© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated Oct. 26, 2006)

  • Matheson Island Nursing Station


    Retrieval numbers: Volume 964-966

    Title: Matheson Island Nursing Station fonds
    Dates: 1951-1961 , predominant 1954-1957
    Extent: 21 cm of textual records
    Repository: Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives

    Historical note

    Mennonite Pioneer Mission (MPM) was established by the Bergthaler Mennonite church of Manitoba in 1944 under the leadership of Bishop David Schultz and J.N. Hoeppner. John N. Braun was appointed as treasurer and purchaser. Originally MPM was established to do mission work in Mexico, but after a few years the doors to this project closed. They then turned their attention to working with the native peoples in northern Manitoba.
    Adequate access to health care was a continuous challenge for remote communities of northern Manitoba. From 1954 to 1956 Helen Willms of Coaldate, Alberta served as a public health nurse at Matheson Island under the auspices of Mennonite Pioneer Mission. She lived in the mission house with Jake and Trudie Unrau, but had a separate entrance for her dispensary, which was located in a downstairs room next to her bedroom. This became known as the Matheson Island Nursing Station. Regular visits to other communities in the area were part of the duties of the public health nurse. Mary Janzen of Springridge, Alberta replaced Miss Willms in 1956. When Miss Janzen left in 1957, the official public health nurse program at Matheson Island ended.
    Jessie Kehler, wife of the resident minister Larry Kehler, was also a nurse, but carried no official credentials with her for working on the Island. Nevertheless, she also performed nursing duties.

    Scope and content note

    The records in this collection contain correspondence with various governmental agencies regarding health concerns. Other files contain information regarding specific ailments such as tuberculosis, polio, nutrition, dental health, and immunization. There are also some personal medical records of the people who were treated at the station and a log of patients seen by the clinic.

    Index terms

    Creators

  • Matheson Island Nursing Station

    Adjunct descriptive data

    Finding aids

    Inventory file list available

    Related material in this repository

    Conference of Mennonites in Canada fond -- Native Ministries -- Mennonite Pioneer Mission; Jake Unrau fonds.

    Notes

    Custodial history

    This collection probably came to the MHC Archives from Mennonite Pioneer Mission workers who served at Matheson Island.

    Arrangement

    Described by Conrad Stoesz September 13, 1999. Reviewed and updated by Alf Redekopp, Oct. 2006.

    Restrictions on access

    Some restrictions apply

    Matheson Island Nursing Station fonds inventory file list


    Volume 964 [Restricted access]
    1. National Drugs Co. (1954-1960)
    2. Henry Collins - Pinedock (1954-1955)
    3. Alex Cumberland - Pinedock (empty)
    4. Richard Lea - Pinedock (1955)
    5. Henry Mowat - Pinedock (1954)
    6. Dale Porth - Pinedock (1954-1956)
    7. Wm. Stephanson - Pinedock (1954-1956)
    8. David Steven - Little Bullhead (1955)
    9. Alex Thomas - Pinedock (1955)
    10. Vessel Licences & Insurance Policy (1960)
    11. Daily Vacation Bible School (1961)
    12. Preventative Medical Services - Dr. Creighton (1955-1961)
    13. Pine Dock School - Student Records (1955-1956)
    14. Public Health - Department of Health Education (1954-1956)
    15. Department of Indian Affairs (1955-1960)
    16. Dr. Issac (1955-1957)
    17. Public Health Department (1955-1960)
    18. Dental Health (1956-1957)
    19. Communicable Diseases (1951-1956)
    20. Polio Nursing - Home Treatment
    21. Mission Groups and Individual Correspondence (1955-1956)
    22. Children’s Hospital - Patient Reports (1954-1955)
    23. Tuberculosis - Correspondence Reports (1952-1956)

    Volume 965 [Restricted access]
    1. Fisher & Burpe Ltd. (1956-1957)
    2. Home Nursing - Instructors Guide (1953)
    3. Mental Health (1954)
    4. Nutrition
    5. Canadian National Institutes for the Blind (1955-1956)
    6. Social Welfare - A.M. Bauman (1956)
    7. Peter Atkinson - Matheson Island (1954-1956)
    8. Caroline Everett - Matheson Island (1955-1957)
    9. Leonard Settee - Matheson Island (1954-1957)
    10. Harry Darcy - Matheson Island (1954-1957)
    11. Alex Lywok - Matheson Island (1955-1957)
    12. John McLennon - Matheson Island (1954-1957)
    13. Ben Monkman - Matheson Island (1955-1957)
    14. Thomas Monkman - Matheson Island (1954-1958)
    15. Tom Mowat - Matheson Island (1954-1957)
    16. Wallace Mowat - Pinedock (1955-1957)
    17. Percy Oigg - Matheson Island (1954)
    18. Isaac Orvis - Matheson Island (1954-1955)
    19. Joseph Ovis - Matheson Island
    20. Richard Orvis - Matheson Island (1955)
    21. Charles Settee - Matheson Island (1954-1957)
    22. Frank Settee - Matheson Island (1954)
    23. Gilbert Settee - Matheson Island (1954-1956)
    24. Sigurdur Sigrdson - Matheson Island (1954)
    25. Stanly Sutherland - Matheson Island (1954)
    26. Eddis Thomas - Matheson Island (1954)
    27. Donald Thomas - Matheson Island (1954-1957)
    28. Ralph Thomas - Matheson Island (1955-1957)
    29. Jacob Unrau - Matheson Island (1955)
    30. Elizabeth Whiteway - Matheson Island (1954-1955)
    31. William Whiteway - Matheson Island (1954-1955)
    32. Russell Whiteway - Matheson Island (1954-1956)
    33. Helen Traverse - Matheson Island (1955-1956)
    34. William Traverse - Matheson Island (1954)
    35. Billy Bennet - Rabbit Point (1954-1955)
    36. Daivd Daffy - Black Bear (1954-1955)
    37. Hourie Orter - Loon Straits (1954)
    38. Fred Daniels (1956)
    39. Jim Travers (empty)
    40. Matheson Island School - Grade 9-11 (1954-1955)
    41. Loon Straits School - Grades 7-11 (1954-1955)
    42. Loon Straits School - Grades 1-6 (1954-1955)

    Volume 966 [Restricted access]
    1. Records of Transients (1954-1955)
    2. Matheson Island School - Grads 1-5 (1954-1955)
    3. Roland Lea - Pinedock (1954-1955)
    4. Stanford Morrisean - Matheson Island (1954-1957)
    5. Stan Keeper (1955)
    6. Immunization Records (1946-1963)
    7. School Visits (1956-1957)
    8. Ledger - Drugs Sold (1959-1966)
    9. Record of Patients Seen (1954-1955)
    10. Record of Patients Seen (1957)
    11. Record of Patients Seen (1956)
    12. Record of Patients Seen (1955)
    13. Birth Records