© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated Oct. 23, 2006)
This series consists of two groups of ledgers. The oldest group of ledgers is from the Bergthal colony Russia and were brought along with the Mennonites when they first began to settle in Canada in 1874. These ledgers were begun in 1843. The second group of ledgers were produced by the same church in Canada., where the church was named Die Mennonitische Gemeinde zu Chortitz, and hence known as the Chortitzer Church Registers. There are a total of 10 volumes – five pairs of two ledgers begun in 1843, 1874, 1878, 1887 and 1907. Each ledger was identified as a Litter (book or volume) A or B. ( Only in the Russian era was there a Litter "C" which was begun on the bottom half of the pages of Litter "B" and then continued in a separate ledger. This third ledger is not extant.) The books are patterned after those used in older Mennonite churches in Prussia and Russia. One page is devoted to each family. Opposite each parents' name is the page number of his or her parents' family. As each child married a page number was assigned to them and entered opposite their name. This method of cross referencing makes tracing parents and children relatively easy. The information recorded included birth, baptism, marriage and death dates.
Inventory file lists and surname indexes arranged alphabetically by male head of household and by female maiden name. A consolidated index for the entire collection of church registers has also been produced. The ledgers from the Russian period were published in 1993 by the Hanover Steinbach Historical Society under the title "Bergthal Gemeinde Buch".
Online version of the consolidated index to the Bergthal/Chortitzer Church registers (and other registers) are available at: http://www.mennonitegenealogy.com/canada/super/super.htm
Most names are written in a Latin script additional notes are written in Gothic German.
Some registers available on microfilm. The 1878, 1887 and 1907 registers published in pdf format and distributed on CD ROM under the title "Chortitzer Church Records 1878-c.1935" by Randy Kehler. The 1843 and 1874 registers are also available as multi-page tiff files.
none
Volume 2222
Church membership ledgers. (photocopies)Volume 4223
- Bergthal colony church registers, litter A. – 1843-1876.
- Index of Bergthal colony church registers. – [198-?].
- Index of Bergthal colony church registers. – [198-?].
- Bergthal colony church register, litter B. – 1843-1876.
- Bergthal colony church register litter A. – 1843-1876.
Church membership ledgers. (photocopies)Volume 4313
- 1878 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch (Volume A). – 1878.
- 1878 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch (Volume B). – 1878.
Church membership ledgers. (photocopies)Volume 4314
- 1878 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch (Volume A). – 1878.
- 1878 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch (Volume B). – 1878.
- Index to 1887 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch . – [199-?].
- 1887 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch (Volume A). – 1878.
- 1887 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch (Volume B). – 1887.
Church membership ledgers. (photocopies)Volume 4931
- Indexes: 1907 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch. – [199-?]
- 1907 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch (Volume A). – 1907.
- 1907 Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch (Volume B). – 1907.
Church membership ledgers. (photocopies)
- Bergthal Gemeinde (Manitoba) Register (Volume A). – 1874.
- Bergthal Gemeinde (Manitoba) Register (Volume B). – 1874.