Mennonite
Historical
Society
of Alberta

  1. Namaka-Carsland-Strathmore Mennonite District Committee fonds

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    Accession 2002.019

    Title and Physical Description

    Namaka-Carsland-Strathmore Mennonite District Committee fonds. – 1937-1974. – 3.5 cm of textual records

    Administrative/Biographical History

    The Namaka-Carsland-Strathmore Mennonite District Committee was one of many local committees of the Vertreterversammlung der Mennonitischen Ansiedler Albertas (Representative Association of Mennonite Settlers in Alberta).  It included Mennonite Brethren and General Conference Mennonites who had migrated from a variety of places and churches in the Soviet Union in the 1920s.  Some had purchased and settled on Namaka Farm, an 8 square mile tract of land southeast of Strathmore, Alberta, and others on area farms.  Repayment of the transportation debt incurred by the immigrants was the most urgent concern of the Vertreterversammlung, but various inter-Mennonite mutal aid social, healthcare, cultural and economic programs were also established.  Members were assessed a levy or tax to cover operating costs of the Vertreterversammlung.  The Namaka-Carsland-Strathmore district committee also estalished its own cemetery and burial society and negotiated contracts with a doctor and the hospital in Rosemary whereby membership fees covered pat of the doctor’s incom and the hospital operating costs in return for significantly reduced fees for services received by members.  During and after World War II overseas aid and relief programs were created.  In 1963 some of the programs were merged to form Mennonite Central Committee, Alberta, while others, at various times, were closed or spun off as stand-alone agencies.

    Custodial History

    The records were received from Henry Goerzen

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of membership lists, financial records, and minutes.

    Source of Acquisition

    Donated by Henry Goerzen

    Associated Materials

    Records of the Vertreterversammlung der Mennonitischen Ansiedler Alberta’s (see MHSA Accession

    Related Materials

    -Namaka Mennonite Brethren Church fonds, MHSA
    -Goerzen Henry D., (2000) Namaka, 1925-2000:Celebrating God’s Faithfulness from Generation to Generation. Didsbury, AB:Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta
    –Trails to Little Corner: A Story of Namaka and Surrounding Districts (Calgary: Namaka Community Historical Committee, 1993.

    File List

    1-1 Kassenbuch – Carselan

  2. Langemann, Ralph

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    Accession 2023.003

    Title and Physical Description

    Ralph Langemann fonds, 1955, 1 cm.

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Ralph Langemann lived in Coaldale, Alberta, where he met and married Fern Olson, the daughter of the local lumber yard.  In 1955 the town of Coaldale published a 42-page booklet entitled Coaldale, 1905 Alberta Golden Jubilee 1955 which, as the title suggests, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the southern Alberta town.  Fern (Olsen) Langemann drew and inserted into a copy of that booklet a map of all the business establishments in the town at that time.   After Fern (Olsen) Langemann’s deathg, her husband, Ralph Langemann donated the booklet with the inserted map to the archives of the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of the booklet Coaldale 1905 Alberta Golden Jubilee 1955 , together map drawn by Fern (Olsen) Langemann of all the business establishments in the t0wn in the 1950s.

    Source of Acquisition

    Donated by Ralph Langemann

  3. Mennonite Society of Calgary

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    Mennonite Society of Calgary

    Accession 2023.005

    Title and Physical Description

    Mennonite Society of Calgary, 1991-2006, 51 cm of textual records, 1 compact disc, 10 floppy discs.

    Administrative and Biographical History

    The Mennonite Society of Calgary was incorporated in 1996.  The objective of the society was to develop a multi-faceted residential community, anchored around Mennonite/Anabapist sociology and philosophy, to serve the needs of mature adults in Calgary.  A Steering Committee was appointed which developed a plan of action and initiated a search for a suitable plot of land in or around Calgary.   After several unsuccessful efforts to acquire suitable land, a 14.7 acre plot of land just outside the north-west city limits of Calgary was acquired in 2005.  It was to be held by anew corporation, MSC Land Corporation which was registered as  Alberta Company 1196679.   There were, however, problems in securing an appropriate connection for sewage disposal.  That resulted in abandonment of the plan, selling of the land, and dissolution of the organization.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of organizational files, minutes, correspondence and supporting documents of membership, Board of Directors and Annual meetings,  Also included are subject files providing relevant information about similar institutions and technical/engineering aspects of the proposed project.  The fonds includes the minutes of some of the directors’ meetings of  Alberta Company 1196679 but not on the sale of the land or the dissolution of the company.

    Source of Acquisition

    Donated by Mennonite Central Committee, Alberta, in whose offices the records were stored after dissolution of the Society.

