© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated March 27, 2007)
Retrieval numbers:
Volume 591-592
Title: Johann S. Rempel Fonds
Dates:
1888-1970 , predominant 1898-1929
Extent: 15 cm
of textual material
Repository: Mennonite Heritage Centre
ArchivesHistorical note
Johann S. Rempel was born on November 9, 1853 (Gregorian calendar)
to Johann and Margaretha (Sawatzky) Rempel on the Bergthal colony, in South
Russia. He was baptized on May 28, 1873, and immigrated to Canada in 1875 with
his parents. He worked in Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario, with one of his
brothers for a year before joining the rest of the family in Manitoba. They
first settled in the village of Grünthal on the East Reserve, but as farming
was not good in that area, Johann's brothers moved to the West Reserve and to
Saskatchewan and Alberta. Johann remained in Chortitz, on the East Reserve,
but only farmed for a short period. Because he had acquired proficiency with
the English language, he became involved in municipal affairs and was
appointed secretary-treasurer for the Rural Municipality of Hanover by
Immigration agent, William Hespeler. He held this position from 1901 to 1904
and from 1913 to 1916. He was also a businessman and an inventor of farm
machinery. Johann was first married on May 5, 1878, to Katarina Peters in
Reichenbach. They had five surviving children. Katarina died on August 25,
1890, and Johann then married her younger sister, Margaretha Peters on October
28, 1890. They had nine surviving children. Johann greatly enjoyed singing and
served as the Vorsänger (leader of singing) in the Chörtitzer Mennonite Church
for many years. He was known as a strong leader in the community, advocating
in favour of public education and in opposition to smoking, and providing
hospitality to prominent guests to the community. He died suddenly on May 28,
1929, survived by his second wife.
Scope and content note
This fonds contains correspondence, receipts, and other documents
related to Johann's farming and business operation, and to his intermittent
service in the municipal government. It also contains family correspondence
and diaries containing personal notes by Johann and by his wife, Margaretha.
Most of the material consists of handwritten
originals.
Index terms
Subject terms
Creators
Adjunct descriptive data
Finding aids
Inventory file list available
Related material in other repositories
Canadian Mennonite University Library: Rempel, Herman. 1988.
Johann S. Rempel and Family 1830-1899. Morden, Manitoba: Herman
Rempel.
Notes
Language
English and German
Arrangement
Description completed by Joanne Moyer in March
2007.
Restrictions on access
None to
access