Pathetically little has been written about the history of women and their role in society. This is also true for the Hanover Steinbach area settled in 1874 by Bergthaler (Chortitzer) and Kleine Gemeinde (KG) Mennonites from Russia and originally known as the East Reserve. Some of the best writing about local women is found in genealogies and family histories published in private editions and unavailable to a wider readership.

A new interest in women’s history is fuelled in part by the modern emphasis on social history …