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Huebert, Abram A. (1884–1965)

Proper Title

Abram A. Huebert fonds

Dates of Creation

1909–2020

Physical Description

107 cm of textual material, and 3 photographs

Biographical Sketch

Abram A. Huebert (GRANDMA ID: 683007), the son of Abraham and Anna Esau Huebert, was born on April 23, 1884, in Friedensruh, South Russia, where his father operated a blacksmith shop and farm. Abram Huebert attended the village school and took two years of training at the Gnadenfeld Zentralschule. He had an appreciation for music and poetry, and enjoyed writing his own poems.

He married Anna Bergen on June 6, 1907, and in the following years they had one son and five daughters. Abram Huebert was converted in 1923, during a period of revival in his community, and ordained to the Gospel ministry in 1927. He enjoyed visiting neighbouring Russian villages, accompanied by a choir, which he conducted, to share the Gospel in word and song with villagers.

The Huebert family immigrated to Canada, via Germany, in 1930, settling in Leamington, Ontario. Abram Huebert continued to travel and preach in various Russian and Ukrainian communities in Canada and the United States.

He died on September 2, 1965, in Leamington, Ontario.

Note: Sometimes his first name also appears written as Abraham.

Custodial History

Initial deposition of Abram Huebert’s papers was made in March 1988 by his daughter, Anna (Huebert) Tiessen, whose writings are also included in the fonds. Additions to the fonds arrived in May 1994, via James Pankratz, grandson of Huebert. James is the son of Abram and Anna's daughter, Margaret Pankratz. In 2020, James Pankratz organized the remaining Huebert papers and donated them to CMBS.

Scope and Content

The Abram A. Huebert fonds consists of correspondence, diaries, notebooks, hymnals, photographs, poetry, and Huebert's Russian and German sermon notes. Most of these poems and sermon notes are on very small pieces of paper, closely written, on both sides. Some of these notes have been transliterated by his daughter, Anna Tiessen. The fonds also includes material (passport, genealogical, and travel documents) related to the family's immigration to and resettlement in Canada.

Notes

  • Title based on contents of fonds.
  • Volumes 973, 1510–1512.
  • Accession Numbers: 1988–10, 1994–25, and 2020-07.
  • Finding aid consists of a description and a file/folder list.
  • File description and file list updated by Jon Isaak, February 2020.
  • See MAID online photo collection (NP116-01) at https://archives.mhsc.ca/index.php/abraham-huebert-photograph-collection
  • No restrictions to access.
  • Language: German, Russian, and English.

File List

Volume 973

  1. Russian sermons. -- Undated.
    Russian song-book. -- 1957.
  2. Russian poetry written by Huebert. -- 1930–1947.
  3. German sermons (in Gothic script). -- 1929–1958.
  4. 3 photographs, 2 postcards by Huebert to his daughter Marie. -- 1951–1953.
  5. Correspondence regarding ordination and birth date verification. -- 1936, 1953.
  6. German sermon notes, many transliterated by Huebert’s daughter. -- 1953–1958.
    Russian correspondence Sunday School material, not created by Huebert. These papers are in a leather case that belonged to Huebert. -- 1949–1950.
  7. Accession 1994–25
    • 7:1 A photocopy of a personal identification certificate issued in Hamerstein, Germany dated 1 March 1930.
    • 7:2 A copy of a letter written to Rudy Bartel about Doukabours, dated 18 April 1952. Huebert’s daughter Anna copied this letter written by her father, Abram A. Huebert.
    • NP116–1 Abram A. Huebert Photograph Collection
    • NP116–1–1 Photograph of Abram A. Huebert. 2.5 x 2.5 cm. -- Undated.
    • NP116–1–2 Photograph of Abram A. Huebert on a tour in Western Canada, preaching among Russian, Ukranian, Doukhobor, and German people. 7 x 11 cm. -- After 1930.
    • NP116–1–3 Photograph of Abram A. Huebert behind the pulpit at the dedication of the Russian Baptist Church in Buffalo. 8.5 x 8.5 cm. -- After 1930.

Volume 1510

  1. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in Russia and North America. -- 1930–1931. [Note: In the early years, most of the correspondence was from Russia and from other friends who had emigrated from Russia. Gradually, in subsequent years, the correspondence with Mennonite Brethren leaders in Canada increased as Huebert became involved in local and regional ministry and in a more wide-ranging ministry among Russian immigrants in Canada and the U.S.A.]
  2. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in Russia and North America. -- 1932–1933.
  3. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in Russia and North America. -- 1934–1935.
  4. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in Russia and North America. -- 1936–1937.
  5. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in Russia and North America. -- 1938–1939.

Volume 1511

  1. Notebooks with Huebert's financial accounts, schedule, and notes. -- 1930–1939.
  2. Two journal-diaries written by Abram and Anna's daughter, Anna (Huebert) Tiessen. -- 1930, 1937–1939.
  3. Handwritten songbook with choral leader’s notations; index on the last pages; 1926–1930, 1938.
  4. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1940–1941.
  5. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1942–1943.
  6. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1944–1945.
  7. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1946.
  8. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1947.
  9. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1948–1949.
  10. Correspondence to and from Abram A. Huebert, Jr., Abram and Anna's son. -- 1948–1958.
  11. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1950–1951.
  12. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1952–1953.
  13. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1954–1955.
  14. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1956–1957.

