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Historical Committee


Hist. Mss. 1-893
John E. Nunemaker (John Edward), 1927-
Papers, 1879-1996
2 Boxes (Gray) and 1 File (Oversize)

 

Administrative Information

The Sea-Going Cowboy materials were deposited at the Archives by John E. Nunemaker, Goshen, Indiana, in 1990. Additional items were added through to 1996. Collection cataloged and initial listing made by Dennis Stoesz, August 22, 1996.

 

Inventory Listing

Box 1 (Gray)

World War II, 1939-45

War Ration Stamps, 1944

Issued to Nunemaker by Office of Price Administration, US Government in 1944. Includes gas ration forms for Carl W. Nunemaker, father.

Mennonites in the military, WW II

List of names of Mennonite men from various congregations which served in the military during World War II. Compiled by John E. Nunemaker.

Trip to Gdansk, Poland, 1946, as a Sea-Going Cowboy

This "seagoing cowboy" service was organized by the Brethren Service, a relief arm of the Church of the Brethren, in conjunction with UNRAA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Act Agency). John E. Nunemaker left Newport News, Virginia, September 3, 1946, and was on a ship that transported 770 horses to Danzig, Poland. Nunemaker arrived home six weeks later, October 2, 1946.

Story of Nunemaker's Trip, 1946

Background information and story of trip to Danzig, Poland, September 3 - October 2, 1946, as written by John E. Nunemaker. Includes article in Mennonite Historical Bulletin, October 1991, as written by Maynard Miller. And explanation of archival materials collected from trip.

Diaries, August 28-Oct. 6, 1946

Diary 1: Names of 30 shipmates, and diary August 28-Sept. 22, 1946

Diary 2: August 28-October 6, 1946

Correspondence, etc., 1946-47

Includes assorted correspondence, clippings, memorabilia, etc. related to Nunemaker's trip. Includes story of sale of horse "Queen," on January 10, 1946, and meeting again on board ship; includes correspondence with Brethren Service; includes newspaper clipping, October 10, 1946; etc.

Ship's Crew List, 1946

Includes list of crew on the trip, plus a photograph of ship. Supplied by ship's supervisor, Tom B. Zollman.

Photographs, Trip to Poland, 1946

Includes 136 photographs, numbered and identified.

Photographs, Nunemaker & Shipmates

Includes United States Coast Guard "document" issued to John E. Nunemaker, plus photograph of shipmates.

Research and Reports, 1990-93

Further research by Nunemaker: includes obituary of crew member and friend, Arthur Penner, 1902-1986; and articles on other Sea-Going Cowboys; and information on Mennonites in Poland.

"Trip to Poland with BSR Heifers"

Written by Robert Ebey, 1993

Cowboy Reunion, Goshen, 1994

List of persons attending the June 18, 1994, Cowboy Reunion, held at Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds, Goshen, Indiana. Sponsored by Heifer Project International.

Cowboy Reunion, Maryland, 1994

Information on the 50th anniversary, 1944-1994, held at Baltimore and Windsor, Maryland, September 10-11, 1994. Includes 50th anniversary program, 1944-1994; the anniverary issue of World Ark (Fall 1994), published by Heifer Project International, P.O. Box 808, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203; and correspondence.

Cowboy Memories, Anniversary, 1994

Edited by Bill Beck and Mel West, and published by Heifer Project International. Book available from Mennonite Historical Library.

Scrapbook of Cowboy Memories, 1994

Compiled by W. M. Mizenko, 1994.

Video-Trip to Poland in 1946

Original film taken by Dr. Zuerker, Ohio, and transferred onto video with narration by Wilbur Layman in 1994.

Box 2 (Gray)

Artifacts from Poland Trip

Note that the artifacts of Nunemaker's 1946 trip to Poland are contained in the John E. Nunemaker Artifact Collection (Hist. Mss. 12-13). See separate inventory listing for this collection. It includes a ship in a bottle, two knives, money and several Nazi Swastika pins.

1996 reunion – Newspaper article


Research on Salem Mennonite Church, New Paris, Indiana; on Christophel's Meeting Place; and on Swiss-German and Frisian relations

Salem Mennonite history, 1947-48

Written by Marie Yoder, daughter of Bishop Ray Yoder.

Christophel-Blossers-Salem History

Taken from J. C. Wenger's The Yellow Creek Mennonites.

