Fast - Teichroeb Ancestry

16. Daniel Teichroeb,¹³ son of Daniel Teichroeb ⁴⁹ and Anna Wolf,⁵⁰ was born on 26 May 1835 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 20 Feb 1918 in Georgstal, Fuerstenland, Ukraine.

Daniel kept a journal in which he recorded family tree events and a few other important items. In his journal he spells his name Teigroeb. He noted that in 1877 he had accumulated 3,500 Rubles. He moved to Georgstal in 1879. In his book he noted that on 17 February 1879 he was living in Georgstal, and that he had bought his farm for 2,150 Rubles. Georgstal was a village in the colony of Fuerstenland. Fuerstenland was a daughter colony of Chortitza, and was founded between 1864 and 1870. The land within the Fuerstenland settlement was leased from the Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevitch. If Daniel purchased his land then it would have been land located outside the settlement. The average price of land in the period 1863-1872 was 17.3 rubles per dessiatina. In the period 1873-1882 prices had risen to 20.67. I estimate that Daniel paid around 19 rubles for his land. He would have purchased about 110 dessiatinas, placing him in the ranks of the top 12% of landowners in the Russian Empire at the time, who controlled 89% of the land. My grandfather, Dan Teichroeb, recalls that the family farm operation was large, with housing for local farm workers.

One entry in his journal noted that Daniel Teihreb, who was born on 22 February 1789, died on 5 January 1857. Although the journal is silent on the relevance of this, the elder Daniel was his father.

According to Daniel's journal, his son Johann (1871-1942) moved to Orenburg on 24 October 1902 with his four children: Johann, Daniel, Peter, Margaretha. Son Heinrich moved to Orenburg on 5 February 1901. Son Daniel moved to Canada on 10 June 1902 with his ten children.

Johann Teichroeb (1871-1942) moved to Orenburg in 1902 and lived in Russia for the rest of his life. I have met his great grandson, Jakob Teichrib, online, and learned something about this branch of the family. Johann Teichroeb (1871-1942) was married to Anna Dyck (1872-1922). Anna died in the Orenburg settlement. One of their sons was Jakob Teichrib (1905-1940). He lived in Leninpol, Kyrgyzstan with his wife Frida Henning (1910-1964) and three sons, Victor, Arnold, and Edvin. Jakob (1905-1940) was arrested by the Russian police and taken to Magadan, Siberia, where he died shortly after his arrest. In 1991 Arnold and his son, Jakob (the great grandson mentioned earlier), moved to Germany.

I have school photographs dating to the 1930s that show Jakob and Frida with their students. These were provided by Elena Klassen. The location at the time was Aulie - Ata, Turkestan, later called Leninpol.

Daughter Katharina moved to Canada in 1926. Nothing is known about daughter Maria.

In 1863 many Chortitza families received loans of grain. These came from grain stores accumulated by the colony as insurance for crop failure. There had been a poor harvest the previous year due to heavy snow the preceding winter. The material related to this is in the records of the Guardianship Committee for Foreign Settlers in South Russia. There are two lists. The Signature List contains the signatures of the heads of households who agreed to the loan and the promise to replace the grain at the first opportunity. The second list is the Grain List and it appears to be the heads of families who took delivery of the grain. Daniel is listed in both the Grain List and the Signature List and as a land owner in Schoenhorst.

In a note from Daniel's journal we learn that Heinrich was bit by their dog on 3 December 1870. It is not clear why this was an event worth recording. He would have been 4 years old at the time and probably the dog was a typical large farm dog and the injury may have been serious. Heinrich moved to Orenburg on 5 February 1901.

Daniel's second wife, Margaretha Schellenberg, had a couple of strokes before she died: 11-12 March 1903; 9 September 1914. The last stroke led to her death.

Daniel's son Daniel was married to Sara Redekop. The Canadian Mennonite Historical Society lists her as buried in Edenburg, Manitoba. I also have seen records indicating she was buried in Halbstadt, Manitoba. I think she may be buried in the Edenburg cemetery but the connection to Halbstadt is likely the Mennonite Church located there.

The grave of Daniel's daughter Katharina is located at Archibald Cemetery, Manitou, Pembina Municipality, Manitoba (Billion Graves).

8 i. Peter Teichroeb ⁵ (born on 2 Aug 1857 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine - died on 6 Dec 1944 in Wingard, Saskatchewan). Peter married Agatha Dyck.⁶ Peter next married Maria Dyck ²²

ii. Daniel Teichroeb ⁵¹ was born on 7 Mar 1860 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 1 Oct 1924 in Gretna, Manitoba. Daniel married Sara Redekop

iii. Margaretha Teichroeb ⁵¹ was born on 11 Feb 1862 and died on 6 Jan 1887.

vi. Bernhardt Teichroeb ⁵¹ was born on 14 Jul 1868 and died on 12 Oct 1872.

vii. Johann Teichroeb ⁵² was born on 22 Jun 1871 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 28 Jul 1942 in Russia. Johann married Anna Dyck. Johann next married Helena Ens

viii. Maria Teichroeb ⁵¹ was born on 23 Jul 1873 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine.

ix. Jacob Teichroeb ⁵¹ was born on 19 Apr 1876 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 22 Sep 1881.

x. Katharina Teichroeb ⁵¹ was born on 5 Dec 1878 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine and died in 1953 in Manitoba. Katharina married Johann Friesen

Johann is listed in the Fuerstenland Baptism record in connection with the baptisms in Georgstal of his children Heinrich (21 June 1888), Katarina (21 June 1888) and Peter (21 June 1892). There is no village named in 1888 but they were living in Olgafeld in 1892. His name is mentioned in the Fuerstenland Baptism record for Daniel Teichroeb (b. 1904) where he is recorded as Agatha's father.

