Joseph C. Fretz fonds

Title: Joseph C. Fretz fonds

Dates of creation: 1838-1956; photocopied ca.1990 and 1990-1993

Physical description: 2 m of textual records

Biographical sketch: Joseph C. Fretz (25 September 1885-22 August 1956) was the son of Manasseh Fretz and Mary Ann Cober. He was a member of the Shantz Mennonite Church, where he was ordained deacon in 1953. He served for many years as secretary of the Ontario Mennonite Mission Board, Mennonite Conference of Ontario historian, and manager of the Golden Rule Bookstore. He married Martha Reesor in 1918; they had four children. For more information see the obituary in the Gospel Herald, Sept. 11, 1956.

Custodial history: Most of the materials were donated at an earlier time (1960s?) when the Archives were still located at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate. In 2013, a smaller transfer of files was received from the Archives of the Mennonite Church, Goshen, Ind. These files were donated to the Goshen archives by Martha Fretz in 1957. Notes in the file list identify files from this transfer.

Scope and content:

The fonds consists of fifteen series:

1. Personal correspondence
2. Public School information
3. Sermon notes
4. Historical publications and committees
5. Correspondence and research for L.J. Burkholder's Brief history of the Mennonites in Ontario
6. Genealogical records
7. Miscellaneous files
8. Sunday school conference field man notes
9. Mennonite Publishing House correspondence
10. Church Committees
11. Mission Board records
12. Braeside Home
13. Congregations
14. Miscellaneous
15. Manuscript attributed to Fretz

Note: Original description created in the 1990s by Sam Steiner.

File list:

Box 1

Series 1: Personal correspondence

1. A.J. Shantz
2. Will and trusts of Matilda Act; notes on Emma Burkholder (L.J. Burkholder's wife)
3. Mortgages; deed -- J.C. Fretz to Amelia Sauder, 1943; J.C. Fretz to Allen Reesor, 1937; John H.W. Richards to Florence and Salina Shantz, 1935; William Stieler to Fredrick Boohold, 1896; Deed Benjamin Bouman to Henry Greif, 1867
4. Personal correspondence and information -- Goshen College
5. Miscellaneous correspondence
   Note: Includes correspondence with Ira Landis received from the Archives of the Mennonite Church in 2013.

Series 2: Public School information

6. History of Rittenhouse School section, Vineland, Ont.
7. Public education
8. Public school curriculum materials
9. Report cards

Series 3: Sermon notes

10. Notes from sermons and meetings
11. Addresses and essays
12. Notes for talks
13. Sermon notes
14. Teaching notes
15. Misc. notes

Series 4: Historical publications and committees

16. Mennonite history course notes
17. Published historical accounts: Calendar of appointments, 1934; 29th meeting of Waterloo Historical Society; Calendar of appointments, 1946-47
18. Historical committees and societies

Series 5: Correspondence and research notes of  A brief history of Mennonites in Ontario

19. Historical correspondence
20. Historical articles
21. "The great awakening among Mennonites of the Niagara Peninsula in the 19th century"; "B.C. Hostetler, "Principal American revivals since 1700"; Letter to Samuel and Barbara Bechtel from Christian and Elizabeth Bauman, 1846 (describes trip from Waterloo County to Pennsylvania); Welland Ship Canel newspaper clippings
22. Research notes
23. Manuscripts -- Copies of Dilman Meyer letters; pages from Philip Wismer diary
24. Historical material pertaining to Niagara District and York County -- Book containing records of Vineland (Moyer) cemetery; Pictures of Jordan and Vineland area; 1954 congregational report to Mennonite Conference of Ontario; Copies of Dellman Meyer letters, 1849; Copies of Jacob Albrecht letters, 1841; Copies of certificate granted to Bishop J. Graff, 1838; Copies of S.F. Coffman 25th anniversary address; Copies of Moyer Church, Vineland; Letter to John Kruth from J.C. Fretz, 1919.
25. Pictures and maps of Niagara Peninsula settlement
26. Section of a Mennonite history
27. Rough notes on Erie County and Stevensville -- Cox cemetery; Harris Hill cemetery, Stevensville log church; Good's cemetery; Copy of John Lapp deed to Clarence Center, N.Y.; Ebenezer Church; Conservative Mennonites; Krehbiel Mennonites at Stevensville
28. Section of a Mennonite history
29. Rough notes
30. Military exemption
31. Jacob R. Bender biographical sketch
    Note: File received from the Archives of the Mennonite Church in 2013.
32. Historical notes
    Notes: File received from the Archives of the Mennonite Church in 2013; includes typescript copy of diary of S. F. Coffman, 1901.
33. Miscellaneous notes/programs
    Note: File received from the Archives of the Mennonite Church in 2013
     

