© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated March 27, 2007)
Retrieval numbers: Volume
2229; Microfilm No. 185, 231, 348
Title: Isaac Loewen Fonds
Dates: 1891-1903
Extent: 1 cm of textual
material
Extent: 2289 frames of microfilm
Repository:
Mennonite Heritage Centre ArchivesHistorical note
Isaac Loewen was born in Neuenberg, South Russia, on May 31, 1865,
to Isaac and Susanna (Krahn) Loewen. The family immigrated to Canada in 1877,
settling in Osterwick, Manitoba. Isaac began working for Peter Abrams at the
Abrams and Esau store in Gretna. After Peter Abrams died, Isaac married his
widow, Susanna (Rempel) Peters, on June 29, 1890. Susanna brought with her
seven children. She and Isaac had six more children, but only one survived
childhood, a daughter named Susanna. In 1890, Isaac also became Wilhelm Esau's
partner in the Gretna store. This partnership only lasted for three years,
after which Isaac opened his own store. In 1902, he moved to Osler,
Saskatchewan and opened a general store there, transferring his membership to
the Rosenort Mennonite Church. While living in Osler, Isaac also marketed
grain and provided loans to farmers. In both Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Isaac
was influential as a community leader, serving in various capacities including
as a member of the Bethel College Corporation (1893), on the Gretna Town
Council (1899), as an auditor for the Mennonite Aid Plan (1901), on a
committee to establish a ferry across the South Saskatchewan River near Osler,
and on various boards for the German English Academy in Rosthern,
Saskatchewan. Isaac died from a stroke on December 7, 1918, during the
influenza epidemic.
Scope and content note
This fonds consists of correspondence and store records. A portion
of the correspondence contains letters received from Russia (1895-1898) and
the rest concerns various personal and community matters. The store records
include ledgers (1891-1903) and account books (1894-1902) from the stores in
both Gretna and Osler. Most of the material is
handwritten.
Index terms
Subject terms
Creators
Adjunct descriptive data
Finding aids
Inventory file list available
Notes
Language
German (approximately 60%, mostly in Gothic script) and English
(approximately 40%)
Arrangement
Description completed by Joanne Moyer in February
2007.
Restrictions on access
None to
access