    File List

    Administrative/Governance files

    1.1 Early planning, 1990-1991
    1-2 Early housing initiatives, 1993-1995
    1-3 Membership meetings, 1996
    1-4 Constitution, By-laws, Prospectus, 1996
    1-5 Minutes and supporting documentation of the Steering Committee, 1996-1997
    1-6 Membership Lists, 1997-1998
    1-7 Annual Meeting, 1997
    1-8 Board Meetings, 1997
    1-9 Annual Meeting, 1998
    1-10 Board Meetings, 1998
    1-11 Annual Meeting, 1998
    1-12 Board Meetings, 1998
    1-13 Annual Meeting, 1999
    1-14 Board Meetings, 2000
    1-15 Annual Meeting, 2001
    1-16 Board Meetings, 2001
    1-17 Annual Meeting, 2002
    1-18 Board Meetings, 2002
    2-19 Board Meetings, 2003
    2-20 Annual Meeting, 2004
    2-21 Board Meetings, 2004
    2-22 Annual Meeting, 2005
    2-23 Board Meetings, 2005
    2-24 Special Membership Meetings, 2005
    2-25 Annual Meeting, 2006

    Subject Files

    2-26 Condominium Property Amendment Act, 1896
    2-27 Incorporation, Registration, Reports to government agencies, 1996-2006
    2-28 MSC expenses, 1996-1999
    2-29 Canadian Forces Base lands information
    2-30 Bethany Care Society information
    2-31 Information from comparable societies  and news reports, 1993-2007
    3-32 West citadel plans, 2000
    3-33 12 Mile Coulee Road site information, 2005
    3-34 12 Mile Coulee Road offer to purchase, 2005
    3-35  12 Mile Coulee Road Development Plans, 2005
    3-36 12 Mile Coulee Road, Friesen-Tokar architects, 2004
    3-37 12 Mile Coulee Road, CMHC Project Development Funding, 2004
    3-38 12 Mile Coulee Road, Calgary Annexation, 2005
    3-39 Brian P.  Enns, lawyer, 2005-2006
    3-40 Directors and Officers liability insurance, 2005
    3-41 Clifton N D Lee engineering, 2005
    3-42 Letters of Intent, Mennonite Land Corp/Alberta 1196679, 2005
    3-43 MSC/Alberta 1196679 Option/Agreement to purchase, 2005.
    3-44 MSC/Alberta 1196679  Board of Directors, 2005
    3-45 MSC/Alberta 119679 Request for CRA Business number, 2005
    3-46 Sewage Disposal Technical information, 2004
    3-47 1 /cd and 10 floppy discs containing minutes and correspondence (out of date programs)

     

     

  4. Frieda Claassen fonds

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    Accession 2023.010

    Title and Physical Description

    Frieda Claassen fonds. – 1949. – 1 cm. – songbook snd explanatory note

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Frieda (Prochnau) Claassen was born in Deutsch Wymyschle, Poland, the daughter of Daniel Prochnau and Wanda (Penner) Prochnau.  Together with other family members, Frieda, fled to Germany in 1945 as refugees.  In 1948-49 they lived in a refugee camp at Schuetzenhoff, Gronau, Westfalen, West Germany.  Worship services, including a choir, were organized and multiple sheets of music were prepared, using number notations rather than notes.  Frieda collected some of these and her father bound them together using material from an old suitcase for the covers.
    The Prochnau family emigrated to Canada in 1949 where Frieda married Hans Claassen in 1952.  They lived in Edmonton.  Frieda donated the song-book, together, with an explanatory note, to the archives of the Mennonite Historical Society in 2023.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of a bound volume of sheets of religious songs with numerical notations,  together with a brief explanatory note on Frieda’s experiences and the creation and use of the songbook in the refugee camp.

    Source of Acquisition

    Donation to the archives of the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta by Frieda Claassen

    Notes

     

  5. Peter A. Neufeld fonds

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    Peter A. Neufeld fondsAccession 2023.009

    Title and Physical Description

    Peter A. Neufeld fonds. – 1970. – 2 photographs

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Peter A. Neufeld was born 2 August 1905 at Didsbury, Alberta, the son of Abram C. Neufeld and Elizabeth (Heinrichs) Neufeld.  They moved to Didsbury when they retired in 1967 and opened an MCC Depot in the basement of their house and in one half of the garage in 1967.  There they stored MCC fabric for layettes and quilts and received, washed, sorted clothes, doing many minor repairs,  and replacing very many zippers.  Beginning on 11 May 1970 they packed 600 lbs of clothing.  On 16 July 1970 they shipped 1000 lbs of cleaned, sorted and repaired cloths to Yarrow, British Columbia.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of two photographs, one showing the interior of the Neufeld garage with Peter A. Neufeld, Abram A. Neufeld, and John A. Neufeld, and the second photograph shows them loading the truck headed for Yarrow, B. C.

