This fonds consists of a sampling of key documents which Ike Froese preserved from his life’s passion and work related to how he worked within the Mennonite Church to relate and minister amoung North American aboriginal people. Correspondence, news clippings, and research papers are found in this fonds. The files include information on the history of Mennonite Pioneer Mission and Conference of Mennonites in Canada Native Ministry programs, especially from 1970 to 1980, but also there are a few documents from the 1980s and 1990s. The fonds contains one series of textual materials and another of photographs, which show people, place and events of significance to his life.
This fonds consists of mainly the poetry which Peter Kroeger wrote. There are a few sample engineering drawings, correspondence, sketches of Manitoba scenes by his brother Arthur, and a few miscelleneous documents which he collected. Much of the poetry was submitted to the editors of the German language Mennonite newspaper called Der Bote or to the producers of Faith and Life Communications Low German Radio broadcast. The poems were written for various occasions, seasons, institutions and people -- mainly in German and Low German, and occasionally in English. At least one poem was selected for publicaion by "The National Library of Poetry" (Owings Mills, Maryland, USA) in 1996. (See Vol. 1655:11).
This fonds contains a series of journals begun in Russia in 1908 and continued in Canada after 1923. Parts were written while the writer was still living in Nikolaifeld, then Arkadak, and finally in Hanley, Saskatchewan. There are transcriptions and translations with the materials which were completed by the MHC volunteer staff Jake Friesen in 2008.
This fonds consists of family documents, unpublished genealogies, a computer database and 83 photographs. Many of the genealogies are computer generated reports based on data that Ed Schellenberg collected and compiled for himself and others interested in Mennonite family history. Some of surnames of the families he researched included Schellenberg, Rempel, Braun, Barkman, Falk, Schlabach, Warkentin and Reimer.
This fonds consists of a set of personal journals from 1936 to 2011, which records people that visited Helena Thiessen, places Helena visited and the activities of those she lived close to. There is also a series of notebooks containing personal notes, sometimes attending to loved ones who were in the last days of life in the hospital. Contained in this fonds are also some items which she acquired from her father, mother, sisters and brothers, as well as some person memorabilia like a recipe book, book of her school art work and the record of her baptism. A significant item is the friendship book started by her grandparents, Johann J. and Elizabeth Loewen, which contains birth, marriage and death dates of many friends and family members. The fonds also contains several hundred letters which she received from her parents, siblings and friends.
This fonds contains mainly letters received from siblings who remained in the homeland (Russia/Soviet Union) written in the post-revolution era, after Johann J. and Helena Wiens immigrated to Canada. The letters describe experiences of family, exile and complete disruption of their way of life as the communist regime developed. There is a 19-year period of no letter exchange beginning in 1937 when Stalin initiated an horrendous purge of anyone that might be a threat to his regime. After Stalin's death, things began to change slowly, and starting in 1956 contact was again established and another series of letter were exchanged. This fonds includes letters which Johann received from his sister Anna Siemens, his brother Jacob's family, his brother Peter Wiens and his sister Liese Letkemann. There are also some letters from relatives, David and Justina Kasper, Gertrude (Enns) Regehr and others. In addition to the letters from Russia, this fonds also contain two notebooks -- one consisting of the Wiens family register compiled by Johann J. Wiens, and the other a 1948 trip diary and address book created by Helena Wiens.
This fond consists of nine series. They include: -1) Linguistics; -2) Russian / Prussian Mennonite history; -3) World War Two history; -4) Education; -5) Anabaptist history (with a sub series on catechisms); -6) Theology; -7) Genealogy; -8) Russian history; -9) Philosophy and History. These series contain handwritten notes, manuscripts by the author, card indexes, photocopies, pictures, micro media, and a few original documents. The numerous photocopies and micro media are of books and articles, some of which are extremely rare. It is difficult to determine when the copies or notes were made: therefore, the creation date of the files are often [19-], meaning between 1900-1999. In many cases, the correspondence and manuscripts are the only way to date his research. In some cases, the date of publication is not known and an estimate was made.
This fonds consists of eleven series reflecting the life of a Mennonite minister, teacher and administrator who spent most of his life working with the church and its institutions and programs. The series are: -1. Pastoral work, 1937-1975 -2. Mennonite conferences, 1939-1973 -3. CMBC, 1945-1972 -4. Teaching notes and student assignments, 1945-1973 -5. Schools attended and student work, 1930-1972 -6. Topical files, 1938-1974 -7. Personal files, 1918-1974 -8. Elsie's personal files, 1918-1995 -9. Bethel Mennonite Church (Winnipeg), 1939-1974 -10. Sermon collection, 1939-1974 -11. Photograph collection, 189-?, 1926-1975.
This fonds consists of correspondence of the Enns - Toews family in Canada, Russia, Brazil, and Germany to and from family and friends. Also included are diaries eleven photographs, two Russian estate maps and one audio cassette. This fonds can be divided in to nine series. -1) John H. Enns papers -2) Elise Enns papers -3) Anna Toews papers -4) Gerhard Enns papers -5) Gerhard Martens papers -6) Various Family members papers -7) Photographs -8) David Enns papers -9) Luise (Enns) Martens papers.
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.
This fonds consists of six series: Peter & Mary Koop correspondence, Manuscripts & Books, Verses, Poems & Songs, Koop family history materials, Heidi Koop materials, Photograph Collection, Map Collection.
This fonds consists of textual records which illustrate Heidi Koop's life, which are organized into seven series: -1.) Selected files of introduction -2.) Education -3.) Professional life -4.) Writing -5.) Travel -6.) Collected materials -7.) Journals. This fonds also includes a collection of photographs which document much of her life and a series of drawings (artworks) created from 1976 to 1998 which drew upon these life experiences. (See inventory file list for description of drawings; see item description under Photo collection 676.)
This fonds consists of Janzen's correspondence and reports while working in Gronau, Germany, while attending Bethel College and while working with the youth in Vineland Ontario. Included in Janzen's Germany materials are essays and memoirs by some of the refugees Janzen worked with as well as correspondence with leaders such as Dr. Kurt Kauenhowen and Walter Quiring. There are 107 slides showing the Gronau camp, people and activities. The materials gives an account of the Janzens' life in Germany, Kansas and Vineland. With this material a better understanding of the effects of the Second World War on the Mennonite population in the Ukraine and the process of emigrating from there to Paraguay or Canada can be gained.
The records document Mennonite life in Russia and early Mennonite life on the Manitoba Mennonite West Reserve. Starting with the Jacob Wall diary (created by Johann's father) with details of life in Russia, to school materials (penmanship) and copied reports and speeches such as information on Hutterites written by Heinrich Donner, and ending with his own financial records as a mill owner in Manitoba and Saskatchewan., which have details of life in Canada. There are legal documents such as land, mortgage and income tax documents. Of special interest are portions of a blue print for the mill that Johann Wall built and operated in Blumenort, Manitoba. This fonds is described in six series: -1) Penmanship and school work (Volume 642:1-4,6,7-8.) -2) Business and financial records (Volume 1086:2,3; 1706:3-36) -3) Material copied by Johann Wall (Volume 1706:8-11,37) -4) Correspondence (Volume 1706:12) -5) Jacob Wall diary (Volume 1086:5, 5a, 7) -6) Helena Wall financial records (Volume 642:5; 1706:1-2)
