Heinrich H. Hamm

Heinrich H. Hamm fonds. -- 1900-1951, 1954, 1955, 1959, 1968, 1979. -- 8 cm of textual records and 512 photographs.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Heinrich H. Hamm (1877-1962) was born to Gerhard and Anna (Knelsen) Hamm in the village of Chortitza, Chortitza colony, South Russia. He attended school in the village of Rosenthal. In 1892 he immigrated to Canada with his parents and settled in the Winkler-Morden area and two years later relocated to the village of Neuanlage along the Post Road. Hamm attended the Mennonite Educational Institute in Gretna for training as a teacher around the year 1894. He taught school for one year in Neuanlage, two years at Hoffnungsort, three years in Edenthal, replaced teacher Benjamin Ewert for a year in Edenburg, and then taught for three years in Altona.

Heinrich Hamm was married to Anna Dueck in 1904 and then moved to Altona.

In 1913 Hamm became secretary-treasurer for the Rural Municipality of Rhineland and in 1919 he also became secretary for the village of Altona, a position which he held until 1935. Hamm continued to serve the Municipality until 1944 when he moved to Ottawa for a year. When he returned, he became the first mayor of Altona after it incorporated in 1946. Hamm retired from public life in 1949 and the following year he went on a trip to Europe and the Middle East. He died in 1962.

CUSTDODIAL HISTORY

The materials in this collection were deposited at various times between 1977 and 1991 and brought together by the archives staff. Some material came to the archives from Mrs. Neta Eamer, daughter of H.H. Hamm. In 1979 local historian and Red River Valley Echo contributor, Elizabeth (Isby) Bergen donated eleven photographs that were loaned to her by the Hamm family and given permission to deposit them in the archives. Another donation was made in 1988 consisting of a small folder of material.

SCOPE AND CONTENT:

The material in this collection can be divided into five series. 1) Genealogical material 2) Trips 3) Collection of writings 4) Finances 5) Photographs. The photographs can be further broken down into eighteen sub-series .

NOTES

Finding aid consists file inventory lists and photographs described under 18 sub-headings. Accession nos. 88-96; 91-112 or 91-113.

Location: Volume 3343; 4151; Photograph collections 166 and 360.

Related Material: Rural Municipality of Rhineland fonds