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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 congregational bulletins (1965-1997, 2002-2010, 2014-2020), congregational newsletters (1981-1997), congregational directories (1976, 1978, 1980, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1995), minutes of (Women's) Sewing Circle (1913-1937), finance committee (1953-1979), church council (1965-1979), ministerial committee (1967-1979), personnel committee, deacons committee, and search committee meeting minutes (1976-1978), worship committee, and MDS meeting minutes (1965-1967, 1976-1979), Education Committee meeting minutes (1962-1965), Sunday School teachers' meeting minutes (1966-1971), Education Commission, library committee, and music committee meeting minutes (1976-1978), World Mission commission, Home missions commission, missions committee, and service committee meeting minutes (1965-1969), congregational meeting minutes and reports (1949-1967, 1976-1978, 1984, 2004-2006, 2008-2010, 2014).

These materials show the activities and priorities of the local congregation from annual, church board and ministerial meetings to specific activities such as Sunday school, cradle roll committee meetings and weekly Sunday worship services.

The fonds consists of a congregational history (1972), constitutions (1962-1993), bulletins (1962-2021), directories (1963-2020), founding documents (1962-1963), annual reports (1962-2020), newsletters (1962-1988), financial records (1963-1990), minutes of congregational meetings, church council, and various committees (1962-2000), correspondence (1962-2000), and church and family registers (1971-1981). The records pertain to the founding and development of the Altona Mennonite Church and they documents the leaders and participants of the congregation.

Andrew Hamm (1875- ) was the original author attributed to this fonds. However, over the years it has become unclear who Andrew Hamm (Andreas Hamm) truly is and should all the diaries be attributed to the same individual. We know that the original card catalogue for the fonds identifies that the diaries record economic as well as personal matters, for the years 1881-1893, 1905-1916, 1963-1966. Additional information provided is the author was from the village of Neubergthal, Manitoba.

Andrew Hamm (1875-1944) is the son of Gerhard Hamm (1844-1905) and Anna Knelsen (1849-1916). Andrew was born in Rosenthal, Chortitza, South Russia, immigrated to Canada in 1892, was married in Eichenfeld, Manitoba, then moved to Rosthern, Saskatchewan where his children were born and he later died. However, this Andrew Hamm’s life and immigration dates do not match up with what is described in the diaries.

Another Hamm family in Neubergthal, Manitoba at the time was Andreas Hamm (1826-1892), his son Andreas Hamm (1863-1936), and his son Andreas Hamm (1898-1976). When doing research for this fonds, Alf Redekopp spoke with life-long resident of Neubergthal Ray Hamm. Ray remembers Andreas Hamm (1898-1976) and it is because of this connection that we have decided to attribute the diaries to Andreas Hamm (1863-1936).

There are three distinct time frames that the diaries cover: 1881-1893, 1905-1916, 1963-1966. The first section (1881-1893) is before any of the people we are considering to have created the diaries came to Canada. Yet, the content of the diary in this section discusses buying and selling material, travelling to Winnipeg, and comments on the weather. Meaning the author lived in Manitoba at the time. The last section is written after both Andrew’s we are considering to have written the diaries had passed away. Meaning the diaries from the 1960s must be written by a different author. The authorship of these materials remains unclear.

This fonds includes letters and photographs sent by Aganetha Wiebe in Russia to her daughter Helena Dyck who lived in Canada, 1930-1939, and to her brother Gerhard Klasssen in Germany in 1944. The letters reflect the economic situation in South Russia, the lifestyle, religious beliefs and events experienced by Aganetha, including her flight to Poland in 1944. There is also material about Aganetha’s son Abram, his wife Ira and son Walter. Many of the letters were transcribed and translated by Anganetha’s granddaughter, Ruth Wood (nee Ruth Dyck) in 1994.
The photographs capture a sampling of various family members and events from the 1896 engagement of Aganetha Klassen to Peter G. Wiebe, to a Wiebe family reunion in Petershagen, Germany in 1995.

This fonds contains photocopied originals and typed transcripts of the diaries, poetry and other writings of Anna Baerg. Clara K. Dyck transcribed the diaries and some of the other writings, and also provided some interpretive commentary. The diaries, which include the years 1916-1926, and 1959, detail the every day life experiences of a young woman in a Mennonite community in Russia during the years of war, revolution, and civil war and a little bit of her subsequent life in Canada.

