52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 16 Prompt - School

 2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 16

Prompt – School

My father, Jake Peters was born in 1917 in Hague, Saskatchewan; presumably on a Mennonite Colony. My father was essentially illiterate and according to his WWII papers achieved only a public school grade 4 level by the age of 16 or in another part of these attestation papers it said he had passed Grade 2 public school by 1932. He was taken out of school to help out on the farm because his father had hurt his back. School was no longer a choice for him.

Was the colony the reason for the lack of his education? Mennonites taught their own children in their language in their schools with their teachers who were not educated beyond what they learned in their Mennonite School. The government did everything to break the Mennonite private schools. In fact this was the reason that there was a migration by the “old colony” Mennonites to Mexico. My great-grandfather, his wife and his children including my father were not one of the ones who immigrated to Mexico with the rest of Old Colony.

THE PROMISE

 In 2015, a letter was discovered in the basement of a Steinbach, Manitoba Mennonite office. It was a letter dated July 24, 1873. It was the original letter from Canada to the Mennonites in Russia listing their exemptions and privileges they could have in Canada.

“A close look at the brittle pages reveals something else. Three of the 15 numbered provisions have been marked with small X’s, as though someone chose to single them out for special attention. Highlighted are exemptions from military service and the swearing of legal oaths. But perhaps the most significant article singled out is the one offering Mennonites “the fullest privilege of exercising their religious principles . . . without any kind of molestation or restriction whatever,” along with the freedom to educate their children in their own schools.”

                 -From Canadian Mennonite Magazine. Volume 19, Issue 23.

THE IMMIGRATION

The Mennonites were convinced that Canada had promised all those things that they held important for the sustainable Mennonite Colony. The first wave of Mennonites immigrated to Manitoba from Russia between 1874 and 1876. On July 18, 1875 my great-grandfather, David Peters, his wife and children arrived in Manitoba. My grandfather, Franz Peters was born July 29, 1876 in Plum Coulee, Manitoba.

MANITOBA AND SASKATCHEWAN SETTLEMENT

The praises of the Mennonites were noted. They acclimatized to the treeless Manitoba prairie finding it similar to the Russian Steppes they just left. The population increased rapidly and by the early 1890's they were setting up new colonies in Saskatchewan in the Hague – Osler area. They settled quickly developing villages, homes, churches and schools within the first few years of arrival.

THE PROBLEM WITH SCHOOLS

The school teachers in their new colonies of Manitoba and Saskatchewan were chosen by the colony leaders and of course the teachers were Mennonites who rarely had any greater education than they were taught. The teachers were under a one year contract. School year started after spring seeding and lasted about a month and because the summer and fall were busy times on the farms the school was on hold until about mid October after harvest.The teachers perks were a free dwelling for them and their family with free fuel for heating, free pastures for his cows, 100 bushels of wheat and barley and free schooling for his children. They also had a small salary that was assessed and collected by the parents of the school attendees.

“In their opinion, the children learned most of what they needed to know for the chosen way of life from their mothers and fathers, in the kitchen, in the garden,in the barn, and in the fields. And that part of the education was thorough and effective. The schools were there to provide only what was needed in addition, namely an essential amount of reading, writing, arithmetic, Bible stories, and language. Physical education and other extras of the public school were not only unnecessary but harmful, in as much as school marches were akin to the military drill and school sports programs drew the children away from their homes and communities. And whatever professional qualifications the teachers lacked were made up for by the qualities of character and the genuine love for children so characteristic of their communities.”

-   Found in Mennonites of Canada 1920 – 1940 by Frank H. Epp.

In the beginning in the 1870's Manitoba ( and Saskatchewan) had two different school designations; a Catholic School System and Protestant School Systems. The protestant was pretty much every other denomination together. Thus Mennonites were considered Protestant and received government funds for their schools.

In 1890, the Manitoba government passed “Manitoba Schools Act”. Essentially it created a single, non-denominational school system and to be taught in English. It was called a public school and all education moneys was from then on, only forwarded to these public schools and cut off the “private schools” such as Mennonite schools.

Initially after the passing of The Manitoba Act, the Mennonite Colonies were visited by government officials to report back how these “peculiar peoples” live.

In the Winnipeg Free Press dated September 19, 1895 one such government official reported his findings.

