Jacob Warkentin 1906-1996

Jacob Warkentin's ancestors were Mennonites. They moved from Prussia in 1804 to settle in southern Russia. His grandfather emigrated to Canada in 1875.

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The WARKENTIN family were Mennonites. About the 16th century they moved to the Vistula delta, in Western Prussia, where Johann Warkentin was born in the village of Blumenort in 1760.  In 1804 while Napoleon's Armies were rampaging across Europe, Johann and his family started the long trek to their new home in the Ukraine.

Frederick William II of Prussia was demanding payment of heavy fines in lieu of military service and forced the Mennonites, who were pacifists, to pay tithes to the established Lutheran Church on earlier land purchases from Lutherans. The Mennonites were particularly attracted to Russia by the offer of freedom from military service. In 1789, 228 Mennonite families arrived at Chortitza, Ukraine on the Dneiper River. Many ancestors were part of this original group including the Friesen, Doerksen and Braun families. A few years later in 1803/1804 another group including Johann Warkentin and his family arrived to settle the Molotschna colony. Johann named his village after his birthplace, Blumenort.

The governments of Canada and the United States were encouraging immigration to newly opened lands in their Midwest. In 1874 Mennonites from three colonies Molotschna, Bergthal and Chortitza began an exodus from Russia to their new home in Manitoba, Canada.

On July 1, 1875, Jacob Warkentin, Johann's great grandson along his foster parents arrived in Canada. Thousands of other Mennonites migrated to North America and settled in Manitoba, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska. The migration saved thousands of families from the horrors of the Russian revolution and its aftermath forty two years later. 

The Name

Warkentin (Warkentine,Warckentien, Warckentyn, Workentyn)

Warkentin is a common Mennonite name of Prussian background which, as early as 1667, was found in Tiegenhagen, Ladekopp, Rosenort, Furstenwerder, Heubuden, Danzig, and Konigsberg. From Prussia the name spread to Russia and later to North America.

The first recorded history of our branch of the family is related to the emigration from Prussia to Southern Russia. Following are links to some of the people in our family or search below for your family.

• Johann's Journey - Prussia to Russia
• Johann's Story and Poem - The Traveller
• Prussia to Russia - emigration list
• Jacob Warkentin
• Ancestors of Jacob Warkentin - Pedigree Chart
• Abraham and Sarah Warkentin
• Aeltester Jacob Braun
• Deacon Jacob Braun
• Abraham Doerksen - the Patriarch
• Jacob and Helena (Doerksen) Warkentin
• Peter and Maria (Doerksen) Warkentin
• Reverend Heinrich Doerksen
• Bishop David Doerksen
• Bishop Abraham Doerksen
• Individual Index - complete family list
• Family Surname List
• Preachers and the Pirate - Home Page
• The Draper Page
• Preachers and the Devout

Mennonite Links

• Mennonite Encyclopedia
• Mennonite Historical Society of Canada
• Commemorating 125 Years in Canada - 1999
• Cyndi's Mennonite list

PEDIGREE CHARTS
Jacob Warkentin