View source for Klaassen, Michael (1860-1934)

[[File:KlaassenM.JPG|300px|thumb|right|''From "Jubilaeum-Album der Konferenz 

der Mennoniten in Canada 1902-1952"'']]     Michael Klaassen: General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM) minister; born 26 August 1860 (N.S. date = 8 September 1860) in [[Köppental (Am Trakt Settlement, Samara Oblast, Russia)|Köppental]], [[Am Trakt Mennonite Settlement (Samara Oblast, Russia)|Am Trakt Mennonite Settlement]], [[Russia|Russia]], the son of [[Klaassen, Martin (1820-1881)|Martin Klaassen]] (27 April 1820 - 24 November 1881) and Maria (Hamm) Klaassen (21 October 1829 - 12 March 1904). Michael married Margaretha Jantzen (2 January 1865, [[Hahnsau (Am Trakt Mennonite Settlement, Samara Oblast, Russia)|Hahnsau]], [[Am Trakt Mennonite Settlement (Samara Oblast, Russia)|Am Trakt]], Russia - 29 January 1910, Oklahoma, USA) on 10 January 1884. She was the daughter of Jacob Jantzen (23 February 1826 - 18 November 1882) and Renate (Dyck) Jantzen (14 September 1823 - 15 April 1888). Michael and Margaretha had eight children, of which six lived to adulthood: Helena, Johannes, Margaretha, Agatha, Anna, and Maria. After his first wife's death, Michael married Katharina Dalke (2 February 1884, Hillsboro, Kansas, USA - 15 May 1959, Winkler, Manitoba, Canada) on 30 March 1911 in Bessie, Oklahoma. Katharina was the daughter of Cornelius Dalke (15 August 1857 - 26 November 1925) and Katharina (Schroeder) Dalke (28 December 1852 - 1 June 1935). Michael and Katharina had eight children, of which six lived to adulthood: Albert, Edmund, Herman, Martha, Esther, and Karl. Michael died on 18 October 1934 in [[Morden (Manitoba, Canada)|Morden]].

Michael received his [[Secondary Education|secondary education]] under Jacob Penner, was baptized by David Hamm in 1877, and followed his parents to Central Asia with [[Epp, Claas (1838-1913)|Claas Epp]] in 1880 where he married Margaretha Jantzen. In 1885 Michael Klaassen and his wife came to [[North America|North America]], spending the first years in [[Beatrice (Nebraska, USA)|Beatrice]], Nebraska. In 1894 they moved to Bessie, Oklahoma, where he was elected minister of the [[Sichar Mennonite Church (Cordell, Oklahoma, USA) |Sichar Mennonite (GCM) Church]] in 1896. In 1901 he was elected elder of the Herold Mennonite Church, which had been organized in 1899. For 17 years he taught German and Bible in the elementary school there. He was active as an itinerant minister in Oklahoma. Because of the hardships during World War I he, with a number of his church members, went to [[Morden (Manitoba, Canada)|Morden]], Manitoba in 1918, and organized another [[Herold Mennonite Church (Morden, Manitoba, Canada)|Herold Mennonite Church]] there.
= Bibliography =
GRANDMA (The <strong>G</strong>enealogical <strong>R</strong>egistry <strong>an</strong>d <strong>D</strong>atabase of <strong>M</strong>ennonite <strong>A</strong>ncestry) Database, 5.00 ed. Fresno, CA: California Mennonite Historical Society, 2006.

Rempel, J. G. <em>Fünfzig Jahre Konferenzbestrebungen, 1902-1952</em>, 2 vols. Steinbach, Manitoba: Derksen Printers, 1952: I, 128.
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