File 69 - Nikolai N. Friesen

Nikolai N. Friesen, church leader, teacher and farmer, was born on April 15, 1901 in the village of Kamenetz, Neu Samara Colony, South Russia. He was the fourth child born to Nikolai J. and Margaret (nee Dyck) Friesen. His mother died as the result of miscarriage when Friesen was four years old. Kathrina Stobbe became his stepmother when his father remarried. His father's second marriage produced two children.

Nick Friesen moved to Schwerebkowo, Odessa in 1906 when his father became the minister and director of the forestry there. His parents had concerns about the influence of the camp on their son and as a result he was sent to live with his stepmother's family in Ischalka in 1908. In 1912 he once again went to live with his father when his father took a teaching position in Ischalka and began farming.

Nicolai Friesen attending the village school from 1912-1914 and after completing the seventh class went on to study at Lugowosk Oberschule where he completed three years of study in two year and received his teaching certificate. He was baptized on June 2, 1922 by Aeltesteer David Boschmann and married Elizabeth Duerksen two years later on March 11th. Their marriage produced six children (three sons and three daughters).

Under pressure from the family, Nicolai N. Friesen and his family reluctantly immigrated to Canada in 1925. They first settled in Mayfair, Saskatchewan where Friesen was ordained to the ministry in 1928. In 1939, he received a call to pastor the United Mennonite Church in Black Creek, British Columbia where he served until 1954. In 1953 he was ordained as a bishop (Aeltester) by Johannes Regier and A.A. Harder. He served the Aldergrove church in British Columbia as lead pastor from 1954 to 1966 and then as associate pastor until his retirement in 1980. Nikolai N. Friesen died on September 28, 1995.