© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated January 31, 2003)
Retrieval numbers: Vol. 2111-10
Title: Jacob Hoeppner fonds
Dates: 1925
Extent: 1 p.
Jacob Hoeppner, minister, teacher, and farmer, was born on August 10, 1850 on the Isle of Chortitza, Chortitza Colony, South Russia. He was the third of nine children born to Jacob and Katherina (nee Thiessen) Hoeppner. He completed his schooling in Chortitza and began teaching while still in Russia. Hoeppner was baptized on June 10, 1870 by Aeltester Isaac Dyck. In 1873 he married Aganetha Dueck on August 24th. Their marriage produced 12 children nine of which predeceased him. In 1876 Hoeppner immigrated to Canada with his family. These must have been hard years as their first son died before they left Russia and the second died enroute to Canada. Hoeppner taught his first year in Canada and was then elected to the ministry of the Bergthaler Mennonite Church in Hoffnungsfeld. In 1903 he was ordained as assistant Aeltester by Aeltester Johann Funk. He then served as lead Aeltester between 1910 and 1926. During his years of service he played an important part in the renewal movement of the late 1800's in Southern Manitoba. He supported and gave leadership in church music, Bible studies and prayer meetings. Hoeppner received considerable criticism over the years largely related to the stand he took in the Gretna school debate. He supported Aeltester Funk in his progressive views on education. In 1922 Hoeppner's first wife Aganetha died. The following year he married a widow, Mrs Katharina Harder. This second marriage lasted 13 years until her death in 1935. Aeltester Jacob Hoeppner died on November 16, 1936 at the age of 86. His funeral, which it is estimated 1500 mourners attended, was conducted in a tent erected on the yard of Winkler Bergthaler Mennonite Church.
This fonds contains one letter written in Winkler on May 1, 1925 from Jacob Hoeppner to David Hiebert.
Hoeppner, Jacob, 1850-1936
No other finding aids currently available.
Collected by David and Trudy Schellenberg of Winkler for the Christian Heritage Library.
Hand-written Gothic German
Described by Sharon H. H. Brown December, 2002.
None
Acc. no. 97-150