This area has a large contingent of Mennonite families, and while many know the history of their arrival from Europe, some of the younger members may not know the story behind how or why many of them came to this region of Canada.
The Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association (EKMHA) held the first in a series of presentations to help those who may not know the history on Saturday, March 29 at the Mennonite Heritage Centre on Pickwick Drive in Leamington.
The Mennonite History and Stories Evening included a tour of the Mennonite Museum and a gathering to hear stories about some of the area’s families.
Hosted by EKMHA Chair Jim Konrad, who took the audience through the history of the Mennonites, the evening featured some historical photos and tales that connected the original Mennonite colonies of the 1500s to the modern families who share their Mennonite heritage today.
Many of the Mennonite families in this area came from the Schonfeld Settlement in southern Russia, which is now part of Ukraine.
The trials and tribulations of the Mennonites and their persecution over the years eventually led them to emigrate — most to North America. Many of those families came to Canada and settled in the farming communities of Ontario and the prairie provinces.
Three local speakers were able to share their family history and stories passed down from their ancestors. Herb Enns, Ken Enns and Ernie Neufeld each did a fantastic job of relaying stories of their families’ past to the 55-or-so people in attendance for the evening.
In their own way, each painted a picture of Mennonite life around the turn of the last century and their subsequent arrival in Leamington.
“This was a deep dive for me personally into our forefathers’ history and some of the difficult decisions they needed to make when considering emigrating to Canada and ultimately to the Leamington area,” said Konrad. “It helped me recognize how blessed we truly are and hearing from people that lived through it was a real eye opener for me.”
EKMHA will be building on this educational series format and launching several new events in the coming months.
“We are excited to host Aileen Friesen for an upcoming Historical Presentation evening in June,” added Konrad. Friesen is the Associate Professor, Author and Executive Director of the Plett Foundation at the University of Winnipeg.
This is the next step in EKMHA’s efforts to provide meaningful education-based events that assure the preservation and sharing of local Mennonite History and supporting stories.
The evening’s keynote speakers, from left, Ernie Neufeld, Herb Enns, Ken Enns.
SUN photo
Jim Konrad presents the history of the Mennonites.
SUN photo
