Historical Committee

Hist. Mss. 1-893
John E. Nunemaker (John Edward), 1927-
Papers, 1879-2007
6 Boxes (4 Gray, 2 Oversize)

Phonograph recordings, see Hist. Mss. 9-13
Artifacts, see Hist. Mss. 12-13


Series and Box Listing

    World War II, 1939-45                    Box 1 (Gray)

Seagoing Cowboy, Trip to Poland, 1946            Box 1 (Gray)

Collected items on Seagoing Cowboys            Box 1-3 (Gray)

    Research on Mennonites from Balk, Netherlands,         Box 3 (Gray),
        who settled in New Paris, Indiana, 1850s        Box 4 (Oversize)
                                    Box 5 (Gray)
   
    Research on Anna (Holdeman) Willard (1864- ),         Box 5 (Gray)
        Frances E. Willard, and the International Friendship     Box 6 (Oversize)
        Gardens, Michigan City, Indiana

    Research on Old Order and Wisler Mennonites        Box 5 (Gray)

    Research - General                        Box 5 (Gray)

Appendix: Log of Dr. Zuercher Film (1946)        Pages 10-11 (Inventory)


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.

    Additional items and research materials were deposited by Nunemaker into the archives in 2006-07.  (Accession # 7277, 2 Boxes Gray, June 15, 2007 / des).  Inventory updated June 15, 2007.

 
Inventory Listing

Box 1 (Gray)

1/0    Introduction to collection

World War II, 1939-45

1/1    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.

1/2    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.

Sea-going Cowboy - Trip to Gdansk, Poland, 1946
This "seagoing cowboy" service was organized by the Brethren Service, a relief arm of the Church of the Brethren, in conjunction with UNRRAA (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.

1/3    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.

1/4    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

1/5    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.

1/6    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.

1/7    Photographs, Trip to Poland, 1946.      Includes 136 photographs, numbered and identified.


Sea-going Cowboy - Trip to Gdansk, Poland, 1946 (Continued)

Box 1 (Gray) (Continued)

1/8    Photographs, Nunemaker & Shipmates.  Includes United States Coast Guard "document" issued to John E. Nunemaker, plus photograph of shipmates.

1/8a    Note: Artifacts from Poland Trip.  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.

Collected items on Seagoing Cowboys, including research, 1990-2007

1/9    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.

1/10    "Trip to Poland with BSR Heifers," written by Robert Ebey, 1993

1/11    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.

1/12    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.

1/13    Cowboy Memories, Anniversary, 1994.  Edited by Bill Beck and Mel West, and published by Heifer Project International.  Book available from Mennonite Historical Library.

1/14    Scrapbook of Cowboy Memories, 1994.  Compiled by W. M. Mizenko, 1994.

1/15    Dr. Zuercher's Video of Trip to Poland, February 1946 (VHS).  Taken from original film. Original film taken by Dr. Zuerker, Ohio, and transferred onto video with narration by Wilbur Layman in 1994.  Dr. Zuercher was a Mennonite veterinarian from Ohio, who was employed by UNRRA to be on board this ship of animals.  Layman was on the same voyage, but a volunteer. Log of Film is available as appendix to this Inventory.


Collected items on Seagoing Cowboys, including research, 1990-2007 (Continued)

Box 2 (Gray)

2/1    Don Reist Trip to Poland, 1946, and Ernest Klassen's Video of trip to Greece and Algiers, 1946 (VHS).  One video, from taken from two separate original films.  a) Don Reist, 8mm original movies, UNRRA trip, August 1946, taking horses from Newport News, Virginia to Danzig, Poland, on ship Mt Whitney, 25 minutes.  And b) Ernest Klassen UNRRA trip taking horses to Salnika, Greece, and Relief Supplies to Algiers, Africa, November-December 1946, ship was the Dudley Turn.  13 minutes.

2/2    Newspaper article on reunion of seagoing cowboys who took a July 1946 trip to Poland, on the S. S. Stephen R. Mallory - a trip led by Melvin Gingerich.  The Truth, August 25, 1996 - written by Dan Shenk.

2/3    Tom Zollman (1912-1999), ship mate of John E. Nunemaker.  File includes obituary, photo of Zollman and horse, letters and talks at funeral.

2/4    Nunemaker's personal letters to shipmates (1946 trip to Poland) and acquaintances.

2/5    Clippings and stories on Poland - Seagoing Cowboys and UNRRA

2/6    List of Books that list articles on Cowboys and UNRRA.  Books found in collection except for Donald F. Durnbaugh, editor, To Serve the Present Age, which tells Church of the Brethren stories of World War II and its aftermath

2/7    Where Once They Toiled: A Visit to the Former Mennonite Homelands in the Vistula River Valley, by Edward Reimer Brandt.  Book about the Danzig, Poland area.

