Johann I. Wiens was born August 18, 1851 to Johan Wiens and Katharina Unger. He married Helena Suderman Oct. 21, 1873. She was born Sept. 8, 1856 to Abraham Suderman and Helen Penner.

The young couple came to Canada from the Bergthal Colony in Russia on the S.S. Nova Scotian. Their ship arried in Quebec City on July 27,1874.

They then belonged to the Manitoba Chortitzer Church. His wife died Feb.4, 1899.

He then married on March 23, 1899 to Mrs. J. Jacob Klasche (nee Aganetha Kroeker) who was born on March 12, 1846, and died Aug. 14,1912.

His third marriage was on Oct. 27, 1912 to Mrs. J. B. Unger (nee Agatha Heppner), born April 6, 1847 and died Aug. 25, 1921.

Johann Wiens had taken up a homestead in Manitoba on SE4,Tp. 2, R2, W of 1, near the village of Neuhoffnung, south of Plum Coulee. Johann then took up a second homestead near Petrofka, Sask. He built a house on SW 24, Tp. 42, R7, W of 3 in June, 1908. It was a 16 x 18 lumber house valued at $375. He also built a stable, a corral and dug two wells, valued at $94.

In 1909, he broke 21 acres and cropped 20; in 1910, he broke 15 acres and cropped 36; in 1911, he owned one horse, two oxen, two cows, 2 young cattle and 2 hogs.

His crop was totally hailed out in 1908. So Johann wrote to the homestead inspector saying that "I need now money that is the reason to work absent from the farm." He then went to teach in the German school at Olgafeld. He also taught at Schoenwiese and Gruenthal.

Near Schonwiese in exchange for rent, Mr. Wiens tutored the children of two families. This lasted for only a couple of weeks. The Wiens family then found a nursing home for Johann Wiens.

He was blind in one eye and his left side was quite lame, so that he had trouble even doing small chores. Johann died in Manitoba.

The photograph was contributed by Johann Wiens' grandson, Jacob Wiens of Hepburn.