Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1900-1915 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
4 cm of textual records
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Peter Epp was born on January 26, 1841 to Cornelius and Maria (Abrams) Epp of the Bergthal colony in south Russia. He married Maria Doerksen on December 6, 1863. They moved to Canada from the Bergthal colony but soon relocated to the West Reserve and settled near the village of Schoenthal, near Altona, Manitoba. Peter Epp, who was a writer of diaries and poetry, wrote and published a genealogy of his father Cornelius Epp in 1901. Nine children were born to this family, two of whom died in infancy. The youngest child, Susana (1882) married Henry Nickel and moved to Gouldtown, Saskatchewan.
The Epp family was a part of the Sommerfelder Mennonite Church and father Peter served the community as secretary of the Waisenamt, which was a church run aid organization. He was also president of the Fire Insurance Society. In 1903 Peter Epp moved to Altona for his retirement years and died in Altona in 1915. His wife, Maria, died in 1933.
Repository
Archival history
The records in this collection were deposited by Peter Epp's grandson, Frank E. Dueck of Winnipeg, Manitoba between July and September of 1977. After Epp died it is unclear where the books went. They may have gone to Susana Enns of Herbert Saskatchewan. When grandson, Frank Dueck, brought the materials to the archives, a photo copy was made of the genealogy book and placed in the vertical file under Genealogy: Epp, Cornelius.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The material in the Peter Epp collection ranges in dates from 1885-1915, though the notebooks were started in 1900. The collection consists of poetry, financial ledgers, correspondence, articles to newspapers, genealogical registers and reports on literary society meetings.
The poetry dates back to 1875. These poems are written by Peter Epp and chronicle various kinds of people and events such as birthdays, weddings, Christmas, immigration, and life at school. Some of the poems were published in German papers such as Die Mennonitische Post. After Epp's death, his son printed the
poems separately in book form.
The financial ledgers start in 1902 and continue until 1915. They are probably records of Epp's involvement as president of the Fire Insurance Society in southern Manitoba (Brandaeltester der Mennonitengemeinden in Sued-Manitoba) during these years.
The correspondence, ranging in date from 1900-1915, is directed to places in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
There are a number of religious articles included in the notebook. Most of these, dating from 1900-1915, were printed in newspapers such as Die Mennonitische Rundschau.
The genealogical registers chronicle the Epp family. In 1901, Peter Epp published a genealogy of his father and descendants.
Several reports of the debates going on in the literary society meetings in Altona are also included in the collection. Epp records several arguments between various individuals, also dating from 1900-1915.
The notebooks further contain a colour drawing of a Union Jack and instructions on the use of wax and pencil crayons. Several recipes are also included.
The strength of this collection for Canadian research lies in analyzing Mennonite social life in Manitoba at the turn of the century. The wide range of material from poetry to debates to theological articles to business matters makes it a rich resource. In particular it chronicles life in a small town (Altona) and also reflects life in other major Mennonite settlements (in Saskatchewan where Epp's children lived).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- German
Script of material
- Gothic
Language and script notes
Fairly easy to read if one knows the Gothic script.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
One register is well-worn with use and has several lost pages.
Finding aids
None
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
All of the material, except the genealogy booklet, is original.
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Subject access points
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Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Description first created by Jake Peters and published in "Resources for Canadian Mennonite Studies." 1988: 69-71.