Box 2

1. Welland County research and manuscripts -- Hershey cemetary and extract of family record; "A century of municipal history," County of Welland part 1, 1792-1841; Copy of Jacob Miller will, 1842; Sunday school programs; Black Creek church; Welland County
2. South Cayuga -- Maps; "South Cayuga" manuscript; 1813 Wm. Chewett map of Upper Canada
3. Welland County -- interviews, correspondence, articles
4. Haldimand County -- maps, cemetery records, histories, interview
5. Lincoln County -- maps, cemetery agreement, account of church divisions
6. Mennonite Encyclopedia, v. 1 articles
7. Mennonite Encyclopedia, v. 2 articles
8. Mennonite Encyclopedia, v. 3 articles
   
   8a. Mennonite Encyclopedia, correspondence
   Note: File received from the Archives of the Mennonite Church in 2013.
    

Series 6: Genealogical records

9. Cyrus Cressman
10. Hoover (Huber) family
11. Fretz genealogical material
12. Fretz family reunion
13. Obituaries
14. Misc.

Series 7: Miscellaneous files

15. Education in the church
16. Notes on India missions
17. Letter from Children's Aid Society
18. Irwin Hoover offer to sell lakeshore property for a Mennonite retreat
19. Inter-Church Committee on religious education in public schools
20. Lords Day Alliance and misc. clippings
21. Goshen College, 1956; correspondence, photo, programs, class of 1930 letter
22. Stouffville Book Nook

Series 8: Sunday School Conference field man notes

23. Sunday school records
24. Sunday school organization
25. Sunday school material
26. Sunday school conference books

Series 9: Mennonite Publishing House correspondence

27. Golden Rule Bookstore; Dedication program; photo; article by W.H.E. Schmalz
28. Golden Rule Bookstore; correspondence with MPH, 1940-1941; Building permit, 1941; Agreement to purchase property, 1941

Box 3

Series 10: Church committees

1. Young People -- YPBM topics and programs; correspondence with Young Peoples Bible Meeting organizations in Ontario; copies of constitutions; historical sketch; introducing Mennonite Youth Fellowship
2. Government annuities -- correspondence and information
3. Materials published in Gospel herald
4. Correspondence re: Mennonite yearbook
5. General Problems Committee
6. World War II and pacifism

Box 4

Series 11: Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario

1. Correspondence, 1940s
2. Correspondence, pre-1942
3. Minutes, 1942
4. 1943 elevator
5. Correspondence, 1943-1944
6. Minutes, 1943
7. Correspondence, 1944 (Rural committee)
8. Correspondence and minutes, 1945-1946
9. Correspondence and minutes, 1946-1947
10. Correspondence, 1946-1947 (Rural committee)
11. Minutes, 1946-1947
12. Minutes, 194948-1949
13. Miscellaneous, 1949
14. Minutes, 1949-1953
15. Financial records, 1948-1953
16. Minutes, 1951-1953
17. Minutes and correspondence, 1951-1952
18. Minutes and correspondence, 1947-1952
19. Annual meetings, 1948-1953
20. Correspondence, 1950-1954
21. Minutes and correspondence, 1948-1953
22. Annual meetings, 1953-1959
23. Constitution of Rural Mission Board
24. Miscellaneous

Box ​5

Series 12: Braeside Home

1. Miscellaneous
2. Correspondence, minutes
3. Contracts, minutes
4. Other Old Age homes

Box 6

Series 13: Congregations

1. Waters
2. Monetville
3. Morningside
4. Markstay
5. Fort Stewart

Box 7

Series 14: Miscellaneous

1. City Committee
2. Shantz congregation founded
3. Henry Hurst correspondence
4. Ellesmere fire
5. Gold Rule Bookstore -- Alberta accounts
6. Finance, 1911-1930

Box 8

Series 15: Manuscript attributed to Fretz

1. Manuscript history of Western world -- includes Waterloo County Mennonite history

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