Weidensall, Robert 1836-1922.

Robert Weidensall was born in 1836 in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania and helped organized the YMCA there in 1866. While working as superintendant in the Union Pacific Railroad's car shops in Nebraska, he became active in the Omaha YMCA and was elected its vice president in 1868. Later that year he was made a YMCA employee as its fires field secretary to organize YMCAs along the Union Pacific line. In the course of 54 years, Weidensall pioneered the YMCA movement among railroad workers and in schools and colleges, conceived the first professional associations and training schools for YMCA secretaries, and travelled throughout the country and the world promoting the YMCA. Rural work was a special object of his attention. Weidensall proposed and laid the foundation for successful county work and organized the first rural association in DuPage, Illinois in 1873. Weidensall died on September 13, 1922 in Yutan, Nebraska at the age of 86.

From the description of Robert Weidensall papers, 1844-1940 (bulk 1960-1920). (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62702004

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