 

I believe Frank H. Epp said it best in his book, Mennonites of Canada 1920 -1940. A Struggle For Survival
“Mennonites objecting to the public school did so for similar reasons. Sacred to them were such things as their religion and culture in general, the agricultural way of life, the German language, and pacifism in particular. As they saw it, the public school pointed to Anglo-Canadianism rather than German- Mennonitism, to urbanization rather than the rural life, to militarism rather than pacifism, to ostentation rather than the simple lifestyle they and their ancestors in the faith had always advocated. The public school also pointed in the direction of other unwanted "worldly" influences and, what was worst of all, social integration and ultimate assimilation. From that perspective they had no choice but to resist the public school.” 

BETRAYAL AND PASSIVE RESISTANCE

 The Mennonites were shocked because they had been given a promise in 1873 and that now is being eroded by governments. The push by government to assimilate them was met with a Mennonite passive resistance. The Mennonites soon found out that educational jurisdiction was switched to the provincial government and not the dominion by order-in-council under the BNA. Thus their promise of teaching their children in their language in their schools and their curriculum was now invalid.

Over the next couple of decades the Mennonites showed resistance to the public schools cropping up in and around their colonies. The province continued to push and coerce the Mennonites to come around to public schools. The colony began to break down. The old colony Mennonites were immovable on English taught public schools for their children. The fringes of this colony was worn down after several years. They were called “Progressive Mennonites”. In so doing these colonist were excommunicated from the “Old Colony” church and essentially cut off from all help financially and otherwise by his colony.

SCHOOL ATTNENDANCE ACT

In 1916 in Manitoba and 1917 in Saskatchewan, the School Attendance Act was passed. Attending school was mandatory for girls from the ages of  7 to 12 and boys 7 to 14. Passive resistance continued but the government pushed back even harder. Fines were being levied against the Mennonite parents who didn't send their children to the public schools. The Mennonites chose not to pay the fines.

In the Saskatoon Daily Star Newspaper dated 4 Sep 1918. it states that the department of education found the solution by building the new schools in their colonies.

 

 In the fall of 1918 the government had enough with the Mennonites and their blatant refusal to send their children to Public Schools.and wrote this in the Leader-Post.

 

 

 

 

Over the next few years, passive resistance turned into civil disobedience which were met by fines by the truancy officers. The fines were levied and they refused to pay them. They were prosecuted and the Mennonites became Martyrs. Between 1920 and 1925 there was over 4000 prosecutions brought forward to the courts. In 1921 over 1800 prosecutions were handed down to the Mennonites forcing them to pay $13,150.

At the same time many Mennonites had put forward many appeals to all levels of Canada Courts. The lawyers for the Mennonites was not successful and all appeals fell in favour of the government.

This left the "Old Colony" Mennonites with no choice but to immigrate yet again. In the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix dated January 15, 1921, the headline was.  

My father's family chose not to immigrate to Mexico despite many from their colony immigrating yet again.  Dad would have taken school in Saskatchewan Public School in English even though he only knew German.  The Old Colony values would have stayed with the family. Helping on the farm was way more important than school.  

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 15 Prompt - Favourite Recipe - Part 2

2024

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 15

Prompt - Favourite Recipe - Part 2

There are a few more recipes that I received at that bridal shower so many years ago.  I thought I would share them as well. I am just trying to get back on track with my weeks because I am slightly behind.  

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 14 Prompt - Favourite Recipe

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 14

Prompt – Favourite Recipe - Part 1

 In the spring of 1975 just before my husband and I were to be married, I had a surprise bridal shower. The Saskatoon St. Paul's Lutheran Church ladies hosted it for me. We were to be married in this church and we held our wedding reception in the church basement served by the “church ladies”. Also Bill and his family were regular members of the church. I did not know more than half of the ladies who attended. Those who attended were asked to bring their favourite recipe printed out on an index card. I received quite a collection. I set them aside inside one of the dishes I got. It was several months before I actually pulled them out and read them. 

 

What can I say? Truly I have spent more than a week trying to figure out how to blog or even comment on this. There are no words....So I have decided to take them as a religious tongue-in-cheek advice recipes and, I guess, they are meant to be cute. 

I wanted to find out who authored this and when did it come out. I turned to google and really did not expect to find much of anything. And as an aside and after the fact I had some trepidation about entering it into google. Maybe it would be interpreted as something as nefarious as preserving a “dead husband”. Oi! I was surprised that there were so many entries in google. Here are a few that I had found.

