The 1870s Mennonite Migration (cont. from p.1)

that Cornelius Jansen contacted the English Colonial Secretary in London, about the same time that he was starting to exchange letters with John F. Funk in 1871. This opened direct contact with the Dominion government in Ottawa almost immediately ⁽¹⁾.

The first significant Canadian connection is more commonly associated with the activities of William Hespeler, a German Canadian former distillery owner from Ontario who had emigrated to Canada around 1850. Hespeler had undertaken a long trip to his original homeland soon after he sold his distillery business in 1868. While in Germany he became a volunteer stretcher bearer during the Franco-German War of 1870.

About the same time Hespeler began to read about German-speaking Lutherans and Catholics from Alsace-Lorraine, and others from German areas, and as well as Mennonites from southern Russia, who were interested in emigrating, perhaps to North America. It is also said that he got more details from the Russian scene through conversations with a certain Count Mentshikov who, it seems, was also vacationing in Germany. Hespeler happened to know about the interest of the Canadian government in obtaining new immigrants to settle the western prairies, particularly in the new province of Manitoba which had come into being in 1870.

Hoping perhaps for some related government appointment, Hespeler relayed this information about immigrant hopefuls in Europe to the Canadian government in Ottawa. The John A. Macdonald administration asked him in February, 1872, to serve as Special Immigration Agent to recruit whom he could in German and south Russian lands where new immigrants might be available⁽²⁾. (to be concluded.)

Dr. James Urry (left) began his research on Mennonites in Russia at CMBC in 1974. He has been back numerous times to continue his work on other projects related to Mennonites in Canada. Erdmann Penner (right) a businessman from Gretna, ran as a conservative in the Manitoba provincial elections of 1892. He lost to Enoch Winkler, another businessman, but shortly afterwards became the mayor of Gretna.

Urry draws crowd despite stormy weather

by Glenn Bergen

Noted scholar of Mennonite history, James Urry, spoke to a large audience at the Mennonite Heritage Centre on 23 February. About 70 people turned out for the presentation, despite near-blizzard conditions. Urry is senior lecturer in Anthropology at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Urry spoke on the topic, "Mennonites in politics in Manitoba, 1874-1974". He had been in the province for the previous six weeks researching the subject for the final chapters of an upcoming book. While Mennonites are generally not thought to have become involved in politics in Manitoba before the 1920s, Urry noted, his new research showed extensive political involvement among the Mennonites dating back to the 1890s.

Royden Loewen, chair of Mennonite Studies at the University of Winnipeg and president of the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada, thanked Urry for his presentation and for reminding us of the importance of seeking out unexplored archival materials.

Mennonite Literary Society Launches Issue 2 of Rhubarb