On to Essex County
Part 2
In the autumn of 1924 a committee had already been formed consisting of new Ontario immigrants and the established Mennonites for the purpose of finding jobs for the immigrants. When rumours were heard about job opportunities in Essex County, about 180 miles south- west of Waterloo, delegates from the committee were sent out to inspect the area. Those sent in November of 1924 were Herman C.Enns, Jacob Barkowsky Sr., Noah Schneider and another person, whose name is no longer known. The delegates contacted a farmer, Edmund Wigle by name, who lived on Concession 3, near Kingsville and spent the night in his house. At this time there were no Mennonites living in Essex County, and even the name was unheard of here.
When the delegates returned to Waterloo, they commissioned in Nove1924, the immigrant family of Jacob W. Lohrenz to Essex County for the purpose of establishing a residence there and thus acting as liaison for additional families coming to make their home in Essex County. Mr. Lohrenz had previously gone from Russia to England to study as a missionary and so was familiar with the English lan- guage. (See photo)
Unfortunately he could not be sent to the mission field because of an eye impairment. Lohrenz and his family took up residence with the previously named Edmund Wigle, and found employment in a brick yard nearby. He was the first Mennonite in Essex County, and since he was already a missionary candidate and had preached in Russia, he was in excellent position to be the first minister to the Mennonites coming to Essex County. Mr. Lorenz, however, left after about one and a half years to ministerial take a position as minister in the U.S.A
