Peter Lehner (Leener, Leenert, Leenders, Leenderts, Lienders), b. 1677,  in Switzerland, d. 1755 at Sappemeer, Dutch province of Groningen, married to Elisabeth Rustener (or Rogener), was a farmer at Oberhofen, north of Lake Thun, Switzerland, and a preacher of the congregation. In July 1711 he was forced to emigrate to the Netherlands, where he settled on a small farm near Sappemeer. Here too he was a preacher, serving the Swiss Mennonites and, after the schism of 1720, the New Swiss Brethren until his death in 1755. Poverty-stricken because of the cattle plague and other calamities, too weak by old age to administer the farm, he left it to his oldest son Christian, who succeeded in keeping his head above water by extra earning from weaving. Peter Lehner's grandson, Pieter Pieters Leenerts (Sappemeer 1750-1807), adopted the family name of van Calcar (van Calker). This Pieter van Calcar was also a preacher of the Swiss Brethren congregation (years of serving unknown). He founded a distillery at Hoogezand.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 314. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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