He must have been born in Neuendorf because his parents lived there as early as 1815 and his father died there in 1848. There are records in the Berlin Archives related to his son, Johann, that indicate the son was born in Neuendorf in 1857.

He was deceased by the time Peter was baptized and his wife had remarried a Jacob Nickel. His wife's obituary says he was about 68 when he died. Therefore if he died around 1892 he must have been born around 1824. According to the Grandma Database there is a record in the Odessa Archives stating he was born in 1827. This does not correspond well with the obituary cited here earlier.

Johann may have had a son named Cornelius. However, It is difficult to establish a connection between Cornelius and his presumed parents.

The Reinlander Gemeinde Buch provides the information about the maiden name of his wife Anna Hiebert, in connection with entries for two of their daughters. The Grandma Database provides the information connecting him to his parents Johann Dyck and Helena Friesen. The source of this data may be records in the Odessa Region State Archives. I have not viewed this data.

i. Helena Dyck ⁵⁷ was born on 15 Feb 1855 in Ukraine and died on 13 Feb 1943 in Canada.

ii. Elizabeth Dyck ⁵⁸ was born on 17 May 1856 in Ukraine and died in Canada.

iii. Johann Dyck ⁵⁹ was born in 1857 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 2 May 1920 in Michaelsburg, Fuerstenland, Ukraine.

9 iv. Agatha Dyck ⁶ (born on 9 Mar 1859 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine - died on 26 Jul 1922 in Olgafeld, Fuerstenland, Ukraine). Agatha married Peter Teichroeb ⁵

v. Cornelius Dyck ⁶⁰ was born on 30 Mar 1861 in Ukraine and died on 14 Nov 1921 in Canada.

vi. Maria Dyck ²² was born on 1 May 1865 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine and died in 1937 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine. Maria married Peter Teichroeb.⁵ Maria next married David Rempel

vii. Heinrich Dyck ⁶¹ was born on 1 May 1867 in Ukraine, was baptized on 21 Jun 1888 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine, and died on 6 Aug 1954 in Plum Coulee, Manitoba.

viii. Katharina Dyck ⁶² was born on 18 May 1869 in Ukraine and was baptized on 21 Jun 1888 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine.

ix. Peter Dyck ⁶³ was born on 18 Aug 1873 in Ukraine and was baptized on 21 Jun 1892 in Olgafeld, Fuerstenland, Ukraine.

Daniel Teichroeb's journal lists her married name and has her birth and death dates; her last name comes from the Reinlander Gemeinde Buch.

Anna's obituary in Mennonitische Rundschau appears to be written by one of Anna's sons, Johann. Johann is not connected to her in the Grandma database. However, Ben Fast told me years ago that he believed Agatha Dyck (my great grandmother) had a brother named Johann who was a blacksmith. That was a family trade - Anna Hiebert's husband, Johann Dyck, was a blacksmith. The obituary has a "dateline" of Blumenfeld Post Nikolaipol, in Nepluiev Settlement on the Dnieper River, ten miles from the city of Nikolaipol.

The obituary says that Anna and Johann lived in Olgafeld, Fuerstenland Colony, where they had a farm. Johann was also a blacksmith and operated a shop to earn extra income. They made ends meet but they were not wealthy. At some point the neighbour's property went up in flames and the fire spread to Johann's blacksmith shop, which also burned. With their business destroyed the couple sold and moved to Michaelsburg where they built a new house and lived with the two unmarried children who had not yet left home. They operated a farm in Michaelsburg. When Johann was about 68 years of age he died. He had been ill for many years with stomach ailments. Later the last of the children married and moved out on there own. Anna employed hired help to run the farm until her death in 1911 at the age of 83 years and 7 months. If the birth date in Daniel Teichroeb's journal is correct then she was actually 84 years and 7 months old when she died.

The obituary says she was buried on 17 October 1911. Daniel Teichroeb's journal records a death date of 10 October 1911.

This must have occurred before the youngest son Peter was baptized in 1892, that record saying Johann Nickel was his stepfather. The obituary does not say Anna remarried and her husband is not mentioned.

Entries in the Reinlander Gemeinde Buch establish the connection between parents Johann Dyck and Anna Hiebert and daughters Helena and Elizabeth, both of whom immigrated to Canada. Teichroeb family records establish the connection between the parents and daughters Maria and Agatha, both of whom were married to Peter Teichroeb and never left Ukraine. The Fuerstenland Baptism Record establishes connections to children Cornelius and Heinrich, who immigrated to Canada, and Maria, Katharina and Peter, who presumably all remained in Ukraine. Certainly Maria remained in Ukraine. A note in the Grandma Database says Peter moved to Siberia. Nothing is known about Katharina after her baptism in 1888.

