Thiessen, Peter W. (1889-1965)
Peter W. Thiessen, minister, b. 28 March 1889 in Burwalde, Chortitza Colony, South Russia. He was the ninth of fourteen children of Wilhelm Franz Thiessen (6 March 1856 - 14 August 1915) and Sara (Willms) Thiessen (b. 1 April 1854). On 21 August 1911 he married Helena Thiessen (15 March 1892 - 24 March 1930), daughter of Dietrich D. Thiessen and Maria (Penner) Thiessen. They had four sons and one daughter (three other children died young). After the death of Helena, Peter married Margareta Friesen (14 August 1896, Neplujea, Russia - 7 November 1986, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada), daughter of Johann and Katharina (Neufeld) Friesen, on 15 June 1930. Peter passed away 5 May 1965 in Abbotsford.
Peter received an elementary school education in his home village. He was baptized on 18 May 1909 in Burwalde and joined the Mennonite Church. During World War I he served in the medical corps. In 1942 he was elected to the ministry by the Nieder-Chortitza Mennonite Church and served as a lay minister in the villages of the Chortitza Colony.
During the war the family fled Russia and eventually settled in Austria, where they lived for four years. During this time Peter planted a church for the displaced Mennonites. In 1947 he was ordained to the ministry by Elder Johann J. Wichert of Ontario who visited the new immigrants.
Peter and his family immigrated to Canada in 1948 and settled in Abbotsford, BC. He served as a lay minister in the West Abbotsford Mennonite and Eben-Ezer Mennonite congregations.
Bibliography
Der Bote. (1 June 1965): 7; (14 January 1987): 7.
Author(s) | Richard D Thiessen |
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Date Published | April 2005 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Thiessen, Richard D. "Thiessen, Peter W. (1889-1965)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2005. Web. 20 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Thiessen,_Peter_W._(1889-1965)&oldid=93719.
APA style
Thiessen, Richard D. (April 2005). Thiessen, Peter W. (1889-1965). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 20 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Thiessen,_Peter_W._(1889-1965)&oldid=93719.
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