From Exile in Russia Into Mission Work in India

dick.xml Inventory of the J. J. and Anna Dick Papers, 1914-1980Dick (J. J. and Anna) Papers Processed by Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Gabriela A. Montoya Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies

Fresno Pacific University 1717 S. Chestnut Avenue Fresno, California, 93702 Phone: (559) 453-2225 Fax: (559) 453-2124 Email: kennsrem@fresno.edu URL: http://sunthree.fresno.edu/affiliation/cmbs

Machine-readable finding aid derived from Wordperfect. Date of source: Unknown. Description is in English. March 23, 2004 PUBLIC "-//Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies (Fresno, Calif.)//TEXT (US::CFP-MB::M173::J. J. and Anna Dick Papers)//EN" "dick.sgm" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.cdl.xsl (2004-09-16). Inventory of the J. J. and Anna Dick Papers, 1914-1980 Record Group No.: M173 Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies Fresno Pacific University Fresno, California Contact Information: Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies Fresno Pacific University 1717 S. Chestnut Avenue Fresno, California, 93702 Phone: (559) 453-2225 Fax: (559) 453-2124 Email: kennsrem@fresno.edu URL: http://sunthree.fresno.edu/affiliation/cmbs Processed by: Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies staff Encoded by: Gabriela A. Montoya

Descriptive Summary J. J. and Anna Dick Papers, 1914-1980 M173 Dick, J. J. (Jacob J.), 1904-1980 Dick, Anna, 1905-1976 1.4 linear ft. Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies (Fresno, Calif.).

Fresno, California

English. Administrative Information Access

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], J. J. and Anna Dick Papers, M173, Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Fresno, Calif.

Biography

J. J. Dick was born 19 April 1904 in the village of Schönbrunn, in the Schönfeld colony of South Russia. In 1919 he moved to Alexanderkrone, Molotschna, where he married Anna Baerg in 1925. Anna, a native of Alexanderkrone, was born 18 September 1905. Little information is available about Anna's life before her marriage.

J. J. Dick received his education in Russian public schools, 1910-1916, and later at the Schönfeld Zentralschule, 1917-1919. He was appointed as the Assistant to the Overseer of the Bethania Mental Hospital at Alt-Kronsweide, Chortitza, in 1923, a position he held until 1925. In 1926, Dick became the minister of the Mennonite Brethren congregation at Lichtfelde, Molotschna, where he served until 1929.

The Soviet government sent J. J. Dick into forced labor from 1930 to 1931. Following his release, the Dick family fled eastward and escaped into Chinese Turkestan in 1932. They then traveled 1600 miles on foot and horseback over the Himalaya mountains, reaching India in 1933. The Dicks chose to remain in India, where they joined the Mennonite Brethren mission work in 1934. The story of their journey and subsequent mission work is told in the book, From Exile in Russia Into Mission Work in India (1940; 2nd edition, 1958).

The Dicks traveled to Canada in 1939, where they received Canadian citizenship. During this same trip J. J. Dick was ordained as a Mennonite Brethren minister at the Coaldale (Alta.) Mennonite Brethren Church in 1940. Their mission work in India continued until 1957, at which time they relocated to Clearbrook, British Columbia. J. J. Dick continued his ministry there as the chaplain of the Vancouver Central City Mission. He made lengthy visits back to India in 1974 and again in 1977-1978, shortly after Anna's death in 1976. J. J. Dick died in 1980.

Scope and Content

This record group includes correspondence, 1922-1980; undated sermon notes; a Russian notebook, ca. 1914-1915; diaries, 1934-1935 and 1977-1978; undated manuscripts of the book From Exile in Russia Into Mission Work in India; clippings and other miscellaneous documents.

Languages Appearing in the Collection

Some material is in German, Russian or Chinese.

Detailed Description of the Collection Box 1 Correspondence, 1922-1976 Box 2 Correspondence, 1977-1980 and undated Sermons Box 3 Sermons Russian notebook, ca. 1914-1915 Diary, 1934-1935 Box 4 Diary from trip to India, 1977-1978 Manuscript, "Unsere Reise aus Russland . . ." Manuscript, "From Exile in Russia . . ." Clippings of published articles, 1935-1977 Russian documents, 1925-1932 Miscellaneous items Box 5 Miscellaneous oversize items