The obituary tells us there was another son, Johann. I think he is the Johann Johann Dyck who has numerous children baptized in Alexanderthal (1898 and 1901) and then Michaelsburg (1903 and later), all in the Mennonite Brethren Gemeinde. The Grandma Database indicates his father was a Johann Dyck and his mother was an Anna Suderman but I do not think this is correct.

Johann says in the obituary that four children went to North America and the others stayed behind. This sounds like a description of the family contained in this analysis.

The connection between Anna and her parents is established by an entry in Mennonite Rundschau on 7 February 1900 (page 4). This is a letter written by half brother Abraham mentioning siblings, one of whom is referred to as widow Johann Dyck of Michaelsburg. This information in the context of other information submitted to the Grandma Database establishes a high level of confidence in Anna's parentage.

Translation of the letter and mapping to known siblings:

Plum Coulee, January 24, 1900. Dear Rundschau! I would like to ask you to take a few lines from me and send them in your columns to Russia to my brothers and sisters who live in different places. Namely to Peter Hiebert, Orenburg; Franz and Cornelius Hiebert in Charkossche; Heinrich Peters, Fuerstenland, Georgsthal; widow Johann Dyck, Michaelsburg; Johann Harms, Nieder-Chortitza; Jakob Friessen, Einlage. Dear brothers and sisters, let us hear from you, either through the "Rundschau" or by letter. Thank God we are still healthy, which we wish for you too. Our family currently has five children, three are married, namely: Maria, Abraham and Agatha, and two: Cornelius and Anna are still at home. I sold my farm in Hoffnungsfeld, where we used to live, and bought land further to the northeast, where we now have two farms. The harvest here last year was mediocre, but last year it was better for us.

The weather here is still milder than we are used to in Manitoba, we still have little snow, so sledding is not very good.

Dear brothers and sisters and friends in Russia, please don't let the love between us be so developed and write to us and we will answer.

Where is my sister, the widow Wilhelm Hiebert, with her children? My sister, Mrs. Peter Peters, is still in her old condition: blind and helpless, she must lie in bed, which she has had to endure for nine or ten years. If our brothers and sisters or friends in Russia do not read the "Rundschau", perhaps some of the neighbours will be kind enough to bring them these lines. With warm greetings to all readers and friends, Abraham Hiebert.

Who are the people referred to in this letter?

Abraham Hiebert (1848), the writer, son of Cornelius Hiebert and Anna Thiessen.
Peter Hiebert (1847) son of Cornelius Hiebert and Anna Thiessen.
Franz Hiebert (1852) son of Cornelius Hiebert and Anna Thiessen.
Cornelius Hiebert (1843) son of Cornelius Hiebert and Anna Thiessen.
Wife of Heinrich Peters - Elisabeth Hiebert (1855) daughter of Cornelius Hiebert and Anna Thiessen.
Widow of Johann Dyck - Anna Hiebert (1829) daughter of Cornelius Hiebert and Katharina Penner.
Wife of Johann Harms can't be placed but no sibling matches this.
Wife of Jakob Friesen can't be placed but no sibling matches this.
Wilhelm Hiebert (1850) son of Cornelius Hiebert and Anna Thiessen.
Widow of Peter Peters - Helena Hiebert (1832) daughter of Cornelius Hiebert and Katharina Penner.

The siblings that died before 1900:
Katharina Hiebert (1830-1859) daughter of Cornelius Hiebert and Katharina Penner.
Maria Hiebert (1845-1859) daughter of Cornelius Hiebert and Anna Thiessen.
Jakob Hiebert (1859-?) son of Cornelius Hiebert and Anna Thiessen.

Not mentioned in the letter because living in Manitoba:
Agatha Hiebert (1837) daughter of Cornelius Hiebert and Katharina Penner.
Aganetha Hiebert (1839) who could be a duplicate of Agatha.

20. Johann Schapansky,³⁰ son of Hermann Schapansky ⁶⁶ and Susanna Dyck,⁶⁷ was born on 4 Nov 1839 in Burwalde, Chortitza, Ukraine, was baptized in 1860 in Ukraine, and died on 23 Sep 1915 in Morden, Manitoba.

According to the Reinlander Gemeinde Buch, between 1874 and 1880 almost seven thousand Mennonites immigrated to Manitoba from Ukraine. Johann and his brother are both listed. Johann's wife Helena Hiebert and their son David are also listed. Johann's date of death is taken from the Reinlander Gemeinde Buch. Johann and his wife arrived in Quebec on 1 July 1875 aboard the S.S. Moravian No. 25, destined for Schanzenfeld West Reserve (Manitoba). He appears in the 1901 federal census with his wife in Manitoba, sub district of Rhineland, f-4, page 15, entry #122. They both immigrated in 1875 and naturalization was in 1879. The census indicates his birth date is 23 October 1839. I presume he was born in Burwalde because his father appears there in 1847. He appears in the 1881 census in Manitoba. His death certificate gives a birth date of 3 October 1834, which I have not used. (The death certificate has some unusual data written on it - the year of birth was changed to 1834 from something undecipherable and the age at death had been written as 76 and then crossed out and changed to 80.) It also gives the date and location of death used herein. Johann is listed in Burwalde in the 1863 Grain List, and he was not a landowner at that time.

Information about Johann's children is from the material provided by Rosella Wall. For son Abraham I have a birthdate of 24 March 1862 but this is very close to brother Johann who is shown with a birthdate of 7 November 1861.

