Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1900-1951, 1954, 1955, 1959, 1968, 1979 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
8 cm of textual records
513 photographs.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
H.H. Hamm was an author, teacher and administrator of the Rural Municipality of Rhineland.
Heinrich H. Hamm (1877-1962) was born in the village of Chorititza, Chortitza colony, South Russia. as the son of Gerhard Hamm and Anna Knelsen. He attended school in the village of Rosenthal. In 1892 he immigrated to Canada with his parents and settled in the Winkler-Morden area and two years later relocated to the village of Neuanlage along the Post Road. Hamm attended the Mennonite Educational Institute in Gretna for training as a teacher around the year 1894. He taught school for one year in Neuanlage, two years at Hoffnungsort, three years in Edenthal, replaced teacher Benjamin Ewert for a year in Edenburg, and then taught for three years in Altona.
H.H. Hamm married Anna Dick in 1904 and they had 3 children.
In 1913 Hamm became secretary-treasurer for the Rural Municipality of Rhineland and in 1919 he also became secretary for the village of Altona, a position which he held until 1935. Hamm continued to serve the Municipality until 1944 when he moved to Ottawa for a year. When he returned, he became the first mayor of Altona after it incorporated in 1946. Hamm retired from public life in 1949 and the following year he went on a trip to Europe and the Middle East. He died in 1962.
Repository
Archival history
The materials in this collection were deposited at various times between 1977 and 1991 and brought together by the archives staff. Some material came to the archives from Mrs. Neta Eamer, daughter of H.H. Hamm. In 1979 local historian and Red River Valley Echo contributor, Elizabeth (Isby) Bergen donated eleven photographs that were loaned to her by the Hamm family and given permission to deposit them in the archives. Another donation was made in 1988 consisting of a small folder of material.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This fonds includes two photograph collections -- the one contains images of people (friends and family), some buildings and some scenes of places (Coll. 166) ; the other collection contains mainly photos taken on trips (Coll 360). The textual materials relates largely to the family history of the Hamms. Some material is autobiographical and deals with Heinrich H. Hamm's involvements in municipal life. There is a personal financial ledger. There is some travel literature relating to his trips to Europe and the Middle East, and a few cards and letters to complete the collection.
The collection is most useful to researchers seeking illustrations of social life and modes of transportation during the period 1900-1945 in the Canadian prairies, specifically in Manitoba.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Described by Jake Peters in "Sources for Canadian Mennonite Studies: an inventory and guide to archival holdings at the Mennonite Heritage Centre" (1988); and further described and catalogued by Conrad Stoesz (1999). Edited and update 2020. (AHR).
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Accession nos. 88-96; 91-112 or 91-113.