I found a newspaper article from The San Francisco Call and Post dated Tuesday, January 17 1905, Page 8;“To Preserve a Husband”. 

This suggests a wife should choose an American Variety over a foreign one. Apparently he should go through a long engagement to make him easier to handle. Also the wife should gently detach him from his old acquaintances and change his old ways.  According to this recipe the women of 1905 had to do a lot of work to get and keep a husband. 

I found a blog by Susan Anthony called "How to Cook a Husband". She found this recipe in a cookbook called "Yankee Kitchen Cookbook" from the 1800's. She suggests he can be spoiled by mismanagement. Also she suggests you pick him out like shopping at a market for a mackerel or salmon. She also suggests that you don't stick him with any sharp instruments to see if he is tender. Then she states if thus treated “you will find him very digestible agreeing with you and the children”.

 

 I found this variation of the preserving husbands recipe in a book published in 1887. It was called “The Jubilee Cookbook” On page 96 it can be found at the bottom of the page among 'Citron Preserves', 'Spiced Currents', and 'Quince Preserves”

 

Jubilee Cookbook 1887

A very similar recipe for preserving a husband was found in a 1911 cookbook called "250 Recipes for Everyday Use" and also another cookbook called "Food A' La Louisiane". One last cookbook I found was called "Recipes of Grandview Congregational Church" by the Ladies Aid Society. In one of these recipes it suggests that you;  "wrap well in a mantle of charity. Keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with peaches and cream."

And if all that is not enough you could find this recipe on a wall hanging or a serving tray.

I can assure you that in the almost 49 years of marriage I have never needed to cook Bill. Neither pickle, stew, boil, roast, jam or simmer him in hot water. I have not needed to compare him to Mackerel or a Salmon. I have never stuck him with any sharp instrument to see if he is tender.

Bill and I did not have to work this hard to "manage" our marriage. We have mutual respect for each other. We work together as a team. We support each other and most importantly (and somewhat corny) we love each other more than the day before. 

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 13 Prompt - Worship

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 13

Prompt – Worship

Worship is the act of showing respect, praise and love to a God that is similarly praised by others. As far as I know most of my ancestors' lives were shaped and existed based on their adoration and respect of their God. Religion shaped who they were, how they acted, and where they lived.

As I have mentioned before, my father and his ancestors were predominantly Mennonites. My mother and hers were Lutheran. Bill's paternal line was Catholic and his maternal line was Lutheran. All of these are considered denominations of Christianity.

The immigrants arrived at their settlements and after establishing their homes (shelters), they would build their churches or house of worship.

My maternal grandmother, Maria Katharina Krikau had a photograph of the church she and her family attended in Warenburg, Russia.

This grand Lutheran Church was built in 1843. I only know it as The Lutheran Church of Warenburg, Russia. More than likely my grandmother was baptized in this church shortly after her birth in 1903. It was likely the church she worshipped in until their immigration to Canada in 1911. 

My paternal grandfather, Franz Peters was born in a Manitoba Mennonite colony called Plum Coulee. He was born 29 Jul 1876. Just 3 months later this Mennonite Old Colony Church was built and dedicated in Plum Coulee, Manitoba. Likely the place of worship for my grandfather, his parents and siblings. Mennonite churches were austere. 

 

 

 

 

 

... and likely the Saskatchewan Mennonite Church that my grandparents were married in. Franz Peters and Elisabeth Dueck in 1902.

The Hoffart paternal line was mostly Catholic. Bill's paternal grandfather was Rochus Hoffart and he was born Malcoci, Tulcea District, Dobrudscha, Romania in 1889. Rochus Hoffart served 5 years in the military and once finished the mandatory 5 year service at the age of 24 in 1914, he immigrated to Canada.

Malcoci Catholic Church

Now the church stands abandoned and in ruins with the roof gone and the cross tilted at 60%.

 

Bill's maternal grandfather, Arthur Jahnke met and married Ida Bachmann in Killaly, Saskatchewan in 1917.  Bill's mother, Clara Jahnke was their third child born in 1928 in Killaly.  At this point there was no Lutheran church in Killaly. Clara stated that church services were held at different congregation homes. Services were every 2nd week because they had a circuit pastor who had 4 parishes. He did 2 services one week and 2 the next.  Clara said she was baptized at the home of her grandparents, August and Wilhelmina Bachmann when it was their turn to host the church service.  Clara told me that The Killaly St. John's Lutheran Church was built in 1929-1930. It was built on land that was donated by August and Wilhelmina Bachmann - the parents of Ida Bachmann.

