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.