© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated Oct. 23, 2006)
Between 1923 and 1930 almost 6,000 Mennonite households (20,201 individuals) decided to leave the USSR and settled in Canada. Some of the factors which led to this migration were the loss of control over their financial and religious affairs, the inability to provide adequate food for their families and the fear of military activities. There were also factors such as the hope that in Canada they would be able to regain control over these aspects of their lives and acquire enough land that their families would grow in comfort and be supported by the produce of the land. Many of these people also faced the reluctance of the USSR authorities to provide exit visas. Towards the end of the 1920s, there was a major attemp of many to get exit visas in Moscow (see "Vor den Toren Moskaus" by H.J. Willms, 1960 also published in English under the title "At the gate of Moscow"), at a time after economic and political changes dictated that no more immigrants would be accepted in Canada.
The Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization of Rosthern, Saskatchewan created a registration form for each family that came to Canada under its auspices. These forms were cross-referenced to the ledger books which recorded the transportation debt which the Board owed Canadian Pacific Railway.
These registrations forms initially consisted of a two-sided 5.5 x 8 1/2" newsprint sheets that were preprinted and completed by hand.
The face of each record identifies the given and surnames of all household members (maiden name of the mother is occasionally identified), their birthdates, and generally their birthplaces. It also contains a single word indicating how the trip costs were paid, and the cross-reference numbers to the financial ledgers books.
The back of each record tells the story of the journey from Russia to Canada in the following detail: place of last residence, place and date when the journey began, all dates of arrival/departure at ports, including ship names. It identifies the intended first place of residence in Canada and may list a name of a relative who had previously immigrated to Canada or the United States. The back of each record may also record information about persons who were medically-detained in any of the ports.
The printed registration form changed to a 8" X 10" one-sided form around 1929. Similar information was gathered from each immigrant. The second migration period (i.e. 1947-1964) used this revised form -- sometimes filled in with a typewriter and other times hand-written.
1) Index ledgers created for each year of the immigration period.
2) Index to the heads of household on each form available for the 1923-1930 period.
3) Index for the period 1947-1964.
Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization (CMBoC) Registration Forms, 1923-1930
Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization (CMBoC) Data Extraction Project
Mennonite Central Committee (Canada) transferred this series of records to the Mennonite Heritage Centre in 1986 (Acc. No. 87-137).
German
Microfilm (See MHC microfilm # 533-568)
none
- Each form was stamped with a sequential number in the left margin by the archives staff (in preparation for microfilming and indexing). The index prepared by the Heritage Centre uses these numbers. See www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/holdings/immigrationindex/. The data extraction project of the Alberta Mennonite Historical Society also uses these numbers. See www.mennonites.ca/mhsa/projects/cmboc/.
- The number at the bottom right of each form which consists of a capital letter from the alphabet followed by a number refers to a page in one of the individual account books beginning at Volume 2357.
- The original indexes to these forms and account books are located at Volume 3417:1-7
Volume 3391
1. "A", 1-114. - 1923.
2. "A", 115-237. - 1923.
3. "A", 238-376. - 1923.
Volume 3392
1. "A", 377-585. - 1923.
2. "B", 586-737. - 1923.
3. "B", 738-833. - 1923.
Volume 3393
1. "D", 834-1048. - 1924.
2. "D", 1049-1301. - 1924.
3. "F", 1302-1575. - 1924.
Volume 3394
1. "F", 1576-1735. - 1924-1925.
2. "G", 1736-1945. - 1923-1925.
3. "J", 1946-2250. - 1925-1926.
Volume 3395
1. "G+J", 2251-2507. - 1925-1926.
2. "G+J", 2508-2652. - 1924-1926.
Volume 3396
1. "H", 2653-2844. - 1925.
2. "H", 2845-3141. - 1925. - Note: #3036 is missing.
3. "K", 3142-3224. - 1925-1926.
Volume 3397
1. "L", 3225-3553. - 1926.
2. "L", 3554-3837. - 1926. - Note: #3622, 3623, and 3818 are missing.
Volume 3398
1. "N", 3838-4212. - 1924-1929; predominantly 1926.
Volume 3399
1. "P", 4213-4299. - 1926-1927.
2. "M", 4300-4517. - 1926.
3. "M", 4518-4765. - 1926.
Volume 3400
1. "N", 4766-4897. - 1927.
2. "N", 4898-5062. - 1927-1930.
Volume 3401
1. "R", 5063-5120. - 1927.