2/8    The Swiss Mennonite Memorial Monument, by Harley J. Stucky - includes information on Stanley Regier of "Queen's Victory" 1946 ship.

2/9    A Homeland for Strangers: An Introduction to Mennonites in Poland and Prussia, by Peter J. Klassen

2/10    Passing on the Gift: The Story of Dan West [founder of Heifer Project], by Glee Yoder.




Collected items on Seagoing Cowboys, including research, 1990-2007 (Continued)

Box 2 (Gray) (Continued)

2/11    Programs that Nunemaker has given about his 1946 Seagoing trip to Poland.

2/12    Material from Heifer Project on cowboys

2/13    Published articles and letters written on seagoing cowboys

Box 3 (Gray)

3/1    Obituary of cowboys

3/2    Newspaper clippings, about seagoing cowboys who are connected to the Poland trips, or cowboys and persons who emigrated from Poland to USA.

3/3    Items on seagoing cowboys sent to Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, for documentation in Canada of this story.

3/4    Souvenirs from the 60th anniversary of Heifer International Midwest Regional Office, 1944 - June 26, 2004 [taking place in northern Indiana]:  includes pen, registration name tag, cowboy lapel pin, and cowboy tie [rope and label "Heifer International Cowboy].


Research on Mennonites from Balk, Netherlands, who settled in New Paris, Indiana, in the 1850s and helped found Salem Mennonite Church, New Paris, Indiana

3/5    Salem Mennonite history, 1947-48.      Written by Marie Yoder, daughter of Bishop Ray Yoder.

3/6    Christophel-Blossers-Salem History.  Taken from J. C. Wenger's The Yellow Creek Mennonites.

3/7    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

3/8    Hickerson, Val Don, 1992.  Correspondence with Val Don Hickerson on the Klaas Henry Fisher, an 1853 immigrant to New Paris, Indiana.



Research on Mennonites from Balk, Netherlands  (Continued)

Box 3 (Gray) (Continued)

3/9    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.

3/10    Documentation and book John and Siebrig Belt: The Immigrants (1994), including photocopy of "The Story of Siebrig, Magdaline and Martha, and the Men they loved," by Marceil Middlemiss.  File includes photograph of an 1855 chest of Betsie Elizabeth Belt (1853 immigrant).  File includes story of Peter Kaufman who edited the paper "Gospel Teacher."

3/11    Interview with Charles Symensma (notes), 1993, and June Alliman Yoder sermon at Holdeman Mennonite, 1993.

3/12    Letters and information to Val Don Henderson, Oregon, on descendants of Klaas H. and Hanna "Symensma" Fisher.

3/13    Photograph of persons from Balk, Netherlands, and their gravestones.

3/14    Information on Balk, Holland, Mennonites from Chuck Vanderveer, Syracuse, Indiana.

3/15    Information of owners / genealogy of Oil Painting on canvas by Bauke Wiebes Rystra (1796-1866)

Box 4 (Oversize) (Found on Row 49, C 4, S 1)

4/1    Oil Painting, by Bauke Wiebes Rystra (1796-1866).  Original.  It was brought over from Holland to New Paris, Indiana, in 1853.

Box 5 (Gray)

5/1    Photocopy of diary of Mrs. Ruurd Johannes Smid, 1850-1870, with highlighted important pages on the history of this Mennonite group.  [Original diary found in archives in the Smid Family - Mennonites from Balk, Netherlands, Collection, Hist. Mss. 1-86]

5/2    Letter to Charles R. Mueller, regarding 1885 Blanket chest of Betsy Elizabeth Belt.



Research on Mennonites from Balk, Netherlands  (Continued)

Box 5 (Gray) (Continued)

5/3    Correspondence and documentation from F. J. Swart, Netherlands, on diary of Obe Johannes Smid, 1824-1849. [Original diary found in archives in the Smid Family - Mennonites from Balk, Netherlands, Collection, Hist. Mss. 1-86]

5/4    Obituaries of persons, and their descendants, belonging to the emigration of Mennonites from Balk, Netherlands, to New Paris, Indiana, 1850s.

5/5    Articles on Krull families.

5/6    Printed information on "Salem Mennonite Church," and the Balk Holland Mennonite 1853 immigrants to Elkhart County, Indiana.


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

5/7    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.

5/8    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.

5/9    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, Box 6

5/10    Photograph of Willard farm, 1900.  Includes Francis E. Willard and Alice Metzler, and horse Nellie.




Box 5 (Gray) (Continued)

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

5/11    Photograph of Willard farm, 1914.  Farm scene of Stanford Willard's farm, as taken from corn field.

5/12    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.

5/13    Olive Township Schools, 1887, 1890.  Commencement program held at Wakarusa School Hall.

5/14    Dell School District #6, 1890.  List of pupils for spring term, 1890, with Eli Good as teacher.  School located in Harrison Township, Elkhart County

5/15    Memorabilia, ca. 1920s.   Includes drawing of Presidents of the United States (about 1903), found in Oversize File, Box 6.