Migration of Mennonites from Ukraine to Canada

There were three so called waves of migration, occurring in the 1870s, the 1890s and the 1920s. The first and last waves were rather substantial. Economic and political life in Ukraine had been going very well for many decades following the original migration from Danzig in the late 1700s. The settlement of Chortitza beginning in 1788-1789 continued for a few years, and in 1803 a new colony, Molotschna was established. Both colonies grew and further expansion followed, including the Bergthal colony in the mid 1800s and the Fuerstenland colony a few years later. In total about 10,000 people migrated to Ukraine during the period of colonization. The Mennonite colonists prospered.

In the latter half of the 19th century the unfettered political and cultural existence of the Mennonites suffered encroachment. Gradually demands for military service or other economic compensation by way of labour or taxes was demanded by the government. Fear of restrictions on education, language and religion also persisted. There was a movement to establish a framework of tolerance for certain restrictions but the more conservative Mennonite groups, such as the Bergthalers, could not support such a policy and the search for an alternative solution began. In North America a solution was readily at hand because governments were desperately motivated to attract settlers to the expansive west.

In the 1870s about 17,000 Mennonites made there way to North America. The first new settlers to land in Canada arrived in 1874 and were primarily Bergthalers. In 1875 it was the Choritzers, or people from the "Old Colony", who made the journey to Canada. Many settled in Manitoba. Provincial requirements for English language education subsequently drove the most conservative groups to the area of the Northwest Territories that later became Saskatchewan.

The second wave numbered about 900 people. These were Mennonites willing to compromise until the economic and cultural pressures in Ukraine became too great and they finally decided to migrate in the 1890s. Similarly to the earlier Mennonite group, they passed through central Canada to Manitoba and many went on to the Northwest Territories following the promise of land and homesteads.

In the meantime, in Ukraine, the remaining Mennonites adopted a strategy of increased tolerance and assimilation. The tactic of accommodation was more than offset by the profound economic benefits they realized in the decades leading to the First World War. Farms grew, villages expanded and the Mennonites became wealthy. Economic expansion proliferated. Ben Fast describes the farm implement factories, mills, vinegar factories, brewers, weavers and brickyards that operated alongside large farms in the colonies. Contrary to the fears of earlier Mennonite groups that left Ukraine, those that stayed behind were left to their own language and religion and commercial enterprises. In fact the Mennonites enjoyed a level of cultural and economic prosperity seldom experienced among the broader Ukrainian population. Eventually this good fortune would turn against them.

World War One was the turning point for the remaining Mennonites. They had for more than a century possessed an exemption from military service and even though there were mandated compensatory taxes or other services, the general ill will of other citizens was manifest. Further, German speaking populations became targets for governmental policy. People who spoke German were declared enemies of the state. Inevitably the most destructive decree was the forced sale of land assets at absurdly low prices. This, of course, was disastrous. Before the war ended the Bolshevik Revolution turned the country into a lawless land where survival was grim.

Once again the government in Canada facilitated a migration of Mennonites, this time attracting 21,000 people. The Canadian Pacific Railway was a key player in the endeavour, aiming to settle vast areas of the Canadian west.

Genealogical Events in the Context of the Waves of Migration

Margaret Schapansky was born in Canada, as was her mother Maria Loewen. Her father, all of her grandparents and several of her great grandparents emigrated from Ukraine in the first wave during the 1870s. It appears that all of these people came from Chortitza Colony.

Similarly, Helena Striemer was born in Canada, as were her parents. Her grandparents and several of her great grandparents emigrated from Ukraine in the first wave as well. Based on my research thus far all of these people came from Bergthal Colony.

Albert Fast was born in Canada but his parents came from Ukraine in the 1890s, part of the second wave of migration. His father, Jacob, and his grandparents, came from Rosenthal, Chortitza Colony. His mother, Helena Epp, and her parents, came from Olgafeld, Fuerstenland Colony, while her grandparents came from Michaelsburg, Fuerstenland Colony.

Daniel Teichroeb and his father came from Olgafeld, Fuerstenland Colony in the 1920s during the last wave when the strategy of assimilation proved hopeless and remaining in Ukraine was nearly impossible.

i. Johann Schapansky ⁶⁸ was born in 1861 and was baptized on 6 Jun 1881. Johann married Helena Fehr.³³

ii. Abraham Schapansky ⁶⁸ was born in 1862 and died on 27 May 1930. Abraham married Helena Regehr.³³

iii. Maria Schapansky ⁶⁸ was born on 22 Aug 1864 and was baptized on 3 Jun 1884. Maria married Jacob Regehr.³³

iv. Helena Schapansky ⁶⁹ was born on 10 Nov 1865 and died on 11 Dec 1866.

v. Jacob Schapansky ⁶⁸ was born on 3 Nov 1867 and was baptized on 11 Jun 1889. Jacob married Maria Wiebe.³³

vi. Peter Schapansky ⁶⁸ was born on 22 Nov 1869. Peter married Helena Braun.³³

10 vii. David Schapansky ⁷ (born on 20 Jan 1872 in Burwalde, Chortitza, Ukraine - died on 26 Aug 1951 in Warman, Saskatchewan). David married Maria Loewen.⁸ David next married Helena Dyck ³³

viii. Gerhard Schapansky ⁶⁸ was born on 17 Feb 1874. Gerhard married Katharina Wiebe.³³

ix. Cornelius Schapansky ⁶⁹ was born on 4 Dec 1876 and died on 22 Dec 1881.

xi. Heinrich Schapansky ⁶⁸ was born on 1 Feb 1881, was baptized on 19 May 1902, and died on 21 Mar 1944. Heinrich married Katharina Krahn.³³

21. Helena Hiebert,³¹ daughter of Peter Hiebert ⁷⁰ and Maria Ens,⁷¹ was born on 30 Sep 1842 in Einlage, Chortitza, Ukraine, was baptized in 1860 in Ukraine, and died on 13 Jul 1928 in Rosenfeld, Manitoba.

