Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1916-1948 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
8 cm of textual records
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Peter J. Dyck (1875-1948) grew up on a farm near Gretna, Manitoba. He married Maria Heinrichs (1878-1961) in 1897. Peter and Maria Dyck moved to Saskatchewan where he filed for a homestead at Dunelm (south of Swift Current) in 1906 and moved on to the land in 1907 with his family. There were a number of families of Sommereld Mennonite background that settled in the area which was just outside the Swift Current reserve which the Old Colony Mennonites began settling in 1904. As the Sommerfeld Mennonites organized, Peter Dyck donated a corner of his land for a church which also served as a school. He as elected as a deacon and served in this capacity for four years. He was then elected as a minister and served the church for another 32 years. He ministered to families scattered over a distance of 30 miles. Maria and Peter had 8 children together. Maria supported Peter's ministry as she raised the children, kept the farm operating, selling eggs, butter and chickens, managing the money, and being Peter's constructive critic and emotional supporter. Peter J. Dyck died on 13 May 1948
Repository
Archival history
A number of the items in this fonds circulated among the ministers of the Sommerfeld Mennonite Church in the Swift Current area and eventually returned to Peter Dyck's dauther Helena Koethler. After Helena's death, her son Phil Koethler consulted with his cousin Peter Derksen, who had his son-in-law, Kenton Lobe deliver them to the Mennonite Heritage Centre in 2001. Other items seemed to have been in the possession of Peter Derksen, and donated to the archives in 2000.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Peter Derksen, Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This fonds contains a ledger containing family and genealogical data, including some church transfer documents, 16 sermon booklets and additional loose pages, a personal date book (Christliches Vergissmeinnicht), and several other documents created or collected by Peter J. Dyck. There is an English translation of a sermon written by P.J. Dyck on the occasion of the "sudden and self-inflicted death of a person whose passing causes the bereaved great sorrow" which is of note.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged and described in Volume 5688 by Alf Redekopp, April 2013.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- German
Script of material
- Gothic
Language and script notes
Some English translations.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Inventory file list is available.
Generated finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Acc. No. 2000-121; 2013-039