Preservings 11 (1997) - Plett Foundation

Buch, pages 203-222, and are immensely helpful
to anyone doing any kind of family research
on the Chortitzer.
Waisenamt Regulations.
Mutual aid organizations in the Mennonite
community were designed to serve as vehicles
by which the church cared for its members. They
were an extension of the work of the church.
Ministers of the church were routinely active
in the planning of such organizations. In this
capacity Franz Dÿck wrote up a new edition of
the Waisenamt regulations in 1880. He also
signed new Brandordnung regulations in 1883
as well as another set which are undated. His
important role in these institutional reorganizations
has only recently been recognized and
is in need of further study.
Death 1887.
Minister Franz Dÿck died on June, 1887.
His funeral was held on the 10th. He had
reached the age of almost 65 years and had
served the church as a minister for half of his
lifetime. During those years he had preached
918 sermons, officiated at 287 funerals and 107
weddings, in addition to instructing youths in
preparation for baptism. That is an average of
twenty-six sermons, eight funerals and three
No. 11, December, 1997
weddings each year for 35 years by a layminister
who received no remuneration for these services
and still had to earn his living on the farm.
Franz Dÿck’s obituary in the Mennonitische
Rundschau, written by minister Peter Giesbrecht
of Gnadenfeld, noted that just prior to his death
he had still been active in instructing youths in
preparation for their baptism (Note Four). His
widow continued to live in Schönsee.
Legacy.
Minister Franz Dÿck (1822-87) played a
significant role in the church in the Bergthal
Colony in Russia and also in the Chortitzer
Mennonite Church in Manitoba. He worked
diligently as the first Assistant-Aeltester, and
took on the arduous task of organizating and
compiling the records of the Gemeinde, a function
normally carried out by the Aeltester. He
was also active in making changes necessary to
institutions such as the Waisenamt and
Brandordnung, which had been transplanted to
Canada from Imperial Russia, and in the restructuring
necessary to their proper and efficient
operation in a new land.
Descendants.
Rev. Franz Dÿck also left a legacy to the
community through his children:
83
Son Johann K. Dueck (1866-1923) also of
Schönsee, served as Aeltester of the Chortitzer
Gemeinde from 1915 until his death in 1923—
Johann S. Rempel, Preservings, No. 8, June
1966, Part One, page 43.
Spelling.
On the early documents Franz Dÿck spelled
his name, “Dyck” with a “ÿ” umlaut. But in
later years the family seems to have adopted
the more common “Dueck” spelling.
Endnotes:
Note One: The diaries of Judith and Jakob Epp
are at the Mennonite Heritage Centre. Excerpts
of Jakob Epp’s diary which have been published
by Harvey Dyck.
Note Two: Johann S. Rempel, Chortitz, referred
to Franz Dyck as Vice-Aeltester—, “Memoirs,”
in Preservings, No. 8, June 1996, Part One, page
43..
Note Three: Dennis E. Stoesz, “A History of
the Chortitzer Mennonite Church of Manitoba
1874-1914”, Thesis, 1987, page 49.
Note Four: Dennis E. Stoesz, “Chortitzer
Church, page 88.
Note Five: Mennonitische Rundschau, 20 July,
1887.
Prediger Johann W. Sawatzky 1872-1949
Prediger Johann W. Sawatzky (1872-1949), Kronsgart, Manitoba to Gnadenfeld, Paraguay—Servant of the People, by Linda
Buhler, Box 2895, Steinbach, Manitoba, R0A 2A0.
Introduction.
Moving from Russia to Canada as a small
child, Johann W. Sawatzky lived most of his life
in Canada only to again forsake the new homeland
as he and his family sought a better future in
yet another continent. It was in this new country,
Paraguay, sometimes referred to as the “Green
Hell of the Chaco” that Johann spent the remainder
of his life. It was during this time that he made
his biggest impact on the people of the Chortitzer
Church. His contribution, like that of the many
other ministers in the church, was not a monetary
or entrepreneurial one but rather one of faithful
dedication and service in a time fraught with economic
difficulties, physical hardships and suffering.
Family Background.
Johann W. Sawatzky was born in the Bergthal
Colony on December 17, 1872. He was the first
born son of Johann Sawatzky (b. October 22,
1841) and Sara Wiebe (b. February 20, 1848)
whose two infant daughters, Elizabeth and Sara,
died in November and September respectively in
1872 just prior to Johann’s birth.
Johann was not quite two years old when he
and his ten-month-old brother, Cornelius, accompanied
their parents in their emigration to Canada,
arriving in Quebec on the S. S. Nova Scotian on
October 22, 1874. The family stayed in Ontario
for some time as their next child, Katharina was
born there on September 22, 1875, which was
incidentally the same day as son Comelius died.
The family then journeyed on to Manitoba where
they settled in Bergfeld, East Reserve and later
moved to the Neu-hoffnung/Kronsgart area.
Marriage.
Baptized by Aeltester David Stoesz into the
Chortitzer Church on May 22, 1893, he later
1926 Rev. Johann W. Sawatzky (1872-1949) and Mrs.
Sawatzky, nee Barbara Penner. Photo courtesy of
Linda Buhler.
married Barbara Penner of Blumenthal, W. Reserve.
Their wedding took place on January 11,
1898 at the home of her parents, Abram Penner
and Maria (nee Heinrichs). After their marriage,
Johann and Barbara resided with Johann’s parents
in Neu-hoffnung until 1903 when they built
their own house.
Johann was called to the Ministry in the
Chortitzer Church on November 23, 1915 under
the leading of Aeltester Johann Dueck. He was
ordained as a minister on December 19 of that
same year and delivered his first sermon on January
30, 1916 in his home church in Grunthal. His
second sermon was given at Chortitz on February
20, 1916. Johann took this new responsibility seriously
and went on his annual visitation circuit
with Rev. Peter K. Toews from Gnadenfeld, visiting
homes from Gnadenfeld to Neu-Bergfeld.
According to the records that he kept, he
preached 123 sermons during his first five years
in the ministry (from 1916 to 1921) and officiated
at eleven funerals. Family members recall
that one of his least favourite ministerial tasks
was visiting the sick. However, his absence from
his home due to his ministry meant more work
for his wife and children.
His wife, Barbara, was already suffering from
a blood disorder and had a family of eight children
to tend, the youngest being only four months
old when Johann was called to the ministry. The
added work load was shifted onto his children,
the oldest, Sarah, being 15 years old at the time.
Barbara passed away at the age of 45 on August
27, 1925 after a lengthy battle against her blood
disease which the blood transfusions that she
underwent could not cure.
Emigration, 1926.
Johann was actively involved in the many
meetings that were held as the Chortitzer people
prepared to migrate in mass to Paraguay in the
1920s. All but one of Johann’s children emigrated