Johannes Dyck family fonds. -- 1851, 1871-[198?]. -- 31 cm of textual records and two artifacts.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Johannes Dietrich Dyck (1826-1898) was born in Poppau, West Prussia to Dietrich Dyck and Aganetha Janzen. In 1848 he left for America where he learned English working at first as a bar tender in Chicago. In 1850 he went to work in the gold mines of California, returning to Prussia in 1858 with his wealth. In 1859 he married, Helene Jantzen. That same year they migrated to Russia and settled in Lysanderhoech in the Am Trakt settlement. Johannes D. Dyck established a farming operation which included a flourmill and 129 acres of land. He also served the community as fire marshal for 30 years and as mayor for 18 years.
Johannes J. Dyck (1860-1920) was the oldest child out of six children born to Johannes and Aganetha Dyck. He married Elisabeth Froese (1858-1908) in 1884. Johannes and Elisabeth lived in Lysanderhoeh, Am Trakt. Johannes J. Dyck served the community as a justice of the peace.
Johannes J. Dyck (1885-1948) was the oldest child out of ten children born to Johannes J. and Elisabeth Dyck. He married Renate Mathies (1885-1963) in 1909. During the famine of 1920 this family received food from America via the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). This made a profound impact on the family as can be seen in the lives of their children especially their son Peter J. Dyck who served with MCC in Europe after World War II. Johannes J. and Renate Dyck left Russia with their family in 1927 and settled on a farm in Saskatchewan near Haywarden. In 1933 they moved to Laird. The expanded story of these three Dyck generations can be found in the two-volume A Pilgrim People, published in 1987 and 1994 and deposited in the Mennonite Historical Library of Canadian Mennonite University (Winnipeg).
SCOPE AND CONTENT
This fonds consists of 1) diaries, 2) correspondence, 3) poetry collection, 4) A Pilgrim People research files and 5) several artifacts. The fonds includes the diary of Johannes D. Dyck (1826-1898) kept from 1871-1898, the diary of Johannes J. Dyck ( 1860-1920) kept from 1907-1908, the diary of Renate Dyck (1885-1963) kept from 1909-1927, and the diary Johannes J. Dyck (1885-1948) kept from 1922, 1937-1938. The correspondence is primarily letters from the friends and family of Johannes and Renate Dyck from the United States, Russia, and Canada as well as correspondence with the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization. The collection does include one letter written by Helene Janzen in 1851 to Johannes D. Dyck, the gold miner in California. The poetry is a collection of newspaper clippings and hand copied poems which were used to include in correspondence to give encouragement to family members left in the USSR who were living under very difficult circumstances. This fonds also includes the files created while preparing the family history books published in 1987 and 1994 entitled, A Pilgrim People and, A Pilgrim People Volume II.
CUSTODIAL HISTORY
The material in this collection was passed down through the generations and eventually pooled together and used in the publishing of two books on the family in 1987 and 1994. Rena (Dyck) Kroeker of Winnipeg, Manitoba deposited this material at the Mennonite Heritage Centre in 1999 and 2000.
NOTES
The material is in German, English, and Russian.
Described by Conrad Stoesz March 3, 2000. Updated by Alf Redekopp 19 Oct 2010.
Accession nos. 1999-032, 2000-031
Location: Volumes 4816-4818; Artifacts 1-2.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
1) Diaries. -- 1871-1931, [198?]. -- 12 cm of textual records.
This series consists of diaries and biographies, by the Johannes Dyck's and Renate Dyck. There is also one financial record book in this series. For book publication some of the diaries were translated or transcribed which can also be found in this series. The material is mostly in German and Russian.
Location: 4816:13; 4817:2-8; 4818:1-5.
2) Correspondence. -- 1851,1918-1962. -- 11 cm of textual records.
This series consists of letters from family and friends in the United States, Russia and Canada, as well as correspondence with the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization. The material is mostly in German.
Location: 4816:1-12,14-15.
3) Poetry. -- [19-]. -- 7 cm of textual records.
This series consists of prayers and poetry, used by Renate Dyck in her correspondence with friends and family. The material is mostly in German.
Location: 4816:16-17.
4) A Pilgrim People Research Files. -- 1959-1969,1978,1983-1987. -- 1 cm of textual records.
This series consists of genealogies, correspondence and draft material for the publications "A Pilgrim People" and, "A Pilgrim People II".
Location: 4818:6-12.
5) Artifacts. -- [1908, 1927].
This series consists of two artifacts. The first is a doll that was purchased in 1927 to help bring American currency from Russia to Canada. The second is a box containing a black and a white female head covering used in Russia by Renata Dyck since her marriage.
Location: Artifacts: 3-4.
FILE LIST
VOLUME 4817a (Acc. No. 1999-032)
VOLUME 4817b
VOLUME 4818
Artifacts: