Preservings 11 (1997) - Plett Foundation

(1884-1960) married Johann Friesen (1881-
1916), and they were the parents of Rev. C.
H. Friesen (1903-76), Grunthal (see 1.2.9.5.);
2. Katherina (1858-1936) married Bernhard
Wiebe (1854-1916) BGB A137: Gnadenfeld
1881 census BGB 154-370. See article by
Ann Funk, “`Auswanderung! 48,” elsewhere
in this newsletter regarding their grandson
Bernhardt S. Wiebe (1913-71);
3. Anna (1860-1926) married Bernhard
Penner;
1.2.3.7. Justina Friesen (b.1837) married
Cornelius Toews (b.1840);
1.2.3.8. Heinrich Friesen (1839-1917) married
Maria Thiessen (1840-1917). BGB
David W. Friesen (1879-1951) was born in Schönsee,
near Grunthal, Manitoba. In 1894 the Friesen family
moved to the West Reserve where David started a store
in 1907 which was to prosper and become the modern-day
printing giant, “Friesens Corporation”
Altona. Photo courtesy of Ted Friesen, Johann &
Agatha Klippenstein book, page 103.
B183. They came to Canada in 1875. His
widow Maria (b.1840) was living with the
Heinrich Heinrichs family at Rudnerweide,
West Reserve, 1881 census, as were his children
Katherina, Maria, Heinrich, Agatha and
Jacob Friesen.
1.2.3.9. Aganetha Friesen (b. 1841) married
Jakob Dueck.
1.2.7. Abraham Friesen (b. 1807).
He married Margaretha Penner. BGB A2.
He came to Canada in the 1870s and is found
at Gnadenthal, West Reserve, Manitoba,
where he was living with the Heinrich
Hieberts at the time of the 1881 census. His
children include:
1.2.7.1. Abraham (b. 1831) married
Katherina Falk, widow of his cousin Johann
Friesen. BGB B203. He came to Canada with
the Bergthalers. Gnadenfeld, West Reserve,
1881 census. Some of his sons moved to Paraguay
in the 1920s;
1.2.7.2. Heinrich (1833-1912) married Maria
Preservings
Sawatsky. BGB B177. Gnadenfeld, West Reserve,
1881 census;
1.2.7.3. Martin (b. 1838) married Margaretha
Klippenstein. BGB B213. He came to Canada
with the Bergthalers. Neu-Bergthal, West Reserve,
1881 census. He was the father of
Johann M. Friesen (1865-1932) elected as a
Bergthaler minister in 1895 and serving as
Inspector of Mennonite schools from 1906-
9;
1.2.7.4. Jacob (b. 1841) married Helena
Bergen. BGB B13(a). They came to Canada
in the 1870s. Gnadenfeld, West Reserve,
1881 census;
1.2.7.5. Johann (b. 1849) married Adelgunda
Friesen (daughter of Peter Friesen, b. 1812).
BGB B375. Gnadenfeld, West Reserve, 1881
census.
1.2.9. Peter Friesen (2.2.1812-6.1875).
Peter married Anna Banmann (b.
2.2.1808) BGB A3.
It is interesting that there were three
Friesens who married Banmanns, all at approximately
the same time. The Bergthaler
Gemeinde Buch (BGB) lists a Peter Friesen
(b. 14.2.1812) who married (first marriage)
Maria Banmann in 1835, BGB A99. There
was also a Jacob Friesen (1819-62) who married
an Eliesabeth Banmann (1821-1903) in
about 1842. Jacob Friesen was not a
Bergthaler, but his family did immigrate to
Manitoba in the 1870s.
The difference in birthdates of the two Peter
Friesens is 12 days which is the difference
in the Russian and Western Calendars
at that time, and which might lead one to
suspect these two Peter Friesens were one
and the same. However, a close look at the
data rules out this possibility. It may be possible
as well, that there is an error in one of
the dates, for instance Peter Friesen’s wife
Anna Banmann also had a birthdate on February
2 (although a different year) which may
just be a coincidence. The Peter Friesen
whose birthdate was 14.2.1812 also had a
birthdate of 26.2.1812 according to later
records, demonstrating that the 14.2.1812
date was according to the Russian calendar.
