Detweiler Mennonite Church (Roseville, ON)

Title: Detweiler Mennonite Church fonds

Dates of creation: 1863-2007

Physcial description: 10 cm of textual records

Administrative history: The congregation began services in ca. 1822. The first building was occupied in ca. 1830, with a later building in 1855. Jacob Detweiler is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through immigration from Pennsylvania. The congregation was also known as Detweiler Mennonite Church. Its location is R.R. 1, Ayr, Ont., 3/4 mile west of Roseville on ther south side of Roseville Rd.

The congregation was Swiss/South German in cultural identity. The language of worship was English; the transition from German occurred in the early 1900s. In 1925 there were 15 members; in 1950, 20; in 1965, 19. The congregation dissolved in 1966. It was affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and the Mennonite Church.

The Meetinghouse is now an historic site, deeded to the Detweiler Meetnghouse Inc. in 1992. Its records are located in XV-71 Detweiler Meetinghouse, Inc.

Scope and Content: The fonds consists of two series: formal and informal records.

Custodial history: The origin of the fonds is unknown

Notes: For further information see: Reg Good, Detweiler : Detweiler's Meetinghouse: a history of Mennonites near Roseville, Ontario (Roseville, ON: Detweiler Meetinghouse, Inc., 1999); the website for Detweiler Meetinghouse, Inc.

Description created March 2002 by Sam Steiner

File list:

Series 1: Formal Records

1. Financial records, 
        1863-1940
        1941-1945 (includes membership records, 1939-1965)
        1954-1982 (includes annual meeting minutes and trustees minutes)
2. Young People's Bible Meeting reorganization, 1951-1955
3. Sunday school reorganization, 1939, 1943
4. Sunday school attendance,
        1924-1934 (includes finances)
        1936-1943
        1944-1953
        1954-1965
5. Sunday school financial records
        1930s-1950s
6. Cemetery records 
       Written registry of lots sold and used through March 2007
       Roseville cemetery fund for perpetual upkeep record book, September 1945
   Note: See also Detweiler Meetinghouse, Inc. for cemetery records.

Series 2: Informal Records

1. Programs, 1936-1956, 1967 (ecumenical centennial service)
2. "Early Detweiler Church at Roseville," by Vera Hunsberger, July 8, 1962
3. Scrapbook, 1966-19
4. Glaubenslehre der Taufgesinnten-Christen oder Mennoniten by Benjamin Eby (Elkhart, IN: John F. Funk, 1868)
5. News clippings