2. "R", 5121-5176. - 1927-1928.
3. "T", 5177-5230. - 1928.
4. "T", 5231-5292. - 1928-1929.
Volume 3402
1. "U", 5293-5389. - 1929-1930.
2. "U", 5390-5491. - 1930.
3. "U", 5492-5598. - 1930.
4. "U+V", 5599-5675. - 1929-1933; predominantly 1930.
5. 5676-5704. - 1927-1930; predominantly 1930.
- Note: No individual account reference letter is given.
6. I owe yous (IOU’s), Canadian naturalization certificates, medical forms,
and correspondence. - 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1946, 1953, 1958.
Volume 3403
1. Forms 5705-5785. - 1947.
2. Forms 5786-5865. - 1947.
3. Forms 5866-5942. - 1947.
Volume 3404
1. Forms 5943-5993. - 1948.
2. Forms 5994-6044. - 1948.
3. Forms 6045-6115. - 1948.
4. Forms 6116-6201. - 1948.
5. Forms 6202-6256. - 1948.
Volume 3405
1. Forms 6257-6396. - 1948.
2. Forms 6397-6510. - 1948.
3. Forms 6511-6620. - 1948.
4. Forms 6621-6855. - 1948.
Volume 3406
1. Forms 6856-7006. - 1948.
2. Forms 7007-7202. - 1948.
3. Forms 7203-7390. - 1948.
4. Forms 7391-7480. - 1948.
Volume 3407
1. Forms 7481-7576. - 1949.
2. Forms 7577-7644. - 1949.
3. Forms 7645-7710. - 1949.
4. Forms 7711-7788. - 1949.
5. Forms 7789-7864. - 1949.
6. Forms 7865-7940. - 1948-1949.
7. Forms 7941-8056. - 1949.
8. Forms 8057-8176. - 1949.
Volume 3408
1. Forms 8177-8257. - 1948-1950; predominantly 1950.
2. Forms 8259-8302. - 1949-1950; predominantly 1950. - Note: # 8258 is missing.
3. Forms 8357-8433. - 1950. - Note: # 8303-8356 are missing.
Volume 3409
1. Forms 8439-8488. – 1951.
2. Forms 8489-8566. – 1951.
3. Forms 8567-8650. – 1951.
4. Forms 8651-8751. – 1951.
5. Forms 8752-8824. – 1951.
Volume 3410
1. Forms 8825-8876. – 1952.
2. Forms 8877-8980. – 1952.
3. Forms 8981-9065. – 1952.
4. Forms 9066-9148. – 1953.
5. Forms 9149-9239. – 1953.
Volume 3411
1. Forms 9240-9369. – 1954.
2. Forms 9370-9539. – 1955.
3. Forms 9540-9665. – 1956.
4. Forms 9667-9770. – 1957. – Note: # 9666 are missing.
5. Forms 9771-9851. – 1957.
Volume 3412
1. Forms 9852-9981. – 1958.
2. Forms 9982-10074. – 1959.
3. Forms 10076-10154. – 1960. – Note: # 10075 is missing.
4. Forms 10155-10202. – 1961.
5. Forms 10203-10281. – 1962-1964.
6. Statistics regarding Mennonite immigrants to Canada. - 1948-1963.
Volume 3417
1. Immigrants index; 23 x 36 cm. – 1923
2. Immigrants index; 23 x 36 cm. - 1924.
3. Immigrants index; 20 x 33 cm. - 1925.
4. Immigrants index; 20 x 33 cm. - 1926.
5. Immigrants index; 23 x 36 cm. - 1927-1928.
6. Immigrants index; 20 x 33 cm. - 1929-1930.
7. Immigrants index; 20 x 33 cm. - 1947-1964. -
Explanatory Note
In this index book, there are two sets of numbers behind each name.
The first number is the number of people in that family who came to Canada.
The third number is cross-referenced with the number on the bottom of the immigration form.
The third column appears to refer to who helped sponsor the people to come to Canada.
These include IRO (International Refugee Organization), MCC (Mennonite Central Committee),
CCCRR (Canadian Christian Council for Resettlement of Refugees), CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway),
Prep. (Prepaid), Cash, JN (John Neufeld or he was sometimes known as Quan (Juan) Neufeld).
This John Neufeld was a travel agent in Paraguay who helped with the immigration process
and also paid for some people’s travel expenses.
The last column states where they were from and what year they emigrated. Some times this column
is left blank.