Funk, Peter K. (1860-1924)

Peter K. Funk family. Preservings photo.

Peter K. “Berliner” Funk: pioneer farmer and postmaster, was born on 23 February 1860 in Schönfeld, Bergthal Colony, Russia, to Peter Funk (1833-1903) and Maria (Krahn) Funk (1835-1907). He was the fourth of ten children. The Funk family emigrated from Russia to Canada, landing in Quebec on 27 July 1874, before moving on to settled at Gnadenfeld, Manitoba. Peter was baptized in 1879 and on 10 October 1880, he married Helena Wiebe (1862-1921), daughter of Bernhard Wiebe (1821-1897) and Cornelia Wiebe (1823-1896) in Gnadenfeld, East Reserve. She was also an immigrant, having left Russia with her family in 1876.

For several years, the couple lived in Gnadenfeld before moving to Kronsgart in 1884. Two years later, Peter and Helena Funk moved to Schönsee and then to Grünthal in 1891 and back to Kronsgart in 1893.

An opportunity for land in Herbert, Saskatchewan area became available in 1903, and the Funk family prepared to move west. The family arrived in Saskatchewan on 23 June 1904. Peter was a very good carpenter, and he built his own house and farm buildings. He also made an addition to the house for a post office, which he called “Lobethal.” The community liked the name and decided to use it for the school district.

Peter and Helena Funk experienced many losses in Herbert. Besides the seven horses they lost to theft in 1905, a cold winter in 1906-1907 killed many of their cattle. Two years later, a prairie fire destroyed a large area of Saskatchewan. In addition, there were the normal difficulties of hauling supplies long distances on bumpy tracks, plowing with inadequate tools, and crossing deep rivers. In 1910, Peter and Helena sold their homestead, passed on the management of the post office to a member of the community, and moved to another farm northeast of Herbert. Only three years later, they sold this property and relocated to a plot of land near Gouldtown, Saskatchewan. Yet another move came in 1920 when Peter and Helena returned to Manitoba and settled in Morden.

Peter and Helena Funk had 17 children, eight of whom died in childhood. Helena died on 26 January 1921. On 5 February 1922, Peter Funk married widow Maria (Giesbrecht) Heinrichs (1865-1935). He died on 25 September 1924 and was buried in the Plum Coulee cemetery.

Bibliography

GRANDMA (The Genealogical Registry and Database of Mennonite Ancestry) Database, 5.03 ed. Fresno, CA: California Mennonite Historical Society, 2007: #185183.

Hamm, Al. “Peter K. Funk:  Itinerant Pioneer.” Preservings No. 12 (June 1998): 84-86.

Author(s)	Susan Huebert
Date Published	November 2007

Cite This Article

MLA style

Huebert, Susan. "Funk, Peter K. (1860-1924)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2007. Web. 22 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Funk,_Peter_K._(1860-1924)&oldid=94780.

APA style

Huebert, Susan. (November 2007). Funk, Peter K. (1860-1924). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Funk,_Peter_K._(1860-1924)&oldid=94780.

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