Heinrich Dirks

Heinrich Dirks was my great grandfather's father-in-law after he had married Margarete Dirks. Heinrich Dirks was born and raised in the Mennonite colony in Southern Russia.  He was the first missionary to Sumatra, Indonesia. There is a book  written about him that is available at Amazon ("Daring the Impossible").

He married Aganeta Schroeder (1844-1911 and they had nine kids. (whew!!): 

Elizabeth (1870-1930), Heinrich (1872-1939), Evangeline (1873-1966), David (1874-1926), Maria or Mariechen (1877-1957), Margarete (who married my great grandfather, 1878-1964), Anna (1880-1925), Hans (1884-?), and Herman (1885-1938).

Evangeline, Maria and Margarete eventually emigrated to Canada.

Below are pictures of most of the children of Heinrich and Aganeta Dirks.