Mannheim Mennonite Church (Petersburg, ON)

Classification scheme: 
III-16

Title: Mannheim Mennonite Church fonds

Dates of creation: 1839-
Note: Further accruals are expected 

Physical description: 125 cm of textual material; 14 books

Administrative history: Located 0.5 miles west of Mannheim. The land for the first building was conveyed by Isaac Latschar in 1839; consequently the congregation was known as the Latschar Mennonite Church for many years. There were subsequent building programs in 1853, 1908 and 1980.

The first organized church by Mennonites began about 1832. Jacob Hallman was minister in 1836. Moses S. Bowman became minister in the 1850s and his son, Moses C. Bowman became minister in 1889. Other ministers have been Manasseh Hallman, J. Wesley Witmer, Lorne Schmitt, Osiah Horst, Don Wenger, Gordon Bauman, James and Helen Reusser, Doris Weber. In 1900 there were were 72 members; in 1925 125; in 1950 125; in 1965 107; in 1975 80. Mannheim has been affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec (1832-1988), Mennonite Church (1898-), and Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada (1988-). The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the early 1900s.

Custodial history: Accessions from the Mannheim congregation have been received at various undocumented times.

Notes: Bibliography for administrative history: Mennonite Reporter (24 Nov. 1980), p. 11, (27 Oct. 1986), p. 15; L. J. Burkholder, A brief history of the Mennonites in Ontario (1935), pp. 84-87; Jesse Bearinger and George Milne, "History of the Mannheim Mennonite Church," ; George Milne, "History of the Latschar Mennonite Church," c1960, 3 pp.,; Ferne Burkhardt, Full circle: Mannheim Mennonite Church, 1836-1986 (Petersburg : The Church, 1986), 74 pp.

Original description created by Sam Steiner, Jan 1998

Series 1: Formal records

  1. Manassah Hallman marriage register, 1914-1936
  2. Manassah Hallman marriage register, 1942-1949
  3. Amos Cressman and Manassah Hallman bishop book, 1874-1908, 1932 (includes minutes of conference meetings and baptisms)
  4. Legal documents related to Mannheim (Latschar) including Indenture of bargain & sale between Isaac Latschar and John Christener & Moses Eby, trustees of the Menonistsmeetinghouse ..., Apr. 10th, 1839; expense account for the building of the stone church, 1853 (copy); deed of bargain and sale Benjamin S. Bowman & wife to David Eshleman, trustee and deacon of the Menonists Society, Feb. 22, 1864; Indenture between Henry B. Steckle and William Beilstein (executors) et al. and Aaron B. Hallman, Mar. 7, 1908; Indenture between John Wesley Witmer and Manassah Hallman (executors of Aaron B. Hallman) and Gideon Bachert, Mar. 6, 1926; Indenture between Norman Baer and Gilbert Bergey (executors for Aaron C. Bowman) and J. Stanley Snider and Sarah Bowman, June 1, 1944 (copy); Deed of land John Stanley Snider to the trustees of Latschar Mennonite Church, Sept. 8, 1959; Agreement of purchase and sale between Delton Schmitt and Russel Cober, June 13, 1959; Bill from Smyth and Mank to Latschar Mennonite Church, Sept. 15, 1959; Indenture under mortgage act between Joyce Witmer, Delton Schmitt, Clinton Bechtel (trustees) and Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario, Oct. 16, 1959; resolution (undated) passed by congregation to sell parsonage to Russel Cober; Bill from Newton A. Thomas to Mannheim Mennonite Church re: mortgage with Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario, Oct. 30, 1959; Survey documents prepared by John Metz in March 1968; Indenture between Melvin H. Shantz and Latschar Mennonite Church, May 3, 1968; Resolution re name change for church, Apr. 12, 1969; Agreement between Trustees and Mennonite Conference of Ontario, 1970; letter from Lee Sauer to David Worth,20 April 1970
  5. Church directories
    n.d., 1949, 1976/77, 1978, 1981, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995
  6. Constitutions
    ca. 1970, 1977, 1983, 1991 (plus committee job descriptions)
  7. Membership book, ca. 1910-1994
  8. Annual meeting record book, 1946-1969
  9. Annual meeting reports and minutes
    1969-1979 (including financial statements) 
    1993-1995 (See council minutes for 1978-1993)
  10. Church Council minute book
    1956-1968
  11. Church Council minutes
    1967-1977 
    1978-1986 (includes annual reports and minutes) 
    1982-1992 (includes annual reports and minutes) 
    1993-1999
  12. Job Descriptions
    1996
  13. Leadership Process review, 1995
  14. Sexual abuse proces
  15. Future directions meetings, 1992
  16. Committee minutes and memoranda 
    (Worship, Pastoral Team, Mission & Service, Stewardship, Education & Nurture)(1980 (memos only)-1993)(Most minutes begin about 1989)
  17. Church offering record book, 1947-1964
  18. Congregation's cash book, 1947-1965
  19. Congregation's offering and expense record, 1965-1975
  20. Congregation's offering and expense record, 1975-1978
  21. Sunday school roll book, 1934-1936
  22. Sunday school roll book, 1937-1938
  23. Sunday school roll book, 1939-1940
  24. Sunday school roll book, 1941-1942
  25. Sunday school roll book, 1943-1945
  26. Sunday school roll book, 1946?-1951, 1958-1960
  27. Sunday school attendance register, 1932-1936
  28. Sunday school attendance register, 1937-1942
  29. Sunday school attendance register, 1948-1954
  30. Sunday school roll books, 1993/94, 1994/95
  31. Christian Education committee minutes, 1955-1970, 1977-1985
  32. Summer Bible School record book, 1944-1985
  33. Summer Bible School attendance records, 1968-1981
  34. Pastoral review materials, 1983-1988
  35. Space needs materials, 1989-1992
  36. Women's Mission Circle records, 1937-1943
  37. Sewing Circle records, 1944-1959
  38. Senior Sewing Circle records, 1959-1970
  39. Helping Hand circle record book, 1946-1964
  40. WMSA record book, 1964-1967; 1967/68
  41. WMSA record book, 1969-1975, Reports, 1977, 1978, 1980
  42. Sewing circle notes, 1936-40, 1947-1967
  43. Mennonite Youth Fellowship records, 1958-1966
  44. Mennonite Youth Fellowship records, 1966-1977
  45. Mennonite Youth Fellowship correspondence, 1973-1975
  46. Mennonite Youth Fellowship orphan sponsorship, 1972-1976
  47. Mennonite Youth Fellowship - misc. materials, 1970s
  48. Constitution of Latschar Mennonite Sunday School, [19--]