She is listed in the Reinlander Gemeinde Buch. She died in Manitoba according to family records. The 1901 federal census indicates her birth date is 29 August 1841. She appears in the 1881, 1906 and 1911 census in Manitoba. The death certificate I have for her gives a death date of 22 July 1893 and a location of Bluenfeld. This cannot be the right individual because later census records indicate she was still alive and living with husband Johann Schapansky. Find-A-Grave gives the date I have used here.

I have assumed she was born in Einlage because here father appear there in the 1863 Chortitza Grain Lists.

22. Johann Loewen,³⁴ son of Jacob Loewen ⁷² and Margaretha Braun,⁷³ was born on 23 Dec 1852 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine, was baptized on 5 Jun 1872 in Ukraine, and died on 16 Mar 1934 in Stanley, Manitoba.

He arrived in Canada on 13 July 1875 aboard the S.S. Peruvian with his wife Sara and two children, David and Johann. I read that his naturalization date was 1885.

He appears in the 1881 Census in Manitoba.

He is in the 1901 Federal Census in Saskatchewan, Sub-district of Osler,with wife Sara, and children Sara, Katharina and Heinrich (entry is Johann Loewen age 48).

He is in Osler, Saskatchewan in the 1906 census with wife Sara and children Katharina and Heinrich (entry is Johan Loewen age 53).

In 1911 he is in Saskatoon with second wife Helena and son Heinrich (entry is John Locivers age 59). His first wife, Sara, must have died before 1911, in Saskatchewan. Probably she died in Osler but Johann lived in Warment in 1916, so that is also a possibility.

He and Helena are in Warman (Saskatoon) in the 1916 census, without children (entry is Johann Loewen age 63).

I cannot find him in the 1921 census.

In the 1931 census he is living with his son Heinrich in Saskatoon Actually, Heinrich is listed as a grain farmer, and therefore they must have lived in the vicinity of Saskatoon. His wife Helena is not there. Presumably she had already died. Johann must have died and been buried in Saskatoon. The Woodlawn Cemetery has a record for John and Helen Loewen, with no dates, located at 56A-L001-NH&SH.

He is listed in the Reinlander Gemeinde Buch. His marriage date is from the Reinlander Gemeinde Book. I obtained the death information online from Family Search and am in the process of substantiating it.

The origin of this surname is probably the Friesland region of the Netherlands.

The Grandma Database lists his parents and a sibling. The information here tells us that his parents died in a carriage accident in 1857. The birth year for the mother is stated as 1836. She was remarkably young to be having children in a typical Mennonite relationship but this has been substantiated. The younger sibling was born in 1854 in Molotschna. If this is accurate information then Johann probably was originally from Molotschna.

i. Jakob Loewen ⁷⁴ was born on 7 Nov 1875 in Canada and died on 6 Jan 1876 in Canada.

11 ii. Maria Loewen ⁸ (born on 25 Nov 1876 in Reinland, Manitoba - died on 25 Mar 1939 in Warman, Saskatchewan). Maria married Johann Penner.³⁶ Maria next married David Schapansky ⁷

iii. Margaretha Loewen ⁷⁴ was born on 2 Oct 1878 and died on 16 Sep 1879.

iv. Margaretha Loewen ⁷⁵ was born on 21 Jul 1880, was baptized on 21 May 1899, and died on 18 Aug 1922.

23. Sara Dyck,³⁵ daughter of Johann Dyck ⁷⁷ and Maria DeVeer,⁷⁸ was born on 13 Jan 1852 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine, was baptized on 10 Jun 1870 in Ukraine, and died before 1911 in Osler, Saskatchewan.

She came to Canada with her husband Johann Loewen in 1875. She was pregnant with Jakob (1875-1876) at the time. They had with them her two children with her first husband Isaak Redekop who died in 1873. The birth date information in the Reinlander Gemeinde Buch in association with her marriage and children is not correct. Instead I have used the earlier information in the Reinlander Gemeinde Book where she is listed with her parents and siblings.

Sara was alive in Saskatchewan at the time of the 1906 census but she had died before the 1911 census, where her husband is listed with his second wife, Helena.

An interesting side note was entered into the Reinlander Gemeinde Buch; daughter Margaretha had a son Johan in 1895 when she was only 15 and before she was married. She later married Abraham Giesbrecht and went on to have 10 more children before dying the day after the last one was born.

The first ancestry work done for the Fast family was by Ben Fast. It was Ben who determined that Johann Fast lived in Rosenthal, Chortitza. In his genealogy work Ben Fast says the Fasts "grew up" in Molotschna and Chortitza, and were raised in Rosenthal.

