Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1883-2012, primarily 1929-1996 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
40 cm of textual records
2 print publications
4 optical disks
3 handwritten dispensation charts
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
David J. Fast, minister and farmer, was born on March 19, 1899 in the village of Gruenhof, Schoenfelder Wolost Colony, South Russia. He was the fifth of six sons born to Johann and Helena (nee Warkentin) Fast. Fast grew up in Schoenfeld and Memrik where his parents moved in 1908. He attended the village school and then the Zentralschule. He attended Bible school in the Crimea and had wanted to continue his studies in Basil, Switzerland but the outbreak of World War I made this impossible. Fast was baptized in Memrik and then married Agathe Schroeder on October 19, 1922. They had four children in Russia and eight more in Canada after immigrating in 1929. Their first year in Canada they lived in Glenlea, Manitoba with relatives. They then moved to a farm about 12 miles from Grunthal in the East Reserve. David Fast was ordained to the ministry in 1934 by Aeltester Franz Enns and served the Grunthal church until 1953. David kept detailed accounts of finances related to the farm. He also recorded when and where he used scripture passages for sermons. Being involved with church leadership, David attended many meetings including some inter-Mennonite meetings and conferences in the East Reserve. In 1962 he retired from farming and moved to Steinbach. Here they joined the Steinbach Mennonite Church. David J. Fast died on March 3, 1979.
Name of creator
Repository
Archival history
David and Agatha Fast fonds consists of two accession records donated to the Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives (now Mennonite Heritage Archives) by descendants of David and Agatha Fast. The first accession, Acc. No. 2002-025, was donated by Peter Fast, son of David and Agatha Fast, on 27 February 2002. The second accession, Acc. No. 2016-027, was donated by Rudy Fast, son of David and Agatha Fast, on 21 July 2016.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The David Agatha Fast fonds consists of records created, accumulated, and used records by David and Agatha Fast of Chortitz, East Reserve, Manitoba, between 1929 and 1996. The materials include immigration papers to come to Canada (1929), settlement documents, repayment of travel debt, farm account books (1931-1960), income tax papers (1943-1962), sermons, minister notebooks, notes from East Reserve Inter-Mennonite meetings and conferences, committee meeting minutes, Canadian passports, and wills. Also included in the record is a family bible that belonged to Johan Fast (b. 1860), and 2 copies of “We Must Adapt: The Schroeder-Fast letters 1930-1988" 1st and 2nd editions. Additionally, there are 4 optical disks of interviews with David and Agatha Fast as well as 3 handwritten dispensation charts (in map storage).
David attended Inter-Mennonite meetings and conferences in the East Reserve and collected programs, minutes, and invitations to interdenominational church conferences. Also among these documents are provincial government pamphlets on alcohol and correspondence with Manitoba Temperance Alliance. All of these records are in Volume 6478.5. United Ministers and Deacons minutes. – 1942-1966.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
No restrictions to access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
- German
Script of material
- Gothic
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Finding aid consists of an inventory file list.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Subject access points
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Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Described by Selenna Wolfe in June 2020.
Language(s)
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Sources
Archivist's note
The archives received materials in no discernible order, and the archivist imposed an order based upon an analysis of life and work of David and Agatha Fast.