Fonds consists of 25 diaries recorded by Anna dated from 1929 to 1953. The originals were scanned and then returned to the family. In this fonds are colour prints of the diaries. Personal records also include newspaper clippings, poems and some photos. The diaries, mostly in English with some German, are usually written in 7 by 9 inch scribblers. The first was written in a proper diary given as a gift to Anna by her son, Cornelius. Later entries were hastily recorded on whatever was available, with a few by her daughter, Evelyn. Anna writes about day-to-day activities which centered around their growing family, Abraham’s work and hobbies, their church activities, health issues and the influence of world events on their daily life.

This fonds has mainly the correspondence (1945-1948) between Anna Peters in Germany, her sister Maria (Peters) Bergen in Canada and her nephew John Bergen, at first in Oldenburg, Germany, later back in Canada, and her niece, Margaret Bergen in Canada. Anna's first letter to her sister Maria Bergen after the war was sent along with a Canadian soldier stationed in Wiesmoor, who was returning to Canada. No correspondence was yet allowed between Germany and Canada at the time. Maria was able to send a letter to her son John Bergen, who was in the Dental Corps, as a member of the occupation forces stationed in Oldenburg, Germany, and through him contact could be made and letters received. For several months all letters from Anna Peters (Germany) to her sister Maria (Canada) were forwarded via John Bergen in Oldenburg, Germany.
There are also three letters which pre-date the 1945-1948 period -- one written by Anna's brother, Anton Peters in 1934, another by her father Abram Peters in 1933, and one by Anna herself as a 13 year-old, describing their dire circumstances having the last potatoes, etc. taken by the communists and begging for a dollar (1933).

This fonds consists of 3 volumes of letters translated into English depicting life in Russia and the Soviet Union 1925-1978. In 1925 Anna Reimer's daughter, Katherina Enns and her husband Wilhelm Enns immigrated to Canada along with Anna's son's family, Johann and Kaethe Reimer. Anna and her other children remained in Russia, hoping also to move later but could not do so. This fonds consists of the letters the family members in Canada received, documenting the situation in the Soviet Union. The letters were translated by Katherina and Wilhelm Enns' children Con Enns and Elizabeth Enns, her husband Edward Enns and daughter Ruth Enns. "Katherina Enns and Johann Reimer left behind in Russia their sisters Anna Epp, Mariechen Reimer, Margareta Enns, Susanna Reimer, Elisabeth Teichroeb, and a brother Dietrich Reimer and their mother Anna (Peters) Riemer."

The materials in this fonds consists of eight diaries covering 18 years written by Anna Sawatzky (born Anna Funk) and some Mennonite private and public school textbooks used by Abram Friesen and Abram Driedger. The diaries are factual in nature showing little of the author's emotions but showing the activities of the author, immediate and extended family, the weather, and events taking place at church on Sunday morning. Also included is some poetry collected by Anna Sawatzky and a 29 page "Funk Familie Register". The diaries are an example of the life of an ordinary Southern Manitoba Mennonite housewife's life. The educational materials are an example of the kinds of resources the Mennonites used in their public and private school systems during the first two decades of the 20th century in Manitoba.

This fonds contains three diaries the first from 1945 until 1987 which appears to have been recopied. The first diary gives memoirs and accounts of Penner’s time in India including personal stories, politics, weather, and major news events. The first diary also includes loose pages in the back from 1981 and 1993, other loose pages are included with no specified year. The second diary spans from 1988 until 1990, and the third from 1990-1992. These two diaries are from Penner’s retirement in Winnipeg, Manitoba and include memoirs, personal experiences, news, and medical topics such as AIDS. Penner’s bible has prayers and notes throughout, in the back there is a short timeline of her first trip to India.
In addition, This fonds contains a letter written by Penner to her adoptive relative Doreen Loewen in 1956 while she was in India, recounting her work in the hospital and teaching Sunday school. Finally, also included are Penner's business card and two pins; one of these pins is a nursing pin, and the other contains a photo of her late parents.