Foto Delegierte der Allgemeinen mennoniten Konferenz in Russland, 13-18 Januar 1925. Moskau.

Information zu den Delegierten der Allgemeinen mennoniten Konferenz in Russland, 13-18 Januar 1925. Moskau.

Fotos und Informationen zu den Delegierten der Allgemeinen mennoniten Konferenz in Russland am13-18 Januar 1925 in Moskau. (nicht beendet)

Franz Franz Martens ( ?  ) Minister/Aeltester Kirchen-Gemeinde, Davlekanovo, Ufa, Republic of
Bashkortostan.  Not much is known about him at this time.  He married Elise (Ediger) Martens (?). The Davlekanovo Mennonite Church, in Ufa, Russia, also called the "Ufimer" Church, was founded in 1898.

There is the photo of the couple taken in 1930 showing them at an older age.  He was ordained Minister in 1909 and later became Aeltester.
He was also one of four directors for the Mayak Bible School founded in 1923 by Karl Friedrichsen, with the intent to provide Ministerial Training for the Mennonite communities. The three year program had 13 students attend with only three achieving graduation during its existence.
Funding for the school came from the Mennonite Emergency Relief Commission of Newton, Kansas and the “licht dem Oster” of Wernigerode, Germany. The church was used as the school. The school was closed in1926 by the Government.
It is noted that he starved to death in the gulags sometime after 1930.
Note: Limited information is known at this time – Further Research is Required.

Heinrich Kornelius Siemens  (October 10, 1868 – January 30, 1955) Minister Mennonite Brethren Gortchakovo Church, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan. He was first born of three to Kornelius Heinrich Siemens (December 3, 1842 – October 30, 1890) and Gertrude (Friesen) Siemens (July 15, 1843 – December 17, 1943) on October 10, 1868 in Neukirch, Molotschna Colony, Russia and died on January 30, 1955 in Gem, Alberta, Canada.  He had two siblings Johann Kornelius Siemens (September 17, 1877 – June 19, 1926) and Katharina (Siemens) Huebert (February 19, 1885 – June 11, 1974). He was first married to Sara (Wall) Siemens (January 30, 1890 – October 11, 1893), his second marriage on January 9, 1894, was to Katharina “Tina” (Bergen) (February 7, 1954 – April 11, 1954).
Heinrich Siemens was ordinated in 1907 by Elder Defehr of the Orenburg Colony, after the death of Church Leader Jacob J Martens in 1922, Heinrich Siemens took over the leadership.  Following the Moscow Conference in January 1925, on July, 2, 1925 Siemens and family immigrated with his mother Gertruda first to Berlin,  Germany and then on July 8 on to Mexico, and later in September of 1926 arriving in Canada from Mexico settling in Gem, Alberta, Canada. The travel group included his mother, his second wife Katharina “Tina” (Bergen) Siemens, and son Johann, and daughter Anna, they were joined in March 1930 by his son Heinrich Heinrich Siemens (December 27, 1895 – December 17, 1986) and his family in Gem, Alberta. His son Heinrich “Henry” having replaced him as minister in Gortchakovo, later also served as a Minister in Matsqui, British Columbia, Canada. His daughter Katharina (Siemens) Warkentin (November 28, 1897 – November 11, 1925) and her husband who were part of the original travel party died in route to Mexico in Havana, Cuba.
On 2 June 1929, the Mennonite Brethren congregation in Gem, Alberta, organized with 35 members and with Heinrich Kornelius Siemens as leader. They met in the school every Sunday for worship together with the Mennonite members of the Kirchen-Gemeinde and the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren. In 1932 a church was built, which was enlarged a few years later. In 1942 the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren membership joined the Mennonite Brethren Church.
He is buried in the Gem Cemetery – Gem, Alberta Canada.

P67192. Grabstein von Heinrich Kornelius Siemens (1868-1955) (#957128) geb. in Neukirch, Molotschna, Prediger seit 1907, B. G., Gortschakowo, Ufa. Und Katharina "Tina" (geb. Bargen) (1873-1954) (#957113) geb. in Orloff, Sagradovka. Friedof Alberta, Canada. Familie lebte 1895, in Herzenberg, Ekaterinoslav; seit 1902 in Gortschakowo, Ufa; 1908 in Davlekanovo, Ufa.

