© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated January 31, 2003)
Retrieval numbers: Vol. 2112-7
Title: Peter S. Kehler fonds
Dates: 1949-1967 , predominant 1951-1964
Extent: 2.5 cm of textual records
Peter S. Kehler, businessman, poet and minister, was born on January 1, 1896 in Ebenfeld, Manitoba. He was the eighth of 14 children born to Jacob K. and Elizabeth (nee Schultz) Kehler. Three of his siblings died as infants. Kehler himself had been a small baby weighing in at 3.5 lb. at birth. It was unusual that he survived but Kehler was an unusual person who was intelligent, out-going and very gifted musically. Though he could play several instruments he favoured the violin. At the age of nine Kehler started school and graduated at the age of 17 from the high school in Steinbach with a grade nine diploma. His first job was working with farm machinary and wood cutting. For nine years he taught school during the winter months. During this time he married Kahtarina (Tina) Blatz on August 12, 1923 in Eigengrund, West Reserve, Manitoba. Together they had 12 children--one of which was still born. In 1926, Kehler built a General Store in Blumengard but was forced to close it in 1935 as a result of the Great Depression. He then bought a farm in Bergthal which he sold in 1954. Kehler and his entire family were shocked and overwhelmed when he was elected to the ministry in 1949 but this was a calling he could not refuse. He was ordained as a minister of the Chortitzer Mennonite Church on January 16, 1949. Though ministry placed many demands on his life, Kehler still found time to play his violin, write poetry and spend time with his family. In 1965 he published a booklet of he and his father's poetry. Peter S. Kehler died on February 11, 1968 having served the church for almost 20 years.
This fonds contains eight sermons based on the scripture passages: Luke 2:1-14, Luke 14:16-24, Ephesians 5:9, Phillipians 4-13, Luke 18:1-8, Matthew 18:11, I Corinthians 9:24, and Mark 16.
Kehler, Peter S., 1896-1968
No other finding aids currently available.
These records were 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