View source for Stoesz, David M. (1870-1934)

David M. Stoesz: minister; born 16 August 1870 in [[Bergthal Mennonite Settlement (Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Bergthal Colony]], South [[Russia|Russia]]. He was the third of seven children of [[Stoesz, David (1842-1903)|David Stoesz]] (5 October 1842-16 January 1903) and Maria (Wiebe) Stoesz (18 December 1842-13 August 1912). David married Agatha Kehler (4 November 1870-7 January 1952) on 30 December 1890. Agatha was the daughter of Jacob Kehler (14 September 1846-25 February 1929) and Katharina (Penner) Kehler (3 April 1848-25 February 1892). David and Agatha had three children with one living to adulthood, David. David died 30 May 1934.

David came to [[Canada|Canada]] as a young child with his parents in 1874 and settled in the village of Bergthal on the [[East Reserve (Manitoba, Canada)|East Reserve]]. In 1891 David and Agatha moved to the Mennonite [[West Reserve (Manitoba, Canada)|West Reserve]] where land was better suited for farming, and bought eighty acres of land in the village of Gnadenfeld. Stoesz was elected as a minister in the [[Sommerfeld Mennonites|Sommerfeld Mennonite]] Church in 1912. In 1922 he immigrated to [[Mexico|Mexico]] with portions of the Sommerfeld Mennonite church and founded the Santa Clara Colony. Dissatisfied with life in Mexico, he and his family returned to Canada within a year and settled in the village of Kronsthal, MB.
= Bibliography =
David Stoesz family papers at [http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/ Mennonite Heritage Centre (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada).]
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=December 2005|a1_last=Stoesz|a1_first=Conrad|a2_last=Brown|a2_first=Sharon H. H.}}

[[Category:Person]]