Of course, there is other data which rules out
the confusion between the two Peter Friesens.
Having said this, there is yet another coincidence
which requires some comment.
Peter Friesen (b. 14.2.1812) and Jacob
Friesen (b. 5.12.1819), were brothers, and
apparently grandsons of Johann Friesen,
listed at Lindenau in the 1776 West Prussian
census (listed with 1 son and 1 daughter).
Whether or not there is a connection between
Jacob and Johann Friesen of Lindenau must
remain a matter for conjecture at this point.
Anna Banmann was the daughter of
Kornelius Banmann (b. 1782) and Anna (nee
Fröse, b. 1775). They lived at Kronsweide
in 1803 and Kronsthal in 1814, where they
owned Wirtschaft 5. They were well-off with
8 horses and 11 cattle, BHU, p. 285.
Waisenman Kornelius Friesen was therefore
named after his maternal grandfather.
34
Anna Banmann Friesen was living with
her daughter Susanna and Susanna’s husband
Abraham Friesen (b. 1839), son of another
Peter Friesen (b. 1810) at Osterwick, East
Reserve, 1881 census.
Peter Friesen was the first Waisenman of
the Bergthal Colony when its own Waisenamt
was established in 1842 and served until his
death, 32 years and 8 months: Katharine
Wiebe, Historical Sketches, page 186. His
widow and children immigrated in 1876 with
the last group of Bergthaler to leave Russia.
Peter Friesen must have been a successful
farmer as his widow is listed as one of the
wealthier members of the travelling party
with 1875 ruble or $1175: John Dyck,
Oberschulz Jakob Peters, page 119.
Peter Friesen’s children:
1.2.9.1. Kornelius (1833-1909) married Anna
Töws, BGB B136. He was “Waisenman”
Friesen and lived at Osterwick, East Reserve
at the time of the 1881 Manitoba census. Sons
Peter (b. 1857) and Kornelius (b. 1860) are
listed separately at Osterwick, 1881 census.
Peter T. Friesen married Marigan Weiland:
see Martin Friesen article in Preservings,
June 1997, No. 10, Part One, pages 52-54.
An excellent biography of son Cornelius T.
Friesen (1860-1929), also “Waisenman”
Friesen, by Katherine Wiebe, was published
in Preservings, June 1996, No. 8, Part One,
pages 36-40;
1.2.9.2. Susanna (b.1840) married Abraham
Friesen (b.1839), son of another Peter Friesen
(unrelated). Susanna and Abraham lived at
Osterwick, 1881 Manitoba census;
1.2.9.3. Peter (b. 1843) married Margaretha
Löwen. BGB B271. Osterwick, East Reserve,
1881 Manitoba census;
1.2.9.4. Martin (b.1847) married Katherina
Penner (later Maria Rempel and Margaretha
Löwen, widow of his brother Peter). BGB
B315. Weidenfeld, West Reserve, 1881 census;
1.2.9.5. Johann (1849-86) married Anna
Bergmann (1853-90). BGB B373.
Weidenfeld, West Reserve, 1881 census.
Their son Johann (1881-1916) married Helena,
sister to D. W. Friesen, Schönsee, and
later Altona (see 1.2.3.6.).
1.4. Peter Friesen (b. 1769, bapt. 1787).
As mentioned above, this Peter Friesen
came to Russia circa 1796, at about the same
time as his brother Martin. He lived in the
village of Neuendorf 1802 (Wirtschaft 4) and
1808 (Wirtschaft 3): BHU, pages 254, and
267. He founded his own homestead according
to the 1808 notation. We do not currently
know the name of his wife, Anna (b. 1780),
and it is likely he was previously married.
His children include:
1.4.1. Agatha (b. 1798) who married Martin
Wiebe;
1.4.2. Peter (b. 1800);
1.4.3. Jacob (b. 1802);
1.4.4. Bernhard (1805-53);