Series 2: Informal records

  1. Various historical sketches of congregation
  2. Materials gathered for sesquicentennial celebrations, 1986
  3. Mennonite Aid Union coverage for parsonage, 1959
  4. Calendar for 1958 imprinted by congregation
  5. News clippings, 1980s
  6. Girls Club materials from 1960s
  7. Misc. printed programs, ca. 1910- (not all from Latschar/Mannheim)
  8. Misc. documents, questionnaires, services, etc.
  9. Misc. correspondence, 1968-1986
  10. Guest book, 1981-1994
  11. "Ayr Sunday School," Aug 1960 / Dorothy Shantz

Series 3: Bulletins

Bulletins 1962-1971 (1962-1964 incomplete) 
1973-1993 
September 1994-1996

Series 4: Newsletter

Mannheim Messenger, 1979-1983, 1987-1999, Mar 2001-Jun 2008

Series 5: Books

  1. Music book that lacks covers and title page
  2. Howitt, William, Luke Barnicott (London : Cassell & Co., n.d.) (Sunday school award presented to Josiah Shantz, Dec. 18, 1892 by Samuel Bachert and Samuel Herner.
  3. Hollaz, David, Die heils and gnaden Ordnung nach dem Evangelium (Berlin, Canada : Heinrich Eby, 1844)
  4. Arndt, Johann, Sechs Bücher vom wahren Christenthum, ... (Philadelphia : Wm. G. Mentz, n.d.)
  5. Zweimal zwei und fünfzig biblische Geschichten für Schulen und Familien (Neu-York : Amerikanische Traktat-Gesellschaft, n.d.)("Dieser Buch gehört Mir Moses C. Bauman 1850")
  6. Baxter, Richard, Der Prediger des Evangeliums ... (Neu-York : Amerikanische Tractat- Gesellschaft, n.d.)("Barbara Albrightin, Ihr Buch"
  7. The New Testament... (Glasgow : James Lumsden and Son, 1845)("This Testament belongs to Moses S. owman was bought for 25 cents 1847")
  8. Unpartheyisches Gesang-Buch, ...(Lancaster : Johann B䲬 1829)("Henry Shantz song book July 8th 1829")
  9. Barth, Chr. G., Die Altv䴥r (Neu-York : Amerikanische Tractat-Gesellschaft, n.d.)("Amos M. Clemens maid [sic] a present to Jacob Albright in the year 1858")
  10. Hymns and tunes for public and private worship and Sunday schools (Elkhart, Ind. : Mennonite Pub. Co., 1890)("Mary Witmer")
  11. Hymns and tunes for public and private worship and Sunday schools (Elkhart, Ind. : Mennonite Pub. Co., 1890)
  12. Sankey, Ira, et al., Gospel hymns nos. 1 to 6 complete (Cincinnati : John Church Co., 1894)("Mrs. Elias B. Kolb, Main Centre, Saskatchewan")
  13. Rauschenbusch, Walter and Ira D. Sankey, Evangeliums-Lieder 1 und 2 ... (New York : Biglow & Main, 1919)
  14. Rodeheaver, Y. P., Rodeheaver's gospel solos and duets no. 2 (Chicago : Rodeheaver Co, 1930)
  15. Burkhardt, Ferne., Full Circles: Mannheim Mennonite Church, 1836-1986 (Petersburg, On. : Mannheim Mennonite Church, 1986)

 

Hours

Generally 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday to Friday. An appointment in advance is recommended.

Contact

Mennonite Archives of Ontario
Conrad Grebel University College
140 Westmount Road North
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G6

Phone: 519-885-0220 x24238