THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA (1789 - 1910), P. M. Friesen, 1911

Connection with the Kuban Settlement. a) Johann Claassen, in a letter dated April 19, 1866: . . In May, 1863, 1 travelled with Abraham Unger to Stavropol, but was not able to accomplish anything because no written information had been received as yet. In June I travelled with Peter Berg to Stavropol and Tiflis .... On Tuesday [June 25] we arrived at Tiflis. . . .” b) Benjamin Becker in a letter to Claassen and Peter Berg, received in Stavropol: “Liebenau, June 18, 1863. [At the request of Jakob and Cornelius Reimer he suggests that if the land purchase in the Kuban does not work out satisfactorily, he should arrange to rent land.] Dear brother, do remain in good spirits and do not become discouraged on that account as you work for the Lord and the brethren, for your reward in heaven will be great. We can never repay you for the good you are doing on our behalf .... Here, dear brother, we want to show compassion to your wife and children and make every effort, as best we can, to see that they will be well looked after while all this trouble is still with us. . . . Benjamin Becker.” c) Johann Claassen, April 19, 1866: “. . . On July 12, 1863, our written petition was presented to the Grand-Duke, his Imperial Highness Michael Nikolaievitsch, and granted by him. General H. von Karzov congratulated us . . . that our request had been granted, and that each family was to receive 65 dessiatines of land. . . . On July 18 we left Tiflis and arrived in Stavropol on Saturday, July 27 ... . Berg left on July 29 ... it was my lot to wait again .... On August 15 I presented our plan [of settlement] to the count .... On the 19th I received the Certificate No. 2266 .... On August 20 I left Stavropol and arrived back home in the Molotschna on the 28th . . . .” d) "Certificate. [Translation from the Russian.] That the Ekaterino- slav and Molotschna Mennonites, who expressed the desire to settle on the left bank of the Kuban opposite the Staniza Nevinomysk, have really §175 406 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH been alloted appropriate parcels of land by His Imperial Majesty the governor of Caucasus, I attest with my signature and imprint of the imperial seal. No. 2266, Stavropol, August 19, 1863. Chief of Staff of the Kuban army, Major General Sabuzky.” (Seal.) e) Letter of Johann Claassen, April 19, 1866: ", . . On September 23 [1863] I again travelled ... to Stavropol and arrived there on October 8. I had been sent, firstly, to arrange for some sort of accommodation for the cattle [which other brethren were driving there]; and, secondly, . . . to gain confirmation of the precise borders of our land. I made a request to the Grand-Duke. In Stavropol I received a copy of the Certificate No. 2746 that had been mailed to the Molotschna Colony . . . .” (Translation of the Russian original): “Army Headquarters, Province of Kuban, General Staff, 2nd Division, October 2, 1863. No. 2746. Stavropol. To the delegates