Historical note

Jacob Jacob Niebuhr (1874-1956) was born in the Mennonite colony of Chortitza, south Russia to Jacob G. Niebuhr (1847-1913) and Helena Siemens (1844-25). Jacob was the fourth child and eldest son in the family. His father Jacob G. Niebuhr was a successful industrialist who owned a farm machinery factory. In 1893 Jacob J. Niebuhr went to study engineering in Mittweide, Sachsen, Germany. In 1895 he married Helena Wiebe (1874-1946). Together they had 12 children of which 8 survived into adulthood. Jacob was put in charge of the factory while his parents and two younger brothers traveled to New York, South Russia to purchase another factory. Jacob managed the Olgafeld factory with 100 workers. In 1898 he moved with his young family to the stone house across from the factory buildings. By 1911 the Niebuhr factories were worth 1.5 million gold rubles. They won gold and silver medals at exhibitions after which an anniversary album was printed. This success was short-lived with the advent of WWI and the Russian Revolution. The factories were sold in 1916 at a fraction of their worth and Jacob was forced from his home. He moved to the near by village of Karlovka. Here a small house was built on land acquired by daughter Greta and son-in-law Abram Dick. They lived here until high taxes forced them out. In 1924 and in 1934 Jacob was imprisoned but released after Russian peasants testified to his integrity. More difficult years followed with food and fuel shortages, death and disappearance of family members. Jacob did whatever work could be found – digging graves, making brick ovens, or gardening for others. He, his wife, and four daughters with young children fled Russia in 1943. Helena became ill in Poland and died in Gronau, Germany in 1946. On August 14, 1947 Jacob boarded a ship bound for Canada to be reunited with his daughters in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. He lived in Niagara and Virgil, Ontario and finally at Bethesda Home in Vineland, Ontario in 1956.