Wilhelm I. Dyck (1854–1936)
1936,[195-?],1968,1985.
1 folder of textual records.
Biographical sketch
Wilhelm Dyck was born on February 4, 1854, to Isaac Dyck (1816–1857) and Maria Redekopp (1819–1857) in Chortitza, south Russia. His parents died when he was young and he was taken in by the Gerhard Krahn family of Neuenburg. On July 7, 1877, he married Maria Riediger who was born on July 1, 1858 to Martin A. Riediger (1820–1866) and Elizabeth Hesse (1819–1902).
In 1892, after encouragement from Maria, Wilhelm wanted to immigrate with his family to Canada, but because of a cholera outbreak, they were not allowed. They remained in Reinfeld where Wilhelm was ordained. He enjoyed travelling and visited Poland, Samara, Orenburg, and Turkestan to preach. His last voyage to Turkestan was in 1894, where he connected with Jacob Reimer.
On October 14, 1896, his wife died. A year later he married Emile Pöttker. In 1900 he, along with some other partners, built a large steam powered mill in Millerowo. On June 11, 1914, he was ordained as the Aeltester of the congregation at Millerowo. Ministers Cornelius De Fehr of Orenburg and Gerhard Regehr of Minneapolis officiated. He often represented the Mennonite Brethren church in various negotiations.
In November of 1924, the family immigrated to Canada and stayed for the first while in Hepburn Saskatchewan. Early in 1925, the family settled in Gnadenthal, Manitoba, only to move again in 1930, to Niverville, Manitoba. He died a well-known minister of the Gospel on March 2, 1936.
Scope and content
The material in this collection consists of the typed copy describing Dyck’s journey to Turkestan, and clippings from the Mennonitische Rundschau where the report was published. Obituaries, a pedigree chart, and photocopy of the front page of a book written about Dyck is also in the collection. Almost all the material is in German.
Custodial history
The diary of the trip to Turkestan was written by Wilhelm Dyck. The diary was then passed on to Dyck’s children. Son-in-law C.A. Defehr, passed the diary on to someone who transliterated it which was them passed on to the Mennonitische Rundschau for publication. At some time the materials were deposited here at the Centre. The obituaries, tributes, and pedigree chart were added to the collection by the Centre’s staff.
Notes
- Volume 922.
- Described by Conrad Stoesz November 29, 1999.
- Accession nos.
- Related Material:
- Anna Dyck fonds,
- Aus dem Leben Unseres Großvaters Wilhelm Dyck. – [195-?].
File list
Volume 922
- Wilhelm Is. Dyck, “So War Es...: Meine Reise nach Turkestan”, in, Mennonitische Rundschau, April 17, 1968-May 22, 1968.
- Wilhelm Is. Dyck, “So War Es...”, transliterated. – [ca. 1968].
- Photocopy of front page of Aus dem Leben Unseres Großvaters Wilhelm Dyck. – [195-?].
- Anna Dyck, “Vier Generationen Wilhelm Dyck”, in Mennonitische Rundschau, May 15, 1985.
- Obituaries and tributes to Wilhelm Is. Dyck from Mennonitische Rundschau. – 1936.
CDS.