Franz Jacob Friesen (April 21, 1883 – January 3, 1963) Minister/Aeltester Mennonite Brethren, Alexanderkrone, Baraul Colony, Slawgorod, Siberia, Russia. Born in Lindenort, Schoenfeld Colony, Russia to Jacob Friesen and Helena (Loewen) Friesen.  In February 1, 1909 he married in Klubnikova Orenburg Colony, Russia Margarethe (Bergen) Friesen (August 7, 1888 – July 16, 1971 the daughter of Berhard Bergan and Margareta (Toews) Bergen.

They had four children Helena (Friesen) Thiessen (January 10, 1910 - ?); Franz Franz Friesen (February 2, 1915 - ?); Bernhard Franz (January 11, 1918 - ?) and Katharina Friesen (June 10, 1925 – 1931)

Franz Friesen was part of the Orenburg group which helped establish the Baraul Colony, in the first part of the 1900s. He was a Minister for the Alexanderkrone Mennonite Brethren community. This church was formally founded in 1919 serving the communities of Alexanderkrone and Schumanowka and later Halbstadt was added. The four children of Franz and Margarethe were born in Schumanowka.  Franz Friesen was elected 1918 as one of three Ministers for the community. When the Aeltester for the Colony Aron Reimer left for Canada early in 1925 Franz Friesen was elected Aeltester, but left a short time after for Canada.  The family arrived in Quebec City aboard the S.S. Melita arriving November 07, 1925.

Mennonite immigrants from Russia started settling in the Coaldale area in the mid-1920s.  A congregation was started in 1926 with 21 charter members, meeting at first in homes and then in rented facilities in 1929 they completed their own church. The church established its own German Saturday School, and in 1928 formed the Coaldale Mennonite Health Society and the Coaldale Bible School. Franz Friesen was the Minister for the congregation from 1926-1928.

The Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies Archives in Winnipeg, Manitoba contain information on the Coaldale Church.

Friesen, Frank J. (1883-1963)
Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1963 Jan 11 p. 18
Birth date: 1883 Apr 21 - Rev. Frank J. Friesen of Coaldale,. Alta., died of heart failure on Jan. 3. He was born in Russia in 1883, was converted and baptized in 1908 and in 1918 ordained in Gnadenheim, Russia. He came to Canada with his family in 1925. He was the second leader of the Coaldale Church.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Memorial services were held in Coaldale on Jan. 6.

P67191. Grabstein von Franz Jacob Friesen (1883-1963) (#1028742) geb. in Lindenort, Schoenfeld. Prediger B.G., seit 1918 in Gnadenheim, Slawgorod. Familie lebte 1912 in Konteniusfeld, Molotschna; 1914 in Schumanovka, Barnaul. Heirat 1909 in Klubnikovo, Orenburg.

David Heinrich Loewen (May 31, 1877- July 23, 1930) – School Teacher/Minister Kirchen-Gemeinde, Romanówka, Village # 8 (later collective "Progress" '), Orenburg Colony, Russia. Migrated from the village of Rudnerweide, Molotschna Colony, where he was born on the May 31, 1877. He was the 4th child of 8 born to Heinrich Abraham Loewen and Margaretha Warkentin.  Heinrich Heinrich Loewen (1873-?); David Heinrich Loewen (1874-1974); David Heinrich (1875-1876); Margaretha Loewen (1879-1882); Jacob Heinrich Loewen (1881-1923); Margaretha (Loewen) Franz (1883-1963); Maria Loewen (1884-1888)
After attending the village school, he later completed the Halbstadt Central School teacher training program, and arrived as a young teacher to the settlement of New Samara. From there, David Heinrich Loewen moved to the Orenburg Colony ca. 1906. He married Margaretha Klippenstein (October 30, 1879 – March 15, 1931) the 1st of two children born to Jacob Heinrich Klippsenstein (January 09, 1856 -?) and Margaretha (Janzen) Klippenstein (February 3, 1859-February 2, 1907), on September 14, 1897.  They had 9 children:
Margaretha Loewen (1898-?); David David Loewen (1901-1903); David David Loewen (1904 - ?); Maria Loewen (1906 - ?); Jacob David (1908- ?); Eva Loewen (1910 - ?); Heinrich David Loewen (1914 - ?); Johann David Loewen (1918 - ?); Abraham David Loewen) (1920 - ?).
In January, 1925 he was a delegate to the Mennonite Conference in Moscow.
He was teacher in the Dejewka Village # 5, for 20 years. In 1918 the family was living in Romanovka and in 1920 in Petrovka in the Orenburg Colony. He was elected on the May 31, 1911 to become the Minister of the Dejewer Mennonite Church and was ordained later in 1911. In 1927, Loewen was arrested and brought to the jail in Tashkent, in Central Asia. There he was tortured severely to the point that he went mad. When his wife visited him, he no longer recognized her. He died in Tashkent in 1930. 

