22. (D4)Dietrich and Elizabeth Friesen and Family in Omsk

          The history I have for the move to Omsk has two different records.  Peter D. Friesen's handwriting has their move taking place in 1904, but Maria, his sister, has it happening in 1906.  She writes "In my 13th year, 1906, my parents with their 9 children moved to Lagunaka, Siberia."  Lagunaka is east of Omsk along the railroad line.  
             The Mennonite were given virgin land within 100 miles on each side of Omks along the railroad line. In 1896 there was a government decree which allowed the people to select settlement lands and hold the parcels for two years before taking permanent residence of the land.  Each prospective Siberian family was allotted 37 acres (15 dessiatines).
             It is possible that Dietrich and the older boys went first to build their farmstead and the family followed later.  In 1906 Dietrich was 46 and Elizabeth was 44 and their children ranged in age from 4 to 20.  One cannot imagine what it must have taken for the family to make the decision to move such a great distance with such a large brood. 

            Dietrich and the three oldest boys, Dietrich Jr. age 20, Peter age 17, and George age 15 set up their farm with a large herd of milking cows.  They shipped dairy products to the city of Omsk.  Dietrich was also needed to minister to the Mennonite Brethren settlers in Siberia, and he led the house church meetings in several villages.
           Maria writes "We had 12 hard and lonely years in Luganaka, although there were also some good times."  The weather was much colder than they were accustomed to in southern Ukraine.

 

(E2)Peter Dietrich at age 23

The back of this picture says "Peter as a Student in Omsk" 

            Winters were very cold and unfortunately our ancestor Peter was lost in a snow storm and his fingers were frozen so he could no longer milk cows or grasp tools.  The doctor wanted to amputate Peter's fingers, but his mother "cured them with lard."  So he went to college in Omsk to study accounting and business.  He then worked for a company in Omsk that sold farm machinery, possibly at the store belonging to Peter J. Wiens.        

             In Omsk Peter roomed with Aron Wiens, who also studied accounting.  It is unknown if Peter J. Wiens was a relative of Aron Wiens. The Wiens family and the Friesen family may have lived in the same village near Omsk.  In any case, the two families spent time together and soon Peter Friesen and Anna Wiens were a couple.