Life
Born the son of a teacher at Strasbourg, he earned a doctorate in theology at the university in his hometown. In 1767 he became pastor of a remote and barren region in the Steintal (Ban-de-la-Roche), a valley in the Vosges on the borders of Alsace and Lorraine.
He set himself to better the material, and spiritual, condition of the inhabitants. Directing himself to their spiritual condition, each month he preached three sermons in French and one in German.
He began his work for their material improvement by constructing roads through the valley and erecting bridges, inciting the peasantry to the enterprise by his personal example. He practised medicine among them, and founded a loan and savings bank. He introduced an improved system of agriculture. Substantial cottages were erected, and various industrial arts were introduced.
He founded an itinerant library, originated infant schools, and established an ordinary school at each of the five villages in the parish. In the work of education, he received great assistance from his housekeeper, Louisa Scheppler (1763–1837). His orphan asylums were the beginning of the many “Oberlinvereine” for the protection of children.
He died in 1826 in Waldersbach, where he had lived for 40 years. He was interred with great manifestations of honor and affection at the nearby village of Urbach (now Fouday, Bas Rhin).
His brother Jérémie Jacques Oberlin was a noted archaeologist and philologist.
Read more about this topic: J. F. Oberlin
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