Education - 1891 Written Exams (Odessa Archives – Ukraine)
David Heinrich Loewen born May 31, 1877 took his exams at Muntau, Halbstadt in 1891.

Johann Johann Martens (May 18, 1885 – May 05, 1935) – Farmer/Minister/Aeltester Kirchen-Gemeinde, Olgafeld, Village #2, Fuerstenland Colony, Russia. The first born of 8 children of Johann Johann Martens (1866 – March 11, 1910) Minister originally from Neuendorf, Chortitza Colony, Russia and Helena (Harder) Martens (August 12, 1864 – December 4, 1948) also of Neuendorf.

His siblings were: Peter Johann Martens (July 8, 1890 – March 28, 1935); Heinrich Johann Martens (January 10, 1894 – October 16, 1945); Sara (Martens) Bergen (December 25, 1895 – May 03, 1976); Jacob Johann Martens (October 25, 1898 – April 25, 1954); Katharina (Martens) Neisteter (September 5, 1900 – September 25, 1975); Franz Johann Martens (September 2, 1902 – September 21, 1971); and Abraham Johann Martens (April 10, 1906, April 18, 1979).
 
On October 2, 1905 he was married by his father to Maria (Letkeman) Martens (May 12, 1886 – April 16, 1965) in Olgafeld. Maria was the daughter of Jacob Gerhard Letkeman (April 2, 1861 – 1912) and Helena (Loewen) Letkeman (May 1, 1863 – November 12, 1912). On June 14, 1905 he had been baptised earlier that year by Aeltester Isaak Dyck of the Chortitza Colony. Johann and Maria were baptised at the same time, they knew each other well having grown up together, and living on the same street a few homesteads apart across the street.

They had 10 children: Johann Johann Martens (August 3, 1906 – December 26, 1926); Helena (Martens) Harder (September 19, 1908 – July 18, 1969); Maria (Martens) Redekop (April 15, 1910 – September 13, 1952); Katherina (Martens) Willms (May 23, 1913 – January 08, 2005); Sarah (Martens) Payzant (January 13, 1916 – October 13, 1999); Elizabeth (Martens) Krahn (January 22, 1918 – November 12, 1998); Jacob Johann Martens (June 13, 1920 – November 26, 1987); Peter Johann Martens (November 02, 1922 – January 12, 2001); John Johann Martens (March 4, 1930 – May30, 2001). All of the children were born in Olgafeld except the youngest John who was born on the farm in Saskatchewan 6 miles from Tugaske, Saskatchewan in 1930.

Johann Martens came from a long line of clergy, and two of his brothers also became ministers in the Kirchen-Gemeinde.  At the 1933 Canadian Mennonite Conference held in Manitoba the three Martens brothers (Johann, Peter and Abraham) were listed as recognized ministers of the church. Following generations of the family, have also entered the ministry, as ministers, bible school teachers, and missionaries...

Der ganze Bericht: Prediger Johann Johann Martens (1885-1935) in Olgafeld, Fürstenland. January 1925 Delegate to the – Mennonite Conference, Moscow. Von Edward Krahn. (englisch)

