Jacob C. Toews 1882-1968

In 1900 my oldest sister got married to Heinrich Martens. In the spring of 1909 I married Anna Reimer. My parents-in-law had once lived at Ebenfeld, but later sold their property and moved to the Crimean Island. Six years later they sold their property there and moved to Artatasch. Ten miles from our ranch they bought 600 desjatines of land, where they built a new ranch. In May 1909 Anna Reimer and I moved into one of the minor buildings at Artatasch.

Later the whole area received telephone services, and our line was connected to it.

I.n the years 1908-1909 a private telephone line was built that connected all the area ranches with the railroad stations at Rekowo and Sokologornoje. This line was started by my father and myself and later finished by us also. We encountered a lot of difficulty from the government, as well as from many local farmers who wanted no part in this project, but whose land we had to cross. They were unwilling to give us permission to set the poles on their properties. These were Mennonites - who acted according to the true Mennonite tradition - what I don't need, you don't need to have either. We had to pay them in order to get their permission. Five years

             Submitted by Walter Koop