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

of the Molotschna and Ekaterinoslav Mennonites who have expressed a desire to settle on the banks of the Kuban River: Attention: Johann Claassen. Please be advised that His Imperial Majesty has ordered the commanders of the army to set aside a tract of land on the Kuban River for the Mennonites from the Molotschna and Ekaterinoslav, who, numbering 100 families, have expressed a desire to settle in the Caucasus. The tract of land is on the left bank of the river Kuban, downstream from the mouth of the Selentschuk River, in the amount of 65 dessiatines per family. The army commanders of the Kuban Province hereby order you, as deputy of the Mennonites, to let all prospective settlers in the group know that 6500 dessiatines of land has been set aside for them and that those who desire to settle in their new district may do so at once. Chief of Staff, Major-General, Sabuzky.” f) Claassen’s letter, April 19, 1866: “. . . On October 10 I received a letter from the General Staff to the effect that we have permission to graze our cattle on our land, etc. . . .” §175(2) g) Petition of the Brethren in the Molotschna to the Ministry of Crown Lands, December 30, 1863. a) It solicits the repeal of civil and ecclesiastical restrictions, especially the impediments placed in the way of marriages and migration to the Kuban. The appended Promemoria contains an explanation of all the important moves and oppressions of the M.B. Church since its organization with written documentation (including the Promemoria for submission to the Supervisory Commission on October 18, 1862) up to and including the Certificate of October 2, 1863, No. 2746 and the circular of December 7, 1863, No. 12652 (cf. #110 above). The petition is signed by the same 58 brethren whose names appear at the end of the following Promemoria. Original signatures on our copies, b) “Promemoria." (After quoting the Documentary Supplements 407 correspondence from Elder Harder dated November 12, 1862, cf. #108a above, it reads:) . . But the other elders demanded that their respective congregations consent to our exclusion from the colonial status, which they, however, did not do. 182 [Concerning Gnadenfeld, cf. #108c, the Kleine Gemeinde maintained a friendly neutrality, and Ohrloff was protective.] This act established our essential recognition as a separate Mennonite church; but we were deceived. For although the Area Administrative Office received the October 2, 1863, certificate #2746 from the Caucasus board on November 30, 1863, when Claassen reported on the results of his last journey to Stavropol and Tiflis, they made the following negative declarations against Claassen. They said they wished to expedite our resettlement and wanted to be helpful, so Claassen should hasten to submit a list of families wishing to resettle at the Kuban. Thus they gave the appearance of wishing us well and indicating that we had no reason to be distrustful. But 103 s