Aganetha Eidse Giesbrecht, left, and daughter Aganetha Giesbrecht Penner, 1940. Preservings photo.

Aganetha Eidse Giesbrecht, Mennonite pioneer, was born on 3 July 1865 in the village of Fischau, Molotschna Colony, South Russia. She and a younger brother were the only surviving children of Cornelius E. Eidse (1840-1914) and Katharina Klassen (1855-1873). When Aganetha was eight years old her mother died on 24 December 1873. This happened just before the family emigrated from Russia to Canada in 1874. Two months later Helena D. Loewen (1855-1886) became her stepmother. After coming to Canada Aganetha lived in Rosenort, Manitoba with her grandparents David Klassen (1813-1900) and Aganetha S. Brandt (1816-1904). She was baptized into the membership of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. In 1885, Aganetha married a widower with seven children, Gerhard R. Giesbrecht (1846-1907). They had twelve children together of which six survived to adulthood. Aganetha never remarried after Gerhard died in 1907 but chose instead to run the farm and raise her children on her own. At the age of 94 Aganetha died on 15 June 1959.

Aganetha Eidse Giesbrecht was a self-reliant woman whose legacy of perseverance and determination will inspire generations to come.

Bibliography

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