 St. John's Lutheran Church, Killaly, Saskatchewan.

 Bill's sister tells the story of the demise of St. John's Lutheran Church. Bill's sister and parents went to Killaly to help Arthur Jahnke pack up his belongings. This was approximately in 1973. Bill's parents decided to bring him into their home in Saskatoon to live. Arthur had recently lost his wife.  At the exact moment of loading up the car with Arthur Jahnke's belonging the demolition of the church had begun. It came crashing down breaking the cross at the peak of the church. Arthur Jahnke lamented that now he definitely had no reason to stay in Killaly.

They sold the church for scrap for the sum of $500.00.

Truly sad in so many ways. 

 Wendy

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 12

Prompt – Technology

I have lived through some of the most amazing technology inventions. Each new thing would slowly drag us forward to the next big thing. I grew up with the black and white t.v. with two channels. Our radios were plugged in or sometimes could run on batteries. Vinyl records which I realize has made a big comeback. A single family phone that was attached to the wall or sat on a table with a rotary dial to dial the number. Information was gotten by going to the public library and looking up in a card catalogue the book you needed to find the information. We went out to the theatres to watch the latest movie. Anyone under 16 used bikes or a bus as their transportation. We weren't hard done by because that was how it worked. And it was all good.

Slowly technology wandered into our home, work and leisure activities in an orderly fashion that just made it feel seamless to accomplish. 

 

 

 Bill Hoffart's Office Fish Phone.

 

 

 

 

My husband, Bill was an electrical engineer working for Sask-Tel in Research and Development. I will admit that I really didn't know what he was up to; he rarely talked about his work and I rarely asked about it. “How was your day? Good” we would say.

Therefore when I found this newspaper article about him, Sask-Tel and his work I was really surprised. I do not recall seeing this when it was first published in The Regina Leader-Post on February 8, 1984. Maybe I seen it but I don't recall it. I guess life was busy without technology, a job, and two small children and their activities and a home to keep up with. 

 

 

 

 

 

Sask-Tel Employees Bill Hoffart (left) and Simon Shum demonstrate Chinese - English Translator

 

 I read the article just recently and I thought – huh?! What the heck did this mean? Anyone who knows Bill, knows how easy it is to get lost in his conversations on most topics. I asked him to explain it to me. I had no idea of the technology he was into in the early 1980's. This was in the pre home computer era. Now don't quote me on this but what I heard was; It had something to do with Canada's Communication protocol. They were developing a “modem” box and databases that could transmit some data over telephone wires to a person's T.V. There were no computer screens at this time in homes. They set about a trial with some residents and businesses in Regina. They wanted to know what people wanted to see. For this trial they had the daily newspaper and weather radar. The data that showed up on the tv was not optimal due to it's lack of resolution. But at the time this was an exciting step towards data transfer to homes. It was clumsy and slow. They realized that fibre optics would be a better fit for the data transfer. I asked Bill if Telidon ever went anywhere with this and he said yes – the internet. He clarified that it was but one very small step in a series of steps to get to the internet that we have today. Bill and his boss realized the million dollar potential for this and his boss presented it to the Board of Directors. The board nixed it and well Sask-Tel missed an important opportunity.

I believe it was 1988 when we got our first home computer. It used a modem and the input was in basic code using a keyboard. I knew of the great big office size computers that used punch cards for input of data. However I could not think that this little desktop machine was anything of such consequence. Bill was very excited to have it. I admit that I did not possess the future sight that Bill had. Bill was always upgrading or adding on to our home computer when new things were developed such as more memory would come available. I seen the inside of a computer too often. Several times he brought our computer back to life when it died in what we called a”the blue screen of death”.

I remember that one Christmas I received a “CD Rom”. Once it was hooked up to our home computer it would accept Cd's. I remember placing a CD in and it had the whole Encyclopedia from A to Z. I was wowed and truly amazed. I finally imagined the possibilities.

