Sammlung PP - Abraham K. "A.K." Friesen

A.K. Friesen was born February 1, 1881 to Abraham R. Friesen (February 16, 1846-September 16, 1884) and Agatha Kornelson (April 2, 1846-March 2, 1897). From the age of 7 till 13, A.K. Friesen attended school. For several years after he was a teamster and helped his stepfather Johann Thiessen (1813-1888) at home. Agatha married for a third time in 1891 to Peter Dalke (September 17, 1828-April 12, 1909). In 1899, A.K. Friesen did some carpentry work and attended English school at Clear Springs. Then in 1900 continued his education at Mennonite Education Institute (MCI) in Gretna.

A.K. Friesen married Anna Sawatsky (August 29, 1884-December 2, 1953) in June of 1902 and they had 6 children together. Rev. Heinrich H. Ewert, Principal of Mennonite Collegiate Institute, was the officiating minister and one of the authors of many letters in A.K. Friesen’s letter collection. After living and teaching in Lowe Farm for a few years (1904-1907), A.K. and Anna moved to Winkler, MB where he worked as a store assistant and then a teacher. Then in 1910, A.K. began working at the Monarch Lumber Company where he retired as the manager in 1954 after 44 years of employment. After Anna’s death A.K. remarried in 1959 to Nettie Toews (May 1, 1884-January 26, 1963). A.K. Friesen died later the same year on December 22.