Grace (Nedrow) Heisey, tenth child of John and Mary (Ferguson) Nedrow, was born near Jones Mills, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1887.

In their beautiful home, nestled among the mountains, John and Mary reared, besides Grace, Four sons and five daughters, of fourteen children that were born unto them. From the tender age of five years, Grace was a faithful and regular attendant of the country public school.

The Christian atmosphere permeating the home of Deacon Nedrow left its imprint on the children. Three of the sons were ministers. At the age of fourteen, when Grace's uncle Isaiah B Ferguson, was conducting a series of meetings in the Nedrow schoolhouse, Indian Creek congregation, Grace confessed Christ and united with the Church of the Brethren. being baptized by Brother Ferguson. When twenty, she spent some months in Pittsburgh, and delighted in the church work she was permitted to do there. When a young woman the desire of her heart was realized, as she stepped within the walls of Juniata College in 1911 and began study there. She was a student in the Normal English course and took work in the English Bible while attending this institution. Here, no doubt, her missionary convictions were intensified.

It was while at the college that she met Brother Herman B Heisey, and May 28, 1912, was united in marriage to him.

She, with her husband, was approved by the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in 1912, and together with others they sailed to their chosen field of labor in India in the fall. After reaching India and becoming located they took up language study, in which they made commendable progress. It was not very long, however, until sickness laid hold upon their bodies, which greatly hindered them in their work. For some months they battled with the disease, hoping to overcome it, but getting no better, it was finally decided best to return to America.

This they did in 1914, and after some months spent in the East they took up the pastorate of the Red Bank congregation, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, where they did good work.


(Info taken from 'History of the Church of the Brethren of Western Pennsylvania by Elder Jerome E Blough Published by the Brethren Publishing House 1916 pages 234-236)