Bill was never content to just buy computers. He would assemble them from parts he bought from the different computer shops here in Canada and the United States. Motherboards and goodness knows what else. He built it and we rarely needed to buy another computer because he could just upgrade it by inserting a new part.

We have always had a home computer since 1988. Gradually over the years as they became more sophisticated it became an integral part of the home. I believe it was in the early 1990's when the world wide web became available to the general public. We became connected to the world.

It was at this time that phones became mobile. The phones were no longer attached to the wall or phone desk. I remember my first “mobile" and I think they call them “brick type phones”. It was large and really didn't slip into my purse. I got one for safety because I worked night shifts and my car was not very reliable. I hated that Volare.

The mobile phone technology became smaller. They would fit into the palm of your hand. They were able to do more than be only a phone. Texting became a thing replacing the phone call.

As the phones were unattached from the home, the computers detached as well. Something called laptops. The big clunky home computer was now being replaced by a foldable, thin computer. It had the screen on one side and keyboard on the other and somewhere in between was all the inner computer parts. It was folded in half protecting the screen and keyboard. It was mobile and easy to carry in a case like a brief case. Before long it became a necessary part of University students school life and soon after high school children and most recently almost all children in school. Text books are becoming a thing of the past.

 

 2009 - 11 Month Old Kelsey Helping Alanna.

2010 - Kelsey On The Laptop

 

 

My Dedicated Genealogy Laptop

 

 

 

 Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) . I-Pods, digital cameras, scanners, I-Pads rolled out in quick succession. The objective. in my opinion.was smaller physical presence with more computing power. I could hardly keep up with what each was and what could it do. If that was not bad enough, they updated them every year. For example the initial one was called 1^st Generation, and the next year the 2^nd Generation would roll out with just a few more bells and whistles to entice the consumer to want or need the new one.

Around 2005 the remarkable Apple product called an I-Phone rolled out. It was a phone, camera, a photo keeper, TV screen, music keeper, calendar, event keeper and believe it or not a computer. I can't remember my first I-Phone I owned. I got it because of the Face-time ability. Ring someone up and watch and talk to them in real time. The funny thing is that I remember as teenager we were told that one day we may have a phone watch that we could call up someone and see them while talking as if they were in front of us. It was unbelievable – science fiction!

  Kelsey Plugged In With Laptop and I-Pad.

 

 

 

 

 

The I-Phone is presently in its 15^th Generation. I believe I have made it to the 12^th Generation. Bill finally gave in a few years back and got a I-Phone. He took my old one when I bought the new one. The world outside was depending on everyone having a mobile phone to conduct business transactions. 

 Bill's latest hobby has been making 3-D printers. I am not talking about 3-D printed items, but building the actual printer.

 

 

 Our ultimate technology acquisition is our Tesla. Sometimes called a laptop on wheels. We have had it for 3 years this spring. People are curious but really not sold on the idea of electric vehicles. I wonder if this is what Bill's maternal grandfather experienced when he bought his Model T in 1915?

2021 Model 3 Tesla

Bill's grandfather, Arthur Jahnke's 1915 Model T

 

 

 

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 11 Prompt - Achievement

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 11

Prompt – Achievement

In this blog I chose to talk about Mennonites' achievements as a group. My father's line is Mennonite. Mennonites tend to share their land, work, money and daily life. Thus I think the achievements of the Mennonites as a whole is achievements of the individual Mennonite people.

The following was written in The Brandon Mail (Newspaper) on April 6 1893. 

An interesting portion of the annual report of the department of the interior is that relating to the loan to the Mennonite settlers in Manitoba. The report reads:

“Early in 1872, after the transfer of The Northwest territories to Canada, when the government were looking abroad for settlers to turn our great inheritance of prairie into practical use as a field for settlement, attention was called to the fact that an isolated people in Russia, The German Mennonites, a race of farmers were casting their eyes to the far west were looking just for such a place as we had, and with their wives and little ones to be able to live in peace and quietness, which was no longer to be vouchsafed by the government of the czar.