Research on Old Order and Wisler Mennonites

5/16    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.

5/17    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.

5/18    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

5/19    Nunemaker / Wenger Chart, 1786-1961.  Includes the ancestors of John E. and Doris (Wenger) Nunemaker, as written down in 1994.


Box 5 (Gray) (Continued)

General Research (Continued)

5/20    Goshen College, 1945.  Identification of persons attending Winter Bible School, 1945.

5/21    Koppes Family Photograph (photocopy), circa 1860s, Indiana.  Koppes are related to Nunemaker family.

5/22    Brunk Revivals, 1953, Indiana.  Articles from Mennonite Weekly Review, February 2, 1995,on George R. Brunk and his 60-year ministry of tent revivals.  Includes letter from Brunk to Nunemaker, 1995, and documentation on photo of Brunk revival held on Amos Yountz Farm, Goshen, Indiana, in 1953.

Box 6 (Oversize) (Found in Oversize File, Row 30, C4, S 1)

6/1    International Friendship Gardens, Indiana, Brochure, ca. 1934.  Further information on this is found in Box 5,  File 9     "International Friendship Gardens, IN." 

6/2    Drawing of Presidents of the United States (about 1903).  Identified with the other memorabilia, found in Box 5, Folder 15.














June 15, 2007 / Updated inventory by Dennis Stoesz
October 7, 2003 / Updated by Helen Hostetler
File: "HM1-893 John E Nunemaker.doc"
Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526
 
Log of Dr. Zuercher Film 1946 (VHS), Trip to Poland
with Narration by Wilbur Layman, 1994

Box 1, File 15 "Trip to Poland in February 1946" Original film taken by Dr. Zuerker, Ohio, and transferred onto video (VHS) with narration by Wilbur Layman in 1994.  Dr. Zuercher was a Mennonite veterinarian from Ohio, who was employed by UNRRA (United Nations Relief Rehabilation Agency) to be on board this ship of animals.  Layman was on the same voyage, but a volunteer - a sea-going cowboy. 

"Log of Film" was provided by Johne E. Nunemaker, 22863 C.R. 40, Goshen, Indiana, 46526.  August 8, 1996.  Telephone: (574) 862-2827.

Portrayed on this 1 hour 15 minute video are Seagoing Cowboys recruited by the Church of the Brethren Service and the United Nation's Organization, UNRRA, (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency).  This trip shows seagoing cowboys on the Bucknell Victory Ship, February 1946, taking 778 horses from Newport News, VA to Danzig "Free State Germany" Poland.

16 mm Movie taken by Mennonite Veterinarian, Dr. Zuerker, of Ohio and the narrator is Wilbur Layman of Harrisonberg, VA. They were both on this trip under Brethern Service.

This movie was transferred to video by Wilbur Layman after the death of Dr. Zuerker with the Doctor's family permission, done in 1994.  (Trip was taken February 1946)

Why does John Nunemaker have this video in his collection (Nunemaker also took a seagoing cowboy trip, Sept. 1946 , from Newport News VA to Danzig, Poland, which took 770 horses.

Now with my snap shot photos and this video (yes, we both went via the same routes to Danzig), it will give future historians the better perspective (dual) of our Mennonite way of showing peace and love to our enemies.

What are the scenes on the video:

A.      Washington D.C. and Williamsburg, VA.

B.    Harvey Yoder Family and Modern Diary and Denbeigh-Oyster Point, VA Mennonites.

C.  New Windsor Maryland Brethren Service Headquarters.

D.  Loading supplies, hay, horses, medicine, on Bucknell Victory Ship.


Log of Dr. Zuercher Film (1946), Trip to Poland (Continued)

E.  Photo and Named Mennonite Cowboys in photo.

F.  Scenes of Living on board ship and dumping dead horses.

G.  Trip through Keil Canal - Germany.

H.  Entrance into Poland (Nowaport) to unload.

I.  Unloading horses - hay- branding UNRRA on horses.

J.  Bombed city of Danzig - ruins.

K.  German concentration Camp - 1,300 people killed/bombed.

L.  Polish Government Banquet to Cowboy.

M.  Polish farmer receive horse.

N.  Scenes from ruined Mennonite "Danzig" Church and artifacts collected.

O.  The photo of cowboys before embarking for home.

Note:   John Nunemaker, in his September 1946 Seagong Cowboy trip had Arthur Penner, (born Tiege, Poland) as co-worker.  On this trip Penner visited his two sisters, who were left there in Poland.   Arthur Penner knew and attended many of these Mennonite Churches in Vistula Valley, Danzig, Poland.












January 12, 2007 / Log typed into the computer by Nelda Nussbaum
File: "HM01-893 John E Nunemaker.doc"
Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526

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