Kornelius David Harder (December 1, 1866 – October 3, 1946) Teacher/Minister/Aeltester Kirchengemeinde, Sagradovka Colony, Siberia, Russia. Known as “CD” he was the 7th child of the nine children of David Johann Harder (#159194) (March 20, 1836 – September 28, 1911) and Helena (DeFehr) Harder (#60793) (May15, 1830 – March 27, 1878). His siblings were: David David Harder (1859-?); Peter David Harder (1860-1910); Gertruda Harder (1862-1862; Franz David Harder (1862-1862); Johann David Harder (1863-1863); Helena (Harder) Isaak (#982574) (1865 – 1909); Johann David Harder (#773003) (July 12, 1870 – August 31, 1950) (#982574); and Klaas Harder (1872-?). “CD” was born in Blumstein, Molotschna Colony and died in Rosemary, Alberta, Canada.
He was married on February 22, 1890 in the Sagradovka Colony, to his first wife Katharina (Janzen) Harder (#51513) (July 15, 1870 – January 12, 1927) She was born in in the Sagradovka Colony the 2nd child of four of Jacob Cornelius Janzen (#341224) (January 12, 1843 – May 24, 1914) and Helena (Klippenstein) Janzen (#341231) (December 15, 1845 – January 5, 1892) of Wernersdorf, Molotschna Colony.  Her siblings were: Franz Jacob Janzen (#198850) (July 5, 1864 – November 10, 1931); Anna (Janzen) Harder (#353878) (September 29, 1875 – December 3, 1955); and Kornelius Jacob Janzen (#532053) (December 17, 1877 – March 19, 1921). Katharina served as a mid-wife (Haebamme) from 1890-1927.
They had 14 children in the marriage of which information is known of only five of the children. David Cornelius Harder (December 6, 1891 – December 13, 1926) the oldest was married to Helena Harder (1892 - ?) from Memrik. On the trip to Canada the family was held back in Riga, Latvia as they were ill, David died in Riga, his wife and children carried on to England with the youngest Jacob being born in Southampton, England. They arrived in Canada on August 5, 1927 joining the family in Rosthern; Jacob David Harder (July 26, 1893 – December 2, 1895); Margaretha (Harder) Dyck (March 20, 1908 – January 25, 1998); Gerhard Cornelius Harder (March 13, 1908 – April 8, 1964); and Maria Harder (March 5, 1916 - ?).
On November 27, 1927 “CD” married, Sara (Goertzen) Paetkau (#126993) a widow in Rosemary, Alberta, Canada. She had previously been married to Heinrich Jacob Paetkau (#126992) (October 18, 1864 – September 10, 1910).  There were 9 children born to this marriage, when she arrived in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada aboard the S.S. Metagama on November 7, 1926 she was accompanied by two children.  There were no children from the marriage with CD Harder.
Katharina Harder and her son Gerhard and daughter Maria, had travelled ahead of “CD” aboard the S.S. Metagama arriving at St. John, Nova Scotia, Canada on January 2, 1927, following which they travelled to Rosthern, Saskatchewan, Canada where she died very shortly afterwards on January 12, 1927, prior to the arrival of “CD”.
“CD” immigrated shortly afterwards on the Empress of Scotland arriving on July 16, 1927, at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
While “CD” was born in 1866 in Blumstein, Molotschna Colony, the family shortly afterwards in 1871 moved to Neu-Schoensee, Sagradovka Colony, Russia.  It was here in 1887 he was baptised by Aeltester Wilhelm Voth.  On July 6, 1897 he moved with his young family to the Suvorovka Colony, in the Russia Caucasus. Here he was elected Minister on July 6, 1897 and ordained one month later.  He served here as a Teacher and Minister until the family moved once again, to Schoensee, Barnaul Colony, Russian in February of 1912.  “CD” was ordained the elder of the Orloff Mennonite Church in the Barnaul settlement by Aeltester Jakob Gerbrandt. The settlement had five congregations with the Orloff Mennonite Church serving as the mother church to the others. 
In January of 1925 “CD” had travelled to Moscow to attend the All Mennonite Conference. With the deteriorating situation in Russia in late 1926 he sent his wife and two children to Canada. He followed in 1927 to discover that his wife had passed away shortly after arrival, he continued on to Didsbury, Alberta where a family had taken his children in.  “CD” was shortly afterwards appointed as “Reiseprediger” of the Conference of Mennonites, where his job was to travel to scattered groups of Mennonites in Alberta, and Saskatchewan to help organize churches, preach, evangelize, baptize, conduct marriages, funerals, and provide counselling. He helped to organize congregations in: Hussar, Macleod, Coaldale, Gem, Rosedale and Rosemary in Alberta. He also was a driving force behind the organization of the Alberta Conference of Mennonites in 1929, serving as the first chairman. 
“CD’ was called to become the elder of the Bergthal Mennonite Church in Didsbury in 1927, his employment was terminated in 1929 due to the fact that he could not speak English and the congregation with the depression could no longer pay his monthly salary. He continue to be a Minister with the church until 1935. Because of his language barrier he was also unable to supplement his income by teaching as he had in Russia. In 1937 he moved to Rosemary, Alberta where he had been serving as a Minister since 1930. He served here in that role until 1945 helping to form the Westheimer Mennonite Church which later became the Rosemary Mennonite Church. Due to health he retired in 1945 dying on October 3 1946. He is buried in the Rosemary Cemetery with his second wife, Sara.

