Series 4 - Correspondence

Johann Wall (1850-1909) was born in Neuendorf, Chortitza Colony, South Russia to Jacob Wall (1807-1860) and Helena (Neufeld) Wall (1817-1903 ). His first wife was Judith Dueck (1807-1842). Johann received his education in the village school in Neuendorf 1856-1864. Around the year 1870 he entered into an apprenticeship at the Niebuhr mill.

Around the year 1876, Johann's sister, Mrs. Katharina Peters wrote Johann from Manitoba encouraging him to Manitoba to establish a mill in the Mennonite West Reserve. In May of 1877 Johann left Russia with his brother-in-law's family. Upon reaching Manitoba, hr began looking for the materials and money needed to build the steam-powered mill. The local church fully supported him in this venture. He also took a trip to Berlin, Ontario (later known as Kitchener) and met with Jacob Y. Schantz who also gave him support. By September Johann Wall and his brother-in-law Peter Peters were operating the mill.

On 1879 Johann Wall married Aganetha Froese who was born February 12, 1854. In 1879 a sawmill was acquired. It was designed to run off the power generated by the mill. In 1879 the partnership between Wall and Peters was dissolved. The saw and grist mills were very successful. By 1895 Wall had acquired 400 acres of land, a portion of which he farmed near Blumenort. He sold the land at Blumenort in 1895 and bought land west of Gnadenthal. In 1898 he moved the mill to his new residence a and converted it to a wind mill used primarily for grinding feed. He continued to buy land-first in the Hague-Osler area and then 960 acres in Swift Current area of Saskatchewan. Johann Wall died a wealthy man in 1909 at the age of 59. His wife died in 1927.