    Source of Acquisition

    Gift by Alma Hildebrand, daughter of Peter A. Neufeld.

    Notes

    Accession 2023.009

    GRANDMA #341248

  6. John Heidebrecht fonds

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    Accession 2023.008

    Title and Physical Description

    John Heidebrecht fonds. – ca. 1942-943. – 9 photographs

    Administrative/biographical History

    John Heidebrecht was born 15 May 1918, at Grishkovka, Altayskiy Kray, Russia, the son of David Heidebrecht and Margaret (Epp) Heidebrecht.  The family immigrated to Canada in 1929, settling near Tofield, Alberta.  During World War II John Heidebrecht served as a Conscientious Objector in the Seebe camp and perhaps also in other camps.  He died in Edmonton on 28 August 1974.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of nine photographs including group photographs of conscientious objectors, logging,  dynamite and road/railway construction work.

    Source of Acquisition

    Gift by Irene Enns, daughter of John Heidebrecht

    Notes

    Accession 2023.008
    See also Henry D Goerzen fonds Conscientious Objector collection

    GRANDMA #652936

  7. Johann R. Toews fonds

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    Accession 2022.012 

    Title and Physical Description

    Johann R. Toews fonds. –  1984-1993. – 3 cm of textual records 

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Johann R. Toews was born at Steinbach on April 1, 1881, the son of Peter Toews and Elizabeth Reimer.  He married his cousin, Anna B. Reimer, daughter of Abraham Reimer and Elizabeth Remple, on 19 November 1905.  They lived, worked and farmed in the Steinbach area of Manitoba and became the parents and grandparents of many children and grandchildren.  Marie, one of Johann and Anna Toews’ daughters, married Bernhard Kroeker.

    Custodial History

    These items were part of a larger collection of various books and publications which staff in the MCC Thrift Store identified as being of possible historical value.  No record of who donated the material to the Thrift Store was provided.

    Scope and Content

    This fonds contains genealogical information gathered at Johann and Anna (Reimer) Toews and Peter B. and Elizabeth D. Kroeker family reunions, an obituary of a member of the Kroeker family, and an autobiographical manuscript written by a great-grandson as a teenager.

    File List

    1. Coil bound copy of a manuscript entitled “The Descendants of Johann R. Toews & Anna B. Reimer.”
    2. Coil bound copy of a manuscript entitled, “Peter B. Kroeker Family Directory,” written in 1984, together with a newspaper account ofthe family reunion held on 1 July 1984.
    3. Obituary for John Dueck Kroeker, 1906-1984.
    4. Autobiographical manuscript entitled “The Life and Times of Nathaniel Moll,” written in 1993 when Nathaniel Moll was tghirteen years old. He is the son of David and Marieanne (Kroeker) Moll and a great-grandson of Johann and Anna (Reimer) Toews.  In the manuscript he writes, among other things, about his mixed Mennonite and Jewish heritage

    Notes

    GRANDMA #11088

  8. Eugene Janzen fonds

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    Accession 2022.015

    Title and Physical Description

    Eugene Janzen fonds,. – 18 cm of textual records. – 1 memory stick

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Eugene Janzen was born in Rosthern, Saskatchewan, the son of Jacob P. Janzen and Frieda Epp.  His father served as Conscientious Objector in Canadian Alternative Service work camps in 1942.

    Eugene Janzen earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1972.  He served as a Professor of Veterinary Medicine, first at the University of Saskatchewan and then at the University of Calgary.  He has an interest in family history, including his father’s wartime service, and in the family’s genealogy.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of the large, very unique, extensively illustrated family Bible of Eugene Janzen’s grandparents, Peter J. Janzen and Maria (Martens) Janzen.  In addition to Martin Luther’s German translation, this large family Bible contains numerous coloured and black and white pictures and illustrations, maps, tabulations, and extensive explanatory and background articles pertaining to biblical times.   Also included  in the Bible are genealogical records of the Peter J. Janzen and Maria (Martens) Janzen family.
    The fonds also includes a booklet and memory stick containing  photocopies and English translations of letters Jacob Peter Janzen (Eugene Janzen’s father) wrote while serving as a Conscientious Objector in alternative service camps in Banff National Park.  Almost all of these letters were written in the cursive Gothic German script.  Peter Janzen served in several camps in Banff National Park, including the Seebe camp.   The letters were written in 1942.
    Also included in the fonds are 1. a large undated genealogical chart of Frieda Epp, Eugene Janzen’s mother, 2. a 1982 published obituary of Jacob P. Janzen, 3. an undated handwritten short biography of Jacob G. Epp, and 4. an undated published manuscript entitled “Historical Sketch of our Mennonite People’s Trek from Russia to Canada and early development in the new land” written by Jacob J. Epp.