Ben Fast told me that Johann had at least two brothers. Ben met the son of one brother, Jacob, in Winnipeg years ago. The other brother, Heinrich, was a bachelor. His obituary, published in Der Bote, has this to say:

"Heinrich Fast was born in 1871 in Rosenthal, South Russia. When he was 15 years old, he learned the carpenter trade, which has been his main occupation in life. At the age of 21 he was baptized in the Chortitza church and accepted into the congregation.

In 1904 he emigrated to Canada with his parents and siblings. The deceased spent his last years in a small house in Rosthern. He lived here quietly and withdrawn and a large goiter from which he suffered for many years made him almost completely unable to do physical work, so that he mostly survived with the help of civic and charitable associations. During this time he wished to be able to leave this world in order to exchange it with another better one.".

Heinrich's death certificate tells us his father was Johann Fast and his mother was Judith Rempel. The genealogy of these two individuals is well established.

A passenger list found on ancestry.com has Heinrich listed as a passenger on the S.S. Rhein from Bremen, which docked in Baltimore in October 1904, travelling on his own en route to Gretna, Manitoba and from there to meet his brother Johann in Rosthern, North West Territories. He was a joiner by trade. It is interesting that he is listed immediately after Dietrich Epp in the ship manifest, and his origin is shown as the same town in Ukraine. I wonder if he was travelling with that family. He does not appear to be travelling with any other family members.

According to family lore, Johann and his family emigrated to Canada in March 1892 and from Spring 1892 until Spring 1893 they wintered in Manitoba with friends. I know they sailed on 17 June 1892 en route to Gretna Manitoba. They no doubt wintered in Manitoba but they were not there until the Summer. They settled in Rosthern, Saskatchewan in 1893. By 1897 Johann and his sons had erected log buildings and Johann had filed his homestead claim. The homestead consisted of 160 acres of land three miles north of Waldheim and 13 miles west of Rosthern. Later he managed a further quarter section for $3 an acre. He is buried in the Rosthern Cemetery. His death date is from the grave marker. He appears with his wife in the 1901 census in Saskatchewan, sub district of Waldheim, page 7, entry #47.

After a decade of farming he retired to Rosthern. This would mean he was in his mid fifties and able to live without working.

Johan is buried in the Rosthern Cemetery.

i. Johann Fast ³⁹ was born on 1 May 1872 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine and died in Apr 1947 in Saskatchewan. Johann married Katherina Loepky ³⁹

12 ii. Jacob Fast ⁹ (born on 28 Feb 1874 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine - died on 4 Aug 1939 in Laird, Saskatchewan). Jacob married Helena Epp ¹⁰

iii. Cornelius Fast ³⁹ was born on 31 Dec 1875 and died in Dec 1942. Cornelius married Anna Klassen ³⁹

iv. Heinrich Fast ³⁹ was born on 4 Dec 1877 and died in 1932. Heinrich married Chorlina.³⁹

v. Peter Fast ³⁹ was born on 2 Apr 1880 and died on 7 May 1960. Peter married Helena Klassen ³⁹

vii. Isaac Fast ³⁹ was born on 22 Jun 1884 and died in Jun 1964 in Winkler, Manitoba. Isaac married Edith Unrau

viii. Gerhard Fast ³⁹ was born on 6 Feb 1887 and died on 19 May 1960. Gerhard married Agatha Dyck ³⁹

I surmise that Maria was born in Rosenthal because the Chortitza Family Register records that her sister, Helena, was born there in 1851. There is ample evidence that her parents and grandparents were from Rosenthal.

She is buried in the Rosthern Cemetery; I saw her grave marker. Her Death Certificate gives her parent's names.

26. Heinrich Epp,⁴¹ son of Heinrich Epp ⁸³ and Helena Dyck,⁸⁴ was born on 13 Mar 1855 in Schoeneberg, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 25 Sep 1906 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan.

According to Ben Fast, who had their passports, they emigrated to Canada in 1891. The book "Waldheim Remembers the Past" quotes family records that say the Epps arrived in Manitoba on 23 April 1891, and stayed with relatives and friends for about a year and a half. They arrived in Rosthern in 1892 and established their homestead at the current site of Waldheim. Heinrich is buried in Waldheim, Saskatchewan according to the H. Epp - M. Rempel genealogy. He appears with his wife in the 1901 census in Saskatchewan, sub district of Waldheim, page 7, entry #53. I suspect that Heinrich was born in Schoeneberg, although various family records and the Grandma Database records say Fuerstenland. They emigrated from Fuerstenland to Canada, but his younger siblings are reported as born in Schoeneberg, so this is the location I have used for him. Schoeneberg corresponds with what we know about the family circumstances in 1858 (see notes about Peter Epp).

According to information I have seen about Heinrich's sister Susanna, she was babtized in Michaelsburg in 1887, when Heinrich was about 32 years of age. Therefore the family must have lived in Michaelsburg when they moved from the Chortitza settlement. It is not clear that Heinrich moved with the family at that point, although Orval Ens says he was raised in Fuerstenland. This does not explain how Heinrich came to marry a woman from Chortitza. Margaretha Remple was born in Neu-Osterwick. There is no evidence the Rempel family was ever in Fuerstenland.

