Edenburg/Edenthal Reunion

by Elmer Heinrichs

Former residents - sons and daughters of the forefathers - who settled in the Edenburg and Edenthal districts in the latter 1870s and early 1880s returned to their roots - east of Gretna where they grew up and received early education.

The 1-2 July 2000 reunion began with a wiener roast at Jake and Sharon Krahns in Edenburg Sat., continued with a Sunday worship service, a luncheon, and a time of history, and reminiscing.

Edenburg considered the Post Road to be its main street. Historian Herman Rempel said Mennonite families founded the West Reserve village in 1879, after becoming disillusioned with the quality of land on the East Reserve (Yandsied). In its heyday, the district of Edenburg was home to 21-22 small mixed farm families, with a strong sports program and a flourishing congregation. When the village agreement was dissolved in 1892, a number of families moved from the village to the land they owned. The southern border of Edenburg lay right along the United States boundary.

Heinrich Wiebe (brother of Gerhard Wiebe a leader of the Old Colony settlers), a minister from the Bergthal colony, had been one of the land scouts in 1873 and then helped guide the immigrants from south Russia. He settled in Edenburg at its founding and became a strong leader.

The Edenburg church, the first one built by the Bergthaler on the West Reserve, was completely rebuilt in 1902. Located diagonally across the road from the school, the church building hosted the school Christmas program and holds many memories for former residents. It served the community until the 1950s and then used by the Kane community until the 1970s. Among the Edenburg farmers were other church leaders like Abram Guenther, Jacob Buhr, and Henry Hildebrand, as well as itinerant leaders and ministers from Edenthal, Halbstadt and Strassberg, like D.D. Klassen, Gerhard Wiebe, Heinrich Wiebe, and Diedrich Loeppky. Brothers Benjamin and Henry Ewert, both teachers, also preached in the Edenburg congregation from time to time.

In addition to regular church services, a Jugendverein (Christian Endeavour program) was conducted bi-weekly under the watchful eyes of the church leaders. These gatherings provided sustenance for the soul, as well as an opportunity to socialize and for romance.

The first school in Edenburg was a private school probably built in the early 1890s. A similar school was started in Edenthal about this time. This became a public school about 1919. In the late 1940s several familiar left the area around Edenthal to find work elsewhere. Farms began to get larger and pupil count, which had reached a high of 35 to 40, dropped to 11. In the late 1950s the Edenthal school joined the Edenburg school because of low enrolment. In the late 1960s all the students were bused to the Gretna school.

The community began to break up around the time of World War II when some of the older people died, some sold their farms and others left the community to follow a career or to study. When all is said and done, Edenburg is still a garden of Eden to many who lived here, concludes Rempel.

Jacob J.H. Friesen, almost 90, son of long-time councillor Jacob J. Friesen, and Jacob Janzen, 96, of Winkler, and many from other provinces returned to enjoy the community reunion.

Participants in the Reunion: (L-R) Back - Dave Harms, Tony Harms, Don Harms; Front - Elaine Skinner, Debbie nee Hildebrand, Eleanor Chornoboy nee Hildebrand

A Faspa at the Gretna community activity centre concluded the reunion.

A History of the Mennonite experience in Manitoba

The Research, Scholarship, and Publications Committee of the society is heading up a project to publish a history of Mennonites in Manitoba. E.K. Frances published his study of Manitoba Mennonites in the 1950s and the Society felt it was time to update our story for the many people interested in a readable and interesting story of an important group in Manitoba's history. The committee has commissioned John J. Friesen, a history professor at Canadian Mennonite University to author the book. It will be written in a popular style and feature illustrations and excerpts from documents. The book will appeal to a wide audience.

The writing and publishing of such a book is a large task and will require funds to complete. If you would like to contribute to the project please send your donations to the society marked "History Book Project." The committee is hoping to raise in excess of twenty-thousand dollars for the project.