Volume 1512

  1. Correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1958–1959.
  2. Das Neue Testament (Berlin, Britische und Ausländische Bibelgesellchaft, 1920). Inside the cover is a stamp Zum Weihnachtsfeste 1929 vom Missionsbund, Licht im Osten. Every member of the family received one that Christmas celebration in the German refugee camp in transit to Canada; Notebooks with Huebert's financial accounts, schedule, and notes. -- 1930, 1940–1959.
  3. Sermons in German and Russian with notes indicating where and when preached; Huebert's financial accounts, schedule, and notes (1949–1963); Collection of Huebert's books and pamphlets: Christliche Gemeinde Kalendar, 1930; Vom Leben und Glauben der Mennoniten in Nordamerika; Der Alpenhirt, Regensberg, 1871; Das Büchlein von der Nachfolge Christi. Vier Bücher verfasst von Thomas von Kempis, Leipzig, 1832. -- 1930–1963.
  4. Russian Hymns. Two copies. Huebert compiled these 22 hymns and distributed them when he preached in Russian churches; correspondence to Huebert from ministry colleagues in North America. -- 1930–1965.
  5. Correspondence from Huebert to his family as he traveled in Canada and the U.S.A. -- 1940–1955.
  6. Correspondence to Luise Huebert (1930–1935) from Russia or recent immigrants; correspondence from Abram, Jr., to his friend Neil Boschman during 1930s and 40s. -- 1930–1948.
  7. Correspondence regarding donations to charities. Many letters from “Licht im Osten,” the charity that helped them in the German refugee camp (1929–1930). -- 1930–1936.
  8. German poetry collected by Luise (Huebert) Buller. -- 1930.
  9. German poetry by Abram Huebert (1909–1921) transcribed with index and English introduction by daughter Anna (Huebert) Tiessen in a bound volume in 1986; additional poems written by Huebert (1931–1937) and collected by daughter Anna, some published in church newspapers. -- 1909–1921, 1931–1937, 1986.
  10. Collection of documents related to Abram and Anna Huebert and their family up to the time of their emigration from Russia. -- 1923–1930, 2019.
    • English translation of “Excerpts from the diary of Abram Huebert” – 37 typed pages. Transcribed from Gothic script to Roman script by his daughter Anna Tiessen and translated into English by Otto Tiessen, Anna’s eldest son.
    • Copies of articles and pictures about the youth group and choir in Friedensruh in 1926 from the Rundshau in 1955 and 1957, celebrating the 100-year celebration of the community in which Huebert and his family lived in Russia-Ukraine.
    • Huebert’s account of the beginning of his Russian ministry through choral music.
    • Several hand drawn layouts of Friedensruh 1924–1929 with streets and names of families on each property with notes by Anna (Huebert) Tiessen.
    • Lists of people who emigrated from Friedensruh to Brazil, Paraguay, and Canada.
    • List of students in the Taubstumensschule (“Deaf and Dumb School”) in 1928.
    • Diagram of layout of Alexanderwohl village 1874 taken from an English book.
    • Photo of the Chortitza oak.
    • German text of a song sung in Alexanderkrone Zentral Schule 1923.
    • Huebert’s ordination in 1927.
    • Three letters dated 1923.
    • Notebook labelled 1925 but written 1917. Account booklet 1929. Notebook and calendar 1926–1929.
    • Autograph book dated 1925 with notes from friends.
    • Russian ID and other papers.
    • Photo of Huebert family in Hammerstein refugee camp (Germany) and daughter Anna’s story of the celebration of Christmas.
    • Abram, Jr’s, letter on February 5, 1930, to neighbours in Friedensruh describing their experience in Lager Hammerstein (copied by his sister Luise).
    • Correspondence to Huebert in the refugee camp.
    • Identity and Police documents about Huebert family in refugee camp.
    • Handwritten list of hand luggage and baggage for the trip to Canada.
    • Medical certificates for trip to Canada and Canadian health stamp.
    • Documents related to Huebert family travel to Canada from “Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865–1935” accessed through “Ancestry” at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 2019.
  11. Collection of documents related to Abram and Anna Huebert and their family from their time in the German refugee camp through to their resettlement in Canada. -- 1930–1965, [198-], 1994, 2001.
    • Abram Huebert, Jr., notebook, 1930.
    • Luise Huebert journal, 1930–1932.
    • “Familien Chronik” compiled by son Abram Huebert, Jr., in 1938 when he was 29 years old. It is the genealogy of Abram and Anna Huebert and family. Parts of it were updated by Abram, Jr’s, sister Anna Tiessen in the 1980s.
    • Booklet with Huebert’s notes about his correspondence 1930–1935, his income 1930–1932, and some quotes from poems.
    • Huebert’s Canadian naturalization (1936), Employment Insurance (1949), the spelling of “Huebert” (1953). Passport issued in 1941, 1943, and 1946.
    • Correspondence March 1950 to Huebert from his family while he was hospitalized in Winnipeg and later when staying with his daughter and her family (Pankratz).
    • Huebert’s reports on his Russian ministry to the Ontario MB Conference 1951, 1955.
    • Photocopies of photos of Abram, Anna, and several of family. Anniversary card to his wife.
    • Photos of Huebert while traveling on Russian ministry (see NP116 for copies).
    • Two family “trees.” One from the 1980s and the other is dated January 26, 1994.
    • Abram Huebert’s funeral service (Sept. 5, 1965). Russian obituary. Anna Huebert’s funeral service (Dec. 8, 1975).
    • Correspondence from relatives now in Germany to Huebert family, 1970s–2001, including an account of what happened to people from Friedensruh in later years.
  12. Itemized content list of Huebert family materials organized and donated by grandson, James Pankratz (Accession number 2020-07). -- 2020.
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