washington; Jonas A., of Garfield, Washington; and four sisters, Ellen A. Wilson, of Garfield, Washington; Maria E. Stickler, of Lexington; Sarah C. Smith, of Albion, Nebraska; Margaret J. Lawrence, of Winlock, Washington.