Obit: Mennonitische Rundschau, October 30, 1946, p.6
Archival Holdings: - Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives;  http://archives.mennonitechurch.ca/ In particular the records for the Bergthal Mennonite Church (Didsbury, Alberta, Canada); and the Rosemary Mennonite Church (Rosemary, Alberta Canada)
Geneology Site : https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-1-140103922-5-510438/cornelius-david-harder-176982-in-myheritage-family-trees?s=140089051
Note: Information of a gravestone for Katharina (Janzen) Harder at the Rosthern Cemetery has not been confirmed as yet.

Photo of “CD” in Alberta ca. 1945

Gravestone for “CD” Harder at the Rosemary Cemetery – Rosemary, Alberta Canada

Gravestone for Sara (Goertzen) Harder/Paetkau (second wife) at the Rosemary Cemetery – Rosemary, Alberta, Canada

Johann Johann Kliewer (January 4, 1872 – November 1, 1959) Minister Mennonite Brethren Gemeinde, Blumenort, Sagradovka Colony, Russia. Born in the village of Nikolaidorf, Molotschna Colony.  He was the third child of 10 born to Johann Gerhard Kliewer (1842 - ?) of Alexanderthal, Molotschna Colony and Katharina Neufeld (1844 - ?). His siblings were: Tina Kliewer (1866-1867); Johann (1868 – 1871); Anna Kliewer (1870 – 1871); Tina Kliewer ( 1874 - ?); Anna (Kiewer) Toews (1876 - ?); Justina Kliewer (1881-1881); Maria Kliewer ( 1882-1887); and Sara Kliewer (1885-1885). He is buried in the Maclure Road Mennonite Cemetery – in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.
On February 22, 1894 he married his first wife Aganetha (Weiss) Kliewer/Rempel (October 13, 1863 in Kutyuki, Crimea, Russia – May 27, 1939 in Headingly, Manitoba, Canada). The daughter of Johann (Jacob) Weiss (142 - ?) and Maria (Lepp) Weiss (1844 - ?). She was a widow. She is buried in the Springstein Cemetery – Springstein, Manitoba, Canada. 
They had 3 children: Neta (Kliewer) Voth (1892-1991); Katharina (Kliewer) Unger (April 9, 1895 – January 09, 1980); and Anna (Kliewer) Penner (1902 – 1938).
On May 18, 1941 he married in Coaldale, Alberta, Canada, Sarah (Born) Kliewer/Siemens (August 7, 1891 – 1978 Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada), the daughter of Gerhard Born (1849 – 1920), and Katharina (Wall) Born (1852 -1919).  She had previously been married to Johann Kornelius Siemens (1877 – 1926) who died in Mexico.  Sarah emigrated from Mexico to Canada on October 7, 1926 with her 6 children.  She is buried in the Maclure Road Mennonite Cemetery – Abbortsford, British Columbia, Canada.
Johann Kliewer in 1886 was converted through a revival meeting in the community, and was baptised the following year and joined the Mennonite Brethren Church.  He was chosen as Minister of the Mennonite Brethren Church and in January 1925 attended the All Mennonite Conference in Moscow. Later that same year Johann and Aganetha immigrated to Canada arriving aboard the Empress of Scotland at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada on August 29, 1926. 
They settled in Fairholme, Saskatchewan and shortly afterwards in the same year he was involved in the establishment of the Speedwell Mennonite Brethren Church with an initial membership of 13. In 1937 the family left for Manitoba, and Johann was involved again with the formation of the Springstein Mennonite Brethren Church, in Springstein, Manitoba, Canada.  It was here that his first wife Aganetha died and was buried in the local cemetery.
Johann Kliewer besides being a Minister in the three churches also served as a Sunday School teacher and with his singing voice was the choir director at various locations. 

Obit: Mennonitische Rundschau, November 8, 1959

Related Archival Holdings: Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies – Winnipeg

P67178. Grabstein von Johann Johann Kliewer (1872-1959) (#219092) geb. in Nikolaidorf, Molotschna. Prediger der Brüdergemeinde in Blumenort, Sagradowka. Lebte 1895 in Blumenort, Sagradovka; 1902 in Grossfuerstental, Suvorovka. Friedhof Maclure Road Mennonite Friedhof, Abbortsford, British Columbia, Canada.