His son David Epp was a grain buyer. I have seen a reference to a middle name of Martin but this is very unusual for Mennonites at the time. Some of his brothers had a middle initial M which I believe is a reference to his mother's first name. His son Heinrich Epp was a farmer, minister and missionary.

His sons Peter Epp and Jacob Epp were farmers. Son Johann was a teacher and a civil servant.

Heinrich is buried in the Waldheim Cemetery.

13 ii. Helena Epp ¹⁰ (born on 25 Oct 1878 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine - died on 15 Apr 1962 in Laird, Saskatchewan). Helena married Jacob Fast ⁹

iii. Margaretha Epp ⁸⁵ was born on 26 Jun 1881 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine and died in Jul 1943 in Pibroch, Alberta.

iv. Katharina Epp ⁸⁵ was born on 18 Jul 1883 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine and died on 22 Mar 1932. Katharina married Peter Epp

v. Heinrich Epp ⁸⁵ was born on 15 Feb 1885 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine and died on 22 Sep 1942. Heinrich married Agnetha Goossen

vi. Peter Epp ⁸⁵ was born on 22 Dec 1886 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine and died on 25 Dec 1943.

vii. Jacob Epp ⁸⁵ was born on 24 May 1889 in Fuerstenland Colony, Ukraine and died on 15 Mar 1963. Jacob married Anna Ens

viii. David Epp ⁸⁵ was born on 3 Sep 1893 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on 19 Aug 1957 in Langley, British Columbia.

ix. Agatha Epp ⁸⁵ was born on 25 Feb 1896 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on 8 Jun 1972 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan. Agatha married Heinrich Heppner

27. Margaretha Rempel,⁴² daughter of Heinrich Rempel ⁸⁶ and Maria Bergen,⁸⁷ was born on 4 Jan 1857 in Neu-Osterwick, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 19 Aug 1937 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan.

Margaretha is buried in the Waldheim Cemetery.

Her second husband, Bernhard Heppner, is listed in some sources with a middle initial of A which I believe is a reference to his father's first name.

28. Johann Striemer,⁴³ son of Heinrich Striemer ⁸⁸ and Anna Neufeld,⁸⁹ was born on 25 Nov 1859 in Bergthal Colony, Ukraine, was baptized on 10 Jun 1878 in Canada, and died on 21 May 1944 in Reinfeld, Saskatchewan.

He appears in Bergthaler Gemeinde Buch with his family. The Bergthaler Gemeinde Buch Quebec Passenger Lists tell us he came to Canada on the S.S. Nova Scotian on 27 July 1874. He appears in the 1881 Canadian Federal Census in Kronsgart, Manitoba with his wife Helena and his daughters Maria and Helena. He was a farmer there.

In 1891 and 1901 he was farming in the Reinland area of Manitoba.

By 1906 the family was living in Vonda in the Humboldt district of Saskatchewan. I have not been able to locate him in 1911 the Census but according to Leonard Doell he moved to the Carrot River area, following Elder Cornelius Epp who took over as Elder of a conservative Bergthaler Mennonite Church there. In 1910 Johann was chosen as a Minister in that church. In 1922 Epp moved to Mexico and I believe the church he founded was disolved. In any case, by the time of the 1921 Census Johann is listed as retired in Laird, Saskatchewan.

In 1927 Johann joined the regular Bergthal Church as a member but not as a Minister and a year later, on 1 March 1928 he was reinstated as a Minister. He served at the Bergthaler Church in Reinfeld, Saskatchewan. The church was still there in 1998 when I visited and it still had a functioning outhouse, but no indoor plumbing. He is buried in the Bergthaler Mennonite Church Cemetery near the Hague Ferry at Reinfeld. In 2022 the church was gone and replaced with a new building. The grave markers were mostly removed as well and ugly steel markers embedded in concrete replaced them.

The 1916 census indicates that Heinrich, Gerhard and Anna were all living with the parents at that time. There is also a 2 year old child named William listed as a son. This is more likely to be a child belonging to Wilhelm Striemer and Anna Dyck.

I have seen Johann's son Gerhard listed as George Gerhard. I believe it is simply Gerhard and the other name is just the English equivalent. I don't know why records would be kept this way. Gerhard's wife Agnetha Neufeld was nicknamed Nettie.

The birthdate and date of death for Johann's daughter Anna are shown on her grave marker. She really did attain the age of 106.

Johann and the Saskatchewan Bergthaler Church

Much of this information originates with Leonard Doell who provided great assistance in my research of Johann Striemer.

Johann had been a member of the Saskatchewan Bergthaler Church, probably from the time he first moved to Saskatchewan. In 1908 Cornelius Epp, an Elder in the Bergthaler Church since 1902, left the church and established his own church, known as the Epp Mennonite Church. A small group of congregants left the Bergthaler Church to join Epp, among them Johann. Around 1910 Johann was elected as a minister in Epp's church.