    Source of Acquisition

    Gift by Eugene Janzen

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  9. John Abram Heidebrecht fonds

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    Accession 2022.005

    Title and Physical Description

    John Abram Heidebrecht fonds,. – 1927-1983. –  1 cm of textual records

    Administrative/Biographical History

    John Abram Heidebrecht was born 27 July 1891 in Klippenstein, Molotschna settlement, the son of Abram and Katharina (Koehn).  He married Katharina Penner, daughter of David and Wilhelmina (Friesen) Penner in 1914.  They  immigrated to Canada in 1925 and lived in several communities near Tofield, Alberta, before buying land southwest of Tofield in 1939.  They were founding members of the Tofield Mennonite Church where John served as a leader of congregational singing (Vorsaenger).  Katharine was a skilled seamstress.  John Heidebrecht died in Tofield on 24 January 1959,  Katharina died on 1 July 1973.

    Scope and Content

    This is a small, somewhat eclectic, collection of documents which includes some genealogical information, immigration and citizenship papers, a small collection of letters in cursive Gothic German script which the family received from relatives who had remained in the Soviet Union, signed but undated Alberta Citizens’ Registration Covenants which were promoted by the Social Credit government of Alberta, and a Rural Electrification contract.  Also included is a transcribed hymn book in the cursive Gothic script using numbers rather than notes, in four-part harmony.

    Source of Acquisition

    Donated by Darryl Heidebrecht, grandson of John and Katharine (Penner) Heidebrecht.

    Notes

    GRANDMA #736678

    File List

    1. Heidebrecht and Penner families genealogical information.
    2. Heidebrecht family immigration and citizenship papers
    3. Letters received from relatives in the Soviet Union.
    4. Alberta Citizens’ Registration Covenant and Rural Electrification contract.
    5. Hymn book contained transcribed copies of hymns written in the cursive Gothic German script with musical notations using numbers rather than notes.

     

  10. Johann Wichert fonds

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    Accession 2023.006

    Title and Physical Description

    Johann Wichert fonds. – 1956. –  1.5 cm of textual records

    Administrative/Biographical History

    Johann J. Wichert, minister and elder, was born 1 October 1897 in Mariawohl, Molotschna Mennonite Settlement, Russia, the son of Jacob and Maria (Peters) Wichert.  He received his elementary education in Mariawohl, his secondary education in Gnadenfeld, and his teacher training in the University of Kharkov, completing his formal education in 1914.  He taught in Mariawohl (1915-16) and Rudnerweide (1917-22), where he was baptized by Elder David Nickel in 1918.  He married Lydia Koop on 20 August 1944.
    Wichert migrated to Waterloo, Ontario in 1925.  He was ordained as minister on 20 May 1928 and as elder on 3 September 1944.  He served the Vineland United Mennonite Church, Vineland, Ontario, as minister from 1927 and as elder from 1944 to 1966, and remained active as a member of that church until his death on 12 November 1983.  He was an outstanding teacher and a member of numerous conference committees.  Together with Lydia, he also served Mennonite immigrants in Europe in 1947 under the Mennonite Central Committee.

    Scope and Content

    The fonds consists of a revised manuscript containing a series of questions and detailed answers based on the Mennonite catechism used by the Conference of Mennonites in Canada at that time.  Wichert regarded the catechism as a general guide, but added much explanatory and interpretive information.   He compiled the manuscript after years of catechism instruction during the time when he served as elder.  It  documents the thinking, understanding and interpretation of  Mennonite theology at those times, and provides insights into what Mennonite young people, at least those in the Vineland United Mennonite Church and other churches affiliated with the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, were taught.
    Wichert submitted an early version of the manuscript to the Education and Publications board of the conference of Mennonites in Canada in July of 1955.  It was reviewed and parts of it were revised, mainly by adding additional scripture references.  In 1956, in anticipation of possible publication, the revised manuscript was made available for further constructive criticism and corrections.  It was never published, but provides insights into the thinking and teaching of an influential Mennonite leader.

    Source of Acquisition

    Donated by Ted Regehr.

    Notes

    GRANDMA #110064