This collection comprises of handwritten letters notifying friends and family of a death, a few wedding invitations, pattern for a skirt and a recipe. A list of people in several villages are noted at the end signifying to whom the notice should be passed. The collection is helpful in understanding funeral practices in the Mennonite community, verifying and supplementing vital records already recorded in church and government sources. In addition some information as to the residents of some villages can be gleaned. Most common villages mentioned in the letters include Schoenweise, Reinland, Kronsfeld, Blumenfeld, Haskett, and Gnadenthal of the Mennonite West Reserve area (current rural municipalities of Rhineland and Stanley). In the Mennonite tradition of the day when a person died their body was prepared for burial by the family and a casket was made by a family or community member. The body in the casket remained in the home for a few days until the funeral took place. Here people came to pay their last respects and offer condolences to the family. To notify friends and family a letter stating who had died was written and placed in an envelope, often with a black edging to notify the receiver that this was a notice of a death. With this notice of death was a list of people to whom the letter should be passed. Closest family and friends were on the list and often these people constituted the core group who attended the funeral in the home.
This fonds contains reports and correspondence from Helena's various assignments with the UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) and WHO (World Health Organization), as well as University reports and assignments, correspondence from her hears in Montreal, and other notes and documents. Also included are several newspaper clippings or articles, a small collection of photographs, and many interesting documents such as diplomas, certificates and travel identification.
Journal of Johann Wall regarding his trip to Brazil in 1919, and a letter to his family, 1900--all in handwritten German Gothic script; 3 pages of typed, English translation of part of the journal, trans. by JK Wiens.
A letter written by Mrs. Heinrich Warkentin, Blumstein, in 1880, to her brother- and sister-in-laws about their parents' deaths--in handwritten Geman Gothic, and transcribed.
Letter written by Peter (1854) and Susanna (1855) Warkentin, McPherson County, KS, 1882, to ? (two copies), in handwritten German Gothic.
Letter from Jakob and Margaretha Willms, Tiege (?), 1880, to ?.
A Groening and Wiebe family genealogy by Ray Wiebe, Kansas based on the family records of Jacob Z. Wiebe (1869-1952), a grandson of Jacob Wiebe (1805-1853). Jacob Wiebe's wife Anna Wiens (1810-1876) was first married to Abraham Groening (1808-1834). This genealogy traces the descendants of the Groening and Wiebe children of Anna Wiens (1810-1876).
Clipping re Margaretha Froese and her connection to the founding of the MB Church; excerpts from a family history and genealogy of a Wiens family, ca. 1760 t- ca. 1967: compiler is not identified.
About Margaretha (Froese) Wiens Klassen (1801-1873).
Warkentin family history and genealogy complied by Elsie Warkentin, Goessel, 1985. Traces back to Jakob (1833-1903) and Katharina (Sommerfeld) (1838-1903) Warkentin.
Julius Wiebe's journal about his journey from Canada to South America, 1919; typed German and a handwritten German Gothic copy. Maps of the Altai region and USSR. Photos.
