Neufeld, Katharina

Title: Katharina (Baergen) Neufeld fonds

Dates of creation: 1932 (individual leaves bear dates from 1929-1938)

Physical description: 1 cm of textual records

Biographical sketch: Katharina Baergen was one of seven children born to Heinrich H. and Justina (Fast) Baergen. She was born in the Terek Mennonite Settlement in Dagestan in 1914. After a period of unrest due to the Russian Revolution, the family fled the area in 1918. The Baergens resided for a short time in Tiegerweide before departing for Canada in 1924. Settling briefly in Hershel, Saskatchewan, they soon joined the Reesor, Ontario settlement. Katharina married John Neufeld in 1939. In 1940, her parents left Reesor to farm in the Niagara area.

Custodial history: Transferred from the Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre in 2023

Scope and content: A bound, cloth-covered chorale book with hectograph-printed sacred music using ziffern notation. First page is decorated with a hand-drawn floral spray and inscribed "Gesang verschoent das Leben. Gesang erfreut das herz. Reesor Ont." Inside cover is stamped "J.C. Lehmann, Bookbinder, Kitchener, Ont."

Notes: Original archival description created 2023 by Laureen Harder-Gissing