Cornelius Driedger born 1921 in Tiege, Ukraine
My parents were Abram Nicholai Driedger born in Schönfeld in 1890 and Margaret Friesen born in Schönfeld in 1895. I was three years old when we came to Canada. We went to Newton Siding, west of Winnipeg, Manitoba where we had a 2,000 acre farm on which we grew grain and raised cattle. We lived in a school house with Uncle Jake Driedgers; our neighbours were Uncle Abram Dicks. We walked to school with Aggie and Katie Dick and in order to get there, we needed to cross a field with a scary bull in it. I went to that school for three years.
Then our family then moved to Glenlea, Manitoba for one year. Here we worshipped together with the Mennonite Brethren. Eventually we separated and Uncle John Friesen, Mom’s brother, became pastor in the Glenlea Church which we then attended.
Next we moved to Pelee Island, Ontario. I remember living on the East Side near Parsons and walking to the Middle Island School each day. This was my third and last school. My good friend was Toby (Albert) Rieger and one day I decided to walk home with Toby and stay for night at his house; but I didn’t tell my parents. After supper my dad came, took me home into our woodshed and gave me a strapping.
We stayed on the Island for a total of nine years and lived in seven places: firstly at the East Beach, then at Elmer Reh’s farm, after that on the Camill Rowan farm, then at Ed White’s. During the last three years we lived on one of the Cruikshank farms next to Jim McGinnis.
In 1938, we moved to Wheatley, Ontario on the townline, and farmed there for three years. Our next move took us into Wheatley, next to the creek and near where Rev. Janzen’s lived. Here we farmed for three years; Alex Fischer had rented the farm before us.
One Sunday morning I noticed a beautiful young girl coming into church; it was Anne Enns. We were married by Rev. N.N. Driedger on September 26, 1942 and first lived at Cecil Stobbs place on Highway #3 between Leamington and Wheatley. In those days it was very important to attend church on the morning after your wedding. I had a feeling that I should go out and check the car tires that morning, and sure enough, our friends had let the air out of all four tires! I got out the hand pump, worked quickly, and we got to church on time! Anne and I are still friends with those fellows today.
From January until July of 1943 I, along with seven or eight young men, went to Montreal River as Conscientious Objectors. From July until December of that same year, my CO work took me to a Blenheim farm.
My wife Anne stayed with my sisters Aggie and Margaret and worked at the Imperial Tobacco Company on Oak Street of Leamington. When my CO term was up, Anne and I moved to the Marshal Wigle farm for seven years. Here we grew seedlings for Heinz’s, asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes and early vegetables on the 30 acres. In 1965 we bought 25 acres on Highway 77 north of concession 6. Harvey Knox built a new house for us on the property.
In the early 1960s, church sermons and the children’s Sunday School classes were still held in the High German language. Gradually we offered English language Sunday School classes and the change from German to English sermons came about during that time, as well. Sunday morning church bulletins appeared first in German only, then in both languages. At that time, divorce was unheard of, yet it soon made news in our Mennonite congregations. John Neufeld of CMBC in Winnipeg said that divorce was a sin that could be forgiven if the couple could forgive each other. It was a big adjustment for us all and gradually the leadership and church members accepted it.
In 1970, John P. Driedger and I were ordained. In 1974, our son Bob died of cancer and Rev. J.C. Neufeld died that year, as well. As a result, I was called to the ministry at North Leamington United Mennonite Church on concession 6. Here I served as leading pastor for 16 years. I married 140 couples. Firstly, I had my office in our home where Marlene Regehr was the church secretary. In 1975, the office was moved into the church building.
We moved from Highway 77 to Pickwick Drive in 1994; our children Bill and Julie purchased the farm home. Shortly after our move into town, Peter Neufeld called to ask if I’d be willing to take the position of Chaplain in the Mennonite Home. This I did for 14 years and befriended many people in the process. In 2008, Paul Warkentin took over as the Home Chaplain. Today I spend several hours weekly at the Home along with Margaret Toews, Aggie Neufeld, and Nellie Tiessen. Maureen Myers works out the schedules for us.
Through the years, my wife Anne has been a loving and supportive spouse. Today we have four sons, four daughters-in-law, 10 grandchildren, three grand daughters-in-law, and two great grandsons.
