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

h of Russia.” [Thus far the presentation to the Area Administrative Office. The following is addressed directly to the Ministry.] . . . n) ‘‘And 4. We fear that the Area Administrative Office may seek to misrepresent the fact before the higher authorities that several brethren took their cattle to the Kuban in the fall of 1863, as though we were beginning to resettle without waiting for permission from the exalted Ministry. This was not the case, however, and was only a move to save the cattle after . . . two successive crop failures here. December 30, 1863. Liebenau Colony.” The copy of the petition before us bears 58 original signatures: "Ministers of the church Heinrich Huebert, Jakob Reimer, Bernhard Penner, Jakob Becker, Heinrich Neufeld, David Duerksen, Friedrich Strauss, Franz Klaassen, Isaak Koop, Abraham Wiens, Isaak Koop (son of the above), Peter Stobbe, Heinrich Flaming, Wilhelm Loewen, Andreas Voth, Dietrich Claassen, Jakob Kroeker, Johann Friesen, Gerhard Friesen, Franz Friesen, Hermann Peters, 187 Jakob Martens, Heinrich Boldt, Abraham Eidzen, Daniel Eidzen, Johann Martins, Cornelius Penner, Heinrich Penner, Abraham Penner, Franz Wall, Abraham Deleske, 188 Jakob Deleske, Jakob Devehr, Cornelius Wiens, Abraham Wiens, Bernhard Janzen, Abraham Neufeld, Heinrich Friesen, Wilhelm Giesbrecht, Cornelius Claassen, Peter Siemens, David Claassen, Cornelius Pauls, Franz Martens, Johann Claassen, Cornelius Reimer, Abraham Dyck, Johann Claassen, Benjamin Becker, Klaas Huebert, Jakob Giesbrecht, Peter Nickel, Dietrich Claassen, Johann Claassen, Peter Buhler, Cornelius Knelsen, Peter Dueck, Abraham Huebert” [for the result, cf. 4.b. below]. 4. The Kuban Settlement receives legal ratification. a) Jakob Reimer— diary 1884: . . had to go to the village offices on January 10 to find out where our families had been in the 10th census” [in order to compile a list of families for resettlement to the Kuban]. b) (Translation from the Russian.) "Ministry of Crown Lands, Department 2, Division 4. Desk 1. March 4, 1864. No. 5534. From the first department of Crown Lands, To the Mennonites of the Taurida Province, Berdiansk District, Molotschna Mennonite territory, Heinrich Huebert and company. In answer to your December 30, 1863, petition Documentary Supplements 411 and Promemoria to the Minister of Crown Lands requesting expedition of permission to resettle in a Caucasus state, you are herewith notified that permission for the desired resettlement is granted by the Honorable Minister, and he has duly informed His Highness the governor of the Caucasus states. On January 24 of this year, in Memo No. 1631, the Supervisory Commission for foreign settlers was asked to ascertain the following with precision and accuracy: a) which 100 Mennonite f amili es the Caucasus province had granted resettlement permission through the Caucasus governorship; and b) will the respective village [colony] churches not devis