In 1922 Epp emigrated to Mexico but Johann remained in Saskatchewan and continued to fulfil his obligations as a minister of the church to which he belonged. A larger group of congregants emigrated to Paraguay in 1926 and in 1927 Johann rejoined the Saskatchewan Bergthaler Church. On 1 March 1928 he was chosen as a minister of this church.

i. Maria Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 12 May 1879 in Plum Coulee, Manitoba. Maria married Peter Striemer

ii. Helena Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 5 Nov 1880 in Manitoba and died on 25 May 1949. Helena married Peter Fehr

iii. Heinrich Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 25 Mar 1882 in Manitoba and died on 18 Jan 1960 in Rosthern, Saskatchewan.

iv. Johann Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 2 Aug 1883 in Plum Coulee, Manitoba and died on 12 Dec 1962 in Portland, Oregon. Johann married Helena Striemer

v. Carl Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 13 Jan 1885 in Rural Municipality of Rhineland, Manitoba and died on 7 Oct 1963 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan. Carl married Elizabeth Born

vii. Jacob Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 22 Sep 1887 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on 27 Dec 1888 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan.

viii. Peter Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 3 Jul 1890 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on 12 Jul 1890 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan.

ix. Jacob Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 29 Dec 1891 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on 31 Jan 1907 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan.

x. Peter Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 29 Dec 1891 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on 31 Jan 1907 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan.

xi. Margaret Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 21 Mar 1893 in Hague, Saskatchewan and died on 13 Oct 1964 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Margaret married Jacob Doerksen

xii. Gerhard Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 15 Jan 1895 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on 30 Jan 1895 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan.

xiii. Gerhard Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 15 Feb 1896 in Plum Coulee, Manitoba and died on 12 Jul 1984 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan. Gerhard married Aganetha Neufeld

xiv. Anna Striemer ⁴⁵ was born on 14 Jun 1898 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on 8 Aug 2004 in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. Anna married Cornelius Neufeld

She appears in the Bergthaler Gemeinde Buch with her parents. The Striemer - Giesbrecht Genealogy tells us she was Johann Striemer's wife. She appears in the 1881 Canadian Federal Census in Kronsgart. The Grandma Database says she arrived in Canada in 1875. Her mother arrived a year later. It appears that Helena travelled with two younger siblings. She is buried in the Bergthaler Mennonite Church Cemetery near the Hague Ferry at Reinfeld. Note that the birth date here is from the grave marker.

There are two versions of the 13 July 1875 SS Peruvian passenger list. One is in excel format and shows Helena with sister Margaretha (Gretchen) and brother Jacob. The other list shows these three with a Maria Kauenhowen, who is on the excel list as Maria Giesbrecht. Maria was 52 years of age. Maria was the aunt of the three younger people.

Maria Giesbrecht was a widow. I suspect that her brother, Johann, chose to send his three elder children to Canada with her while he sold his farm and made the arrangements to get the rest of the family to Canada.

30. Johann Dyck,⁴⁷ son of Abraham Dyck ⁹² and Elisabeth Dyck,⁹³ was born on 22 Sep 1846 in Bergthal Colony, Ukraine, was baptized on 5 Jun 1867, and died after 1906 in Aberdeen, Saskatchewan.

Johann Dyck and Katharina Peters settled in Reinland Manitoba. Johann appears with the family in the 1901 census. He came to Canada in 1874. The census assumes his wife did too, but we know she came later with her family and therefore they must have been married in Canada before 1891. In the census they are found in the District of Lisgar, sub district Rhineland #56, F-11 page 8 line 38. The enumeration was on 17 April 1901. Note that the 1901 census data from Family Search gives a birth year of 1845 while the Bergthal Gemeinde Buch and the Grandma Database gives 1846. The census data may contain a transcription error.

The 1906 Census tells us that Johann and Katharina and their family were living in the Humboldt area of Saskatchewan by 1906. Daughter Anna is listed there.

Most of his children are listed in the Sommerfeld Gemeinde Buch but the last two are listed in the Saskatchewan Bergthaler Church Book.

His son Abraham may have died in 1954. This is the date provided in the Grandma Database. SOn Heinrich may have died in 1963. Daughter Elizabeth may have died in 1953. Son Kornelius may have died in 1965.

I have seen references to a middle initial of E. Whether this is factual and what it stands for are unknowns. Possibly it represents his mother's first name.

vi. Helena Dyck ⁹⁴ was born in 1889 and died in 1976. Helena married Abram Friesen.

See Johann Dyck for the census details. She actually did not come to Canada in 1881. She was with her family when they arrived on 19 July 1875 aboard the S.S. Canadian in Quebec City. She cannot be found in the 1881 Canadian census. She doesn't appear with her parents in the 1880 US census because she was married prior to the enumeration date.

She is still married to Johann Dyck in 1906; they are living in Aberdeen.

She was married to a Klaas Dyck by 1916; they appear in that census in Aberdeen SK with her two youngest children. This is also indicated in her son Jacob's military attestation papers (he calls his mother Mrs. Klaas Dyck of Clarkboro, Saskatchewan). Jacob was born in Rosenfeld, Manitoba and at the time of his enlistment he lived in Aberdeen, Saskatchewan. Jacob joined the Canadian Over Seas Expeditionary Force in 1916 at the age of 20. Originally he served with the 46th Battalion but he was moved to the 15th Battalion of the Light Infantry in April 1917. He was wounded at Vimy on 1 July 1917 and later received a medical discharge.

Katharina is still in Aberdeen in the 1921 census, and still living with her second husband Klaas Dyck.

I cannot locate the source of the date of death used here.

Home | Table of Contents | Surnames | Name List

This website was created 5 Sep 2025 with Legacy 10.0, a division of MyHeritage.com; content copyrighted and maintained by website owner

Fast - Teichroeb Ancestry

Fifth Generation