Accession 2012.012
Title and Physical Description
Henry Peters fonds. – [ca. 1910-1963]. – 4 cm of textual records. – 125 photographs
Administrative/Biographical History
Henry Peters, son of Heinrich Peters (1857-1930) and Elizabeth Warkentin Peters (1960-1936) was born on 26 August 1885 in Kronsweide, Russia (Alt Kolonie). He married Katharina Friesen from Alt Kronsweide on 10 May, 1912. They had two children (Louise, b. 1913 and Martha, b. 1918). Henry Peters died 3 November 1958 and Katharina Friesen Peters died 30 December 1941, both on the family farm east of Olds, Alberta.
During World War I, Henry Peters served on Red Cross trains gathering and transporting wounded soldiers to hospitals. The family fled from Kronsweide when that village was threatned by terrorist bands led by Nestor Machno. They lived for some time in Steinfeld, Molotschna Colony, before emigrating to Canada in 1925. They went first to Namaka, Alberta. Then, together with Heinrich’s brother Frank, the family rented a farm near Cayley before buying a section of land east of Olds, Alberrta. The Henry Peters family moved briefly to a farm near Torrington, Alberta. They, together with the family of Heinrich’s brother David, purchased more land and enlarged the housing facilities on the farm east of Olds.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of 4 cm of genealogical information, a brief family history, letters from family members and friends in Canada and Russia and 125 photographs of Henry Peters’ parents, his family, his siblings and their families.
Source of Acquisition
The photographs and letters were donated to the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta by Anita Lunden, daughter of Louise (Peters) Gronau and granddaughter of Henry and Katharina Peters.
Notes
Accession 2012.012
GRANDMA #1018027
File List
1-1. Peters family genealogies, recollections by Louise (Peters) Grunau – Henry Peters’ daughter.
1-2. 6 photographs of Heinrich and Katharina (Friesen) Peters, c. 1912-1938, and of daughter Louise.
1-3. 10 photographs of John and Mary Peters family – relatives of Henry and Katharina Peters, undated.
1-4. 1 photograph of Heinrich and Elizabeth (Warkentin) Peters and 1 of their family. Parents of Henry Peters.
1-5 . 8 photographs of Franz and Justina Peters family, 1923-c.1954. Franz was Henry Peters brother.
1-6. 11 photographs of Susanna and Gerhard Peters family, most undated. Susanna, who married Gerhard Peters, was Henry Peters sister.
1-7. 6 photographs of David and Maria Peters, most undated, and 1 letter, 1945 from David Peters, Henry Peters brother.
1-8. 6 photographs of Gerhard and Katharina Dahl family, most undated. Katharina Dahl was Henry Peters sister.
1-9. 8 letters, 1927-1942 from Jacob Friesen, Katharina (Friesen) Peters sister.
1-10. 4 photographs and 4 letters from the Peter and Agatha (Friesen) Quapp family, 1931 and undated. Agatha Quapp was Henry Peters sister.
1-11. Folder of letters from friends and relatives in Russia, c.1930-1935.
1-12. Folder of letters from friends and relatives, c. 1921-1947,
1-13. 4 photographs of Kornelius and Anna Friesen family, and about a dozen letters from relatives. Kornelius Friesen was a brother of Katharina (Friesen) Peters.
1-14. 11 letters, most form Kornelius Friesen, 1915-1917.
1-15. Constitution of the Mennonite Mutual Supporting Society, 1949.
1-16 12 photographs and 8 postcards related to Henry Peters’ wartime service on Red Cross trains.
1-17. 15 Friesen family pictures – relatives of Katharina (Friesen) Peters.
1-18. Folder of letters, 1926-1936, from Wilhelm and Maria Falk – relatives of Katharina (Friesen) Peters.
1-19. Seven letters, 1929-1939 from John and Mary Peters – Henry Peters’ nephew and other Canadian correspondents.
1-20. Death notice of Heinrich Peters, 1930 – father of Henry Peters.
1-21. 41 reproductions of Peters family photographs in an old Russian photograph album.
,