An agent was sent to Russia to confer with these people, and they were requested to send delegates to Manitoba, persons from among themselves, in whom they had confidence, to see the country and to judge of its resources. This they did in 1872 and in 1873 with the result that in 1874 a large number of families came out and settled in what is known as the eastern reserve, just southeast of Winnipeg. These were fairly well supplied with money, and thus were able to settle without assistance, but there were hundreds of others desirous to follow who were deterred from being stranded in a strange country without the means of settling on the lands. At this juncture the Waterloo society was formed, consisted of 150 well-to-do Canadian farmers of German extraction in the area of Waterloo, Ont., who offered themselves and their farms to the country as security for the repayment of any money which the government might be pleased to advance to these people in way of a loan to these people to assist them in settling in Manitoba. On the strength of this security, the government advanced a principal sum of $96,400 dollars, on the understanding that no part of the principal or interest was to be collected until the Mennonites that the money was advanced to get a fair start in their new homes. This branch of the Mennonites Colony settled in Townships immediately north of the International boundary and lying between the Red River on the East and Pembina Mountains on the west. At that time it was a treeless prairie, rich with the exception of timber, in everything which contributes to agricultural land desirous of settlement. The settlement of this area was commenced in 1875, and for the first few years brought under cultivation was small, the labour in preparing shelter for the winter and the difficulties of getting supplies of all kinds very great.

The first year crops was injured by grasshoppers, and the two or three subsequent crops by excessive rain, but the people never lost heart. Each years saw new additions to their numbers, and a larger area under cultivation. The villages grew in size and numbers, they built roads and bridges and each year witness such an advance compared to the previous years, that today what was seventeen years ago a treeless prairie without a solitary settler, is now perhaps a thickly populated piece of farming country in the Northwest. Not only, however is it thickly populated, but it has begun to overflow.

A new generation of Canadian birth has grown up with a thorough knowledge of the climate and language of the country and the agricultural methods best suited to the soil; and it is very pleasing to learn that their knowledge and experience lead them invariably to seek out homesteads for themselves in Manitoba and Northwest Territories.

I am lead to make these observations by the fact that during the year the last farthing of the advance made to these people has been repaid including not only the $96,400 of principled borrowed but $33,986.50 of interest as well making the total return $130, 386.58, and the account of the Waterloo Society is closed. The history of this country, does not afford, I undertake, a case in which an obligation to the government on the part of any society, individual or company has been fulfilled with greater faithfulness than this, and on the principle “honour to whom honour is due” the facts of the case cannot be to generally known to not only the Mennonites of Manitoba but of the Waterloo Society as well. The distribution of the loan, its collection and its payment to the government, were entrusted to Mr. Jacob Schantz, the secretary of the Waterloo Society.....”

Just 8 years later the Mennonites were still being praised in the local papers for their prosperity and achievements. In the Free Press Prairie Farmer dated January 10, 1901 (page 4)  an article, named Mennonites in Rhineland was printed as follows:

The praises of the Mennonites would soon sour over the next few decades.  

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 10 Prompt - Language

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 10

Prompt – Language

I wish I knew German. Many of my older family documents are written in German.

My paternal grandfather, Franz Peters was German speaking. In fact Franz and Elisabeth Peters spoke German at home. I am not 100% sure but I believe my father, Jake Peters' first language was German because of the fact that his parents spoke German. However growing up in Hague, Saskatchewan, it is possible he learned English for school despite the home language spoken was German. 

GRanDMA is the Genealogical Registry and Database of Mennonite Ancestry. GRanDMA is the database that is searched with GRanDMA OnLine.

And from this database I got the following individual profile of my grandfather, Franz Peters. It shows the sources used for Franz Peters. The one I was most interested in was: Die Mennonitische Rundschau, Published in Elkhart, Indiana 1880-1908; Scottdale, Pennsylvania 1908-1923; Winnipeg, Manitoba 1923-2007 [7 May 1952, p11]. This was a German Newspaper with information from their homeland and individuals living in Canada. Of course it was written in German 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the article that I found at The Saskatoon Mennonite Society. They have every newspaper of the Die Mennonitische Rundschau, I photocopied it thinking it would be easy to take home and translate. Not only is it in German but in a style called Sutterlein where the alphabet does not look like many letters of our English alphabet.

There are many many genealogical sites that have tutorials on translating documents from this obscure German script to English alphabet. I even noticed that there is an “ai” program that will decipher old script German documents to English.

The newspaper article has some bits of information that I can read because I know when he was born and married. Those dates are easy to pick out. However there is a lot of the article I haven't translated.

I guess my next step is to be patient and try to translate the article using the above guide.

I did have fun inputting my name and have it written in Sutterlein Script.