Title
Mary Burkholder (GM956989) fond
Accession 2026-004
Title and Physica Description
Mary Burkholder fonds.-ca. 1900-2020. – 75 cm.
Biographical History
Mary Burkholder was born 26 October 1943 at Bassano, Alberta, the daughter to John van Bergen and Phyllis Millie Martin. She married Harold Edward Burkholder, a teacher, in 1962. They were the parents of four children, one of whom died in infancy. The family lived in Duchess where Mary was, among many other things, active in the hotel and restaurant business. She was an avid genealogist who was also keenly interested in church and community histories, notably churches of the Northwest Mennonite Conference and other churches in the Duchess, Rosemary and Gem communities. She served as archivist of the North West Mennonite Conference and collected and documented family and community histories. She also had a keen interest and carefully documented histories of local cemeteries, including maps and photographs of gravestones and obituaries of those buried there.
Scope and Content
The fonds includes files on four somewhat distinctive aspects of Mary Burkholder’s work. The various files contain written, photographic, docummentary and published material which was collected and filed somewhat ecclectically, over a period of years.
1. There are, first of all, a series of files focusing on the genealogy and history of the Burkholder, the van Bergen, and related families. They contain a mix of detailed genealogical, biographical, photographic and documentary information, together with written and/or published diaries, recollections and contextual material.
2. Several files celebrating anniversaries and documenting the histories of Duchess and Gem.
3. Closely related are several files documenting special events of celebrations of North West Mennonite churches and church communities between 2004 and 2010.
4. Cemetery records, photographs of gravestones, maps, and background information, mainly of the cemeteries at Duchess, Rosemary and Gem.
Custodial History
The fonds was donated by Mary (von Bergen) Burkholder to the archives of the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta.
File list
I. Genealogical, biographical and autobiographical files
1-1 Obituaries of Mary and Harold Burkholder.
1-2 Burkholder genealogical file focusing mainly on the many descendants of Moses Burkholder who was born in Holmes County, Ohio of 27 October 1838. It includes extensive written, photographic, documentary and some published information about Moses Burkholder, his 17 chidren, 139 grandchildren and 387 great grandchldren.
1-3 Van Bergen genealogical file containing extensive written, photographic and documetary information about ancestors and members of the John van Bergen (GM1049913) family.
1-4 Passenger Declarations and genealogical information about Mary Burkholder’s grandparents, Heinrich von Bergen (GM636781) and Minna (Franz) (GM638861) Bergen and other family members.
1-5 File marked Descendants of Bernhard Van Bergen (GM 129032) and Aganetha Claassen (Klassen) (GM1290498) family but consisting mainly of photographs and brief biographical notes.
1-6 Bernhard Barg (GM667426) and Elizabeth (Warkentin) Barg (GM938804) biographies, genealogy and related information. Their son Philip married Ada Burkholder.
1-7 File marked “Geneaology of Johann Frantz (GM1049962) and Agnetha Eck (GM1049983), contains genealogical information and photographs.
1-8 Genealogical and biographical information about the Bernhard A. Friesen (GM323282) and Margaretha Woelk (GM63486) family.
2-9 Descendants and ancestors of Samuel Horst Martin.
2-10 Heinrich H. Neufeld (GM266946) biography
2-11 Published article on “The Branch of Johann Neufeldt.” (GM1751520)
2-12 Genealogy and additioanl information about the Kornelius Siemens (GM213411) and Gertrude (Friesen (GM213412).
2-13 Genealogy of the Joseph R. Stauffer, written by Paul Voegtlin.
2-14 Remeniscences, written by Olga Neumann (GM483352), the daughter of Heinrich and Minna von Bergen, together with genealogical information about the Neumann family.
2-15 Pearl M. (Porter) Stauffer.”Memoires Based in two five-year diaries, 1941-1950.”
2-16 Pearl M. (Porter) Stauffer, “The Watino Years, 1950 to 1955. The Times of Trial and Adventure.”
2-17 Pearl M. (Porter) Stauffer, “Wanderings. Times of Indecision. Times of Questioning.”
2-18 Peral M. (Porter) Stauffer, “Bluesky, 1957-1967. Poverty-Pain, Innocent Happiness. The Priceless Memories of a Growing Family.”
II. Community Histories
2-19 Duchess 75th Anniversary celebrations, 1997, and a great variety of other items related to the community.
3-20 50th Anniversary of the Gem Mennonite Brethren Church, 1979.
3-21 Gem, Family Registers, 1934 and 1938.
3-22 Gem Correspondence and documents related to the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization and the Zentrales Mennonitsches Immgrantenkomitee, including record of “Steuer” (taxes) paid by members to support the work of committees and help pay cost of mental health patients in Ponoka.
III Northwest Mennonite Conference Church Histories.
3-23 Sharon Mennonitee Church, Guernsey, Saskatchewan, historial information, including correspondence and numerous slides of the 99th anniversary celebration and closing of the church.
3-24 Salem Mennonite Church, Tofield, Alberta, Centennial celebration. 2010, includes numerous slides.
3-25 Northwest Mennonie Conference Annual Celebrations, Duchess, 2004, Edmonton Hispanic, 2005, and Carstairs, 2006. Also includes funeral information about four prominent leaders – Paul Voeglin, Paul Burkholder, Harry Stauffer and Richard Harder – who died in those years.
3-26 Bluesky Mennonite Church Dedication Service, 2004.
IV. Cemetery records, photographs and maps.
4-27 and 4-28 Duchess Cemetery. Two large folders with photographs and obituaries of all the people buried in the Duchess Cemetery.
4-28 Rosemary Cemetery, photographs of gravestones, registry and other information of those buried in the Rosemary Cemetery.
4-29 Rosemary Latter Day Saints cemetery, photographs of gravestones and lists of those buried in the LDS Section of the Rosemary Cemetery,
4-30 Old Roman Catholic cemetery west of Rosemary information and list of those buried in that cemetery
4-31 County of Newell cemeteries with information about the Duchess, West Duchess, Rosemary, Gem and Gallup Farm cemeteries which includes lists of those buried in some of these cemeteries.
4-32 Gallup Farm Cemetery near Rosemary, information and a list of those buried in that cemetery.
4-33 Mount View Cemetery with lists of those buried in that cemetery.
4-34 West Zion Mennonite Cemetery with list of those buried in that cemetery.
4-35 Van Bergen gravestone pictures and information.
Detailed maps of the Duchess, Rosemary and Gem Cemeteries, filed in long paper filing tube.