The collection contains Abram Penner’s personal diaries from 1904 to 1940, the time of his death. Entries are mostly daily events and weather data. Other records include his travel diary from his trip to Russia, family records, and letters. There is also an account ledger from the general store in Mountain Lake.
Penner, Abram, 1849-1940
Consists of Cornelius Voth's "Ein Schreibe Buch" which was continued by his son-in-law Peter Balzer.
The first two pages have recipes for remedies for stomach ache, the plague, etc. written by Peter Balzer.
Next is a 17 page family history section.
Pages 1, 2, and 3 are more remedies for illneses.
Up to p. 203 is miscellaneous poems, songs, speeches, sermons, etc.
Then several blank pages.
Page 233 starts a diary followed by accounts of what he borrowed from various people.
238-242: weather chart
258-266: remedies for horse diseases
272: recipes for gilding glass and leather
283: diary notes
288-291: remedies for human and animal illnesses
292 to end: financial notes, blacksmithing work, etc.
Voth, Cornelius, 1762-1836
Diaries, music book, small amount of correspondence
Music book has been digitized: http://mla.bethelks.edu/archives/ms_273/
Regier, Henry G., 1861-1944
Quite a few items revolving around Peter Wedel, Alexanderwohl elder. A Heinrich Balzer poem dedicated to him. An 1815 letter to him from Wilhelm Lange. His diary from 1834?-1838. Some poems and writing exercises possibly by him.
Also, Wilhelm Lange's ordination sermon. And sermons by Peter Unrau.
And Henry S. Goertzen school exercises.
Goertzen, Henry S., 1894-1973
Wall's diary 1824-1860 of events in his region. Also a listing of births, deaths, etc. mentioned in the diary, compiled by Glenn Penner. The title "Record Book of the Chortitza Mennonite Settlement 1824-1860" also seems to have been used for this document, although it isn't really an accurate description.
Wall, Jacob, 1807-1860
Abraham Toews will?, 1877
Hutterite historical account of the group at Vishenka by a Peter Neufeld, 1866
financial record books, possibly of Bethel church, 1909-1925
poems by Peter T. Neufeld
German sermons 1850s-1890s and undated, authors not given, but some probably by Heinrich Neufeld and Heinrich Toews
catechism booklet 1880
Isaac Peters "Vortrag bei einer Lehrerwahl" Marienthal, no date
Isaac Peters, "Etwas über den Zweck der Form u. die Bedeutung der christlichen Wassertaufe," no date
Heinrich Toews diary
Bethel Jugend-Verein speeches and correspondence by Peter T. Neufeld
Neufeld, Peter T., 1893-1964