Fonds PP - David W. Friesen fonds

David W. Friesen (1879-1951), founder of the internationally renowned printing company, D.W. Friesen and Sons of Altona, Manitoba was born on June 12, 1879 to David Friesen (1856-1893) and Anna Wiens (1857-1883) in the village of Schoensee in Manitoba's Mennonite East Reserve. In 1883 his mother died, and his father remarried to Anna Klassen some time later. His father David Friesen died on June 8, 1893 and a little later his stepmother remarried to Cornelius Bergman and moved to the village of Lichtfeld in the Mennonite West Reserve.

On June 3, 1900 David was baptized into the Sommerfeld Mennonite church and a year later, July 23, 1901, he married Maria Kroeker (1882-1907). After farming for a few years, David taught in the village of Gnadenfeld from 1903 to 1905. After the teaching experience they moved to Altona where David began an implement dealership.

In 1907 his wife died, he remarried to Sarah Striemer, joined the Bergthaler Mennonite church in Altona, bought a small confectionery store and became the postmaster and an agent for the Manitoba Government Telephones.

He was elected as a deacon in the Bergthaler church in 1912 and ordained in 1914. Throughout the rest of his life he was deeply involvement in church life. His responsibilities first included dispensing aid to the needy through the Armenkasse (fund for the poor) and after 1927 through the Wohltaetigkeitskomitee (welfare committee). He was also involved in collecting money for the Red Cross and other relief projects to which the Bergthaler church contributed. In 1929 he was chosen to work on a committee that was to draw up a constitution for the Bergthaler church. In 1939 he was chosen to act as Canadian treasurer for the General Conference Mennonite Church's Board of Missions, a position held until 1950. He also served as treasurer of the Manitoba Mennonite Insurance Organization from 1922 to 1949.

David W. Friesen's business expanded in 1924 to include book sales. Eventually this enterprise expanded into an important distribution center for school textbooks and other school supplies. In 1930 Friesen expanded his business to include a print shop and wholesale stationary department. The printing business grew steadily throughout the 1930s. In 1946 Friesen began to give up some his responsibilities -- the telephone agency as well as some church responsibilities. In 1948 his three sons -- Dave, Ray, and Ted bought all his business interests. In 1949 he gave up the position of postmaster. He died in 1951 the age of 72.