Classification scheme: 
Hist.Mss.17

Title: Mennonite Archives of Ontario collection of diaries

Dates of creation: 1851-1925

Scope and content: This collection includes diaries that are not a part of a larger archival collection. These diaries are not original diaries, but are photocopies or typescript copies.

File list:

  1. Diary, Samuel Godshalk, "Journal of a journey to Canada in the year 1869," 13 p. Photocopy; typewritten from a manuscript copy by Raymond E. Hollenbach, 1968.
  2. "Diary of John B. Gehman, 1851-1861, Hereford Township, Pennsylvania," 38 p.; typescript by Raymond E. Hollenbach, 1972
  3. "Diary of Jacob B. Mensch, 1880-1911"; together with a travel diary kept by Mensch. 292, 25 p.; photocopy of typescript by Raymond E. Hollenbach, 1966. See Jacob B. Mensch correspondence at Hist.Mss.11.9.
  4. "Our trip from Russia to Canada, June 23, 1924," 2 p.; by John David Mathies, translated by Ronald Mathies
  5. Diary, Walter Burow, "Tagebuch, meine Flucht aus Sibirien," 7 p. ; microfiche of typescript; also Walter Burow, "Der Selbstschutz," 10 p. (incomplete); microfiche of typescript.
  6. Diary, Isaak Lehn, 1923-1925 while in German Refugee camp; 20 p. ; photocopy of typescript. Provided to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by Jerry Dick.
  7. Diary, Ezra Burkholder, 1876, 47 p. ; photocopy of typescript from Ethel Dvorak, 1981; also photocopy of some of the original pages. The item is a travel diary of trip from Floradale, Ontario to Kansas; also includes pages from Christian Burkholder Bible of 1805. Also included are photocopies of news clippings of general interest to the Burkholder family.
  8. Diary of Elias Eby, 1810-1878. Mimeographed and annotated by Isaac R. Horst. Diary covers 1872-1878.
  9. Diary, Peter Gerhard Rempel, 1872-1933, "Meine Reise von Sud Russland nach Nord-Amerika den 13 Juli (1923) ," 41 p. ; Photocopy of typescript.
  10. Diary, Levi Young (Jung), 1863, 18 p. Photocopy of typescript. The diary includes a section on a trip to Canada in 1863. Young was an Evangelical Mennonite that was associated with the "New Mennonites" in Canada. The photocopy was provided by Richard Taylor, Archivist of the Bible Fellowship Church in 1987.
  11. Diary, Jonas Y. Schultz. This file includes correspondence and photocopies of items related to his diaries which are housed at the Schwenkfelder Library, Pennsburg, Pa. Schultz was active in the New Mennonite movement in Pennsylvania. In 1878 Schultz traveled in Canada, but there apparently is not a diary of that trip. Materials were gathered in 1991.
  12. Diary, Christian B. Snyder, 1856. (Photocopy). Christian Snyder was born in 1824, the son of Joseph and Mary Bauman Schneider. After his marriage to Barbara Bauman (1825-1914) he bought his father's farm (Lot 63, German Company Tract). The couple had ten children; Christian died in 1874.

Hours

Generally 8:30-4:30 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