Obituaries of Mennonites, 1879-1937

These are of the Dutch Mennonites who settled at New Paris, Indiana. Include R. J. Smith, Elizabeth (Fishler) Link, Grietje Smith) Rystra, John Rystra, Fulkert A. Krull, Harry Krull

Hickerson, Val Don, 1992

Correspondence with Val Don Hickerson on the Klaas Henry Fisher, an 1853 immigrant to New Paris, Indiana.

Oil Painting, B. Rystra, 1880s

Explanation of oil painting by Bauke Wiebes Rystra (-1866). It was brought over from Holland to New Paris, Indiana, in 1853, and is currently owned by John Nunemaker.

Christophel, Paul, 1996

Background on the Christophel meeting place, and ongoing relationships between the Swiss and Frisian (Holland) groups, who jointly built and worshiped at the Salem Mennonite Church, 1889.

Research on Anna (Holdeman) Willard (1864- ), Frances E. Willard, and the International Friendship Gardens, Michigan City, Indiana

Willard, Anna (Holdeman), 1864-

Research on Anna (Holdeman) Willard who married Stanford Willard in 1888. Anna Holdeman grew up in the Holdeman Mennonite Church. They owned the Citizen's Bank in Wakarusa.

Also research on their daughter Frances E. Willard who married Clarence L. Stauffer, who developed the International Friendship Gardens, Michigan City, Indiana. And background information on the Holdeman family.


Phonograph Records, ca. 1930s

The phonograph records which came from the Willard-Stauffer Estate sale have been placed with Nunemaker's Phonograph Collection, Hist. Mss. 9-13.

International Friendship Gardens, IN

Photographs of these gardens as displayed at the 1933-34 Century of Progress Exposition at Chicago. Also brochures, ca. 1934, and newspaper article, 1992, on these gardens located in Michigan City, Indiana. Stauffer brothers were involved in these gardens. One large brochure, ca. 1934, found in Oversize File.

Photograph of Willard farm, 1900

Includes Francis E. Willard and Alice Metzler, and horse Nellie.

Photograph of Willard farm, 1914

Farm scene of Stanford Willard's farm, as taken from corn field.

Sketch of Mitchell School, 1885

Sketch was done by Anna Holdeman in 1885, and given to her boyfriend, Stanford Willard. Background information found in the folders as well, reprinted in 1993 by Wakarusa paper.

Olive Township Schools, 1887, 1890

Commencement program held at Wakarusa School Hall.

Dell School District #6, 1890

List of pupils for spring term, 1890, with Eli Good as teacher. School located in Harrison Township, Elkhart County

Memorabilia, ca. 1920s

Photograph of Presidents of the United States found in Oversize File.

 

Research on Old Order and Wisler Mennonites

Old Order and Wisler Mennonites

Includes write-up by Old Order Mennonite Bishop John W. Martin (1852-1940) of his family history, 1938, and his obituary. Also includes John E. Nunemaker's write-up of his 1993 interview with John S. Martin (1913- ) and Catherine (Martin) Martin (1914- ). And information on the history of the Wisler Mennonite Church, 1992.

Martin, Nellie (Culp), (1901-1968)

Includes several a "Weedbook, 1913" and Nellie C. Culp's grade 6 Music Book, Wakarusa, Indiana. Also includes Nunemaker's background information on her; she belonged to the Wisler Mennonite Church.

Old Order Mennonite Singing, 1994

An old order Mennonite family singing songs from the 1804 Unpartheyishes Gesangbuch. 1 cassette tape, produced by Harmonies Workshop, Leola, Pennsylvania, 1994.


General Research
Nunemaker / Wenger Chart, 1786-1961

Includes the ancestors of John E. and Doris (Wenger) Nunemaker, as written down in 1994.

Goshen College, 1945

Identification of persons attending Winter Bible School, 1945

 

1 File (Oversize) (Found with Oversize Materials)

International Friendship Gardens, Indiana, Brochure, ca. 1934

Identified with this file as found in Box 2, Folder 9.

Photograph of Presidents of the United States

Identified with the other memorabilia, found in Box 2, Folder 15.



February 9, 2004 / Posted on Web by Kathryn Yoder
October 7, 2003 / Updated by Helen Hostetler

File: "HM01-893.doc"

Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526

 

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