Jacob Yost Shantz

Jacob Yost Shantz (2 May 1822 – 28 October 1909) was a businessman from Ontario who helped Mennonites migrate from Russia to Southern Manitoba.[1]

Shantz was born and raised in Ebytown, Upper Canada. (The community subsequently became Berlin and, lastly, Kitchener, Ontario.) In 1872, Shantz accompanied Bernhard Warkentin, a southern Russian Mennonite, on an exploratory trip to Western Canada. He had been asked by the Canadian government to oversee this exploration. After his visit to Manitoba, Shantz sent a report of his findings to the government. Immigration officials liked the report and requested a more detailed account. The results of this request was a report called Narrative of a journey to Manitoba. When published and translated into various languages, this narrative became promotional literature for European immigration to Canada.[1]

A community in Manitoba, Schanzenfeld, was named in his honour.[2]

References
  1. "Biography – SHANTZ, JACOB YOST – Volume XIII (1901-1910) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  2. "Welcome to The Rural Municipality of Stanley, Manitoba". www.rmofstanley.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-03-26. Retrieved 2017-09-28.


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