Johann Reddekopp was born on June 30,1869, to Jacob Reddekopp and Susanna Wolfe. He came to Canada with his parents on the S.S. Canadian. This ship arrived in Quebec City on July 5, 1875. They then took up a homestead at Rosenthal, Manitoba.

Johann married Maria Schroeder on Dec 4, 1890. She was born March 17, 1872. Her parents were Aaron Schroeder and Aganetha Peters.

Johann and Maria Reddekopp left Winkler, Manitoba on May 4, 1899 by train to move to Saskatchewan. They arrived at Hague on May 6, 1899. They settled with their family and few belongings as pioneers in the village of Chortitz. Here Johann Reddekopp homesteaded NW32-Tp40-R4-W3.

In.1899, he broke.35 acres and cropped 0; in 1900, he broke 0 acres and cropped 35; in 1901, he broke 36 acres and cropped 35; in 1902, he broke 0 acres and cropped 70.

In 1902, he owned 6 head of cattle, 4 horses, 3 sheep and 4 pigs. In May, 1899, he built a 14x28' house in the village of Chortitz valued at $300. He also built a stable and dug a well valued at $100. Forty acres were also fenced in which he valued at $100.

During the flu epidemic of 1918, many families in the Valley area suffered and the Reddekopp family perhaps one of the severest. Johann's sister Susanna died Nov. 12, 1918; and then three of his children, namely, Peter, Jacob and Katharina all died in Nov., 1918.

Johann Reddekopp died suddenly on July 25,1927. He made his rounds with horse and buggy to check the men working in the field around 11 a.m. When the men unhitched their horses for dinner about an hour later, on an old abandoned farm about 4 miles west of the home place in Chortitz, they noticed that Mr. Reddekopp's horse and buggy were unattended. This of course was very unusual, so the hired man and a couple of his sons started searching until they found him lying in some tall weeds on his abandoned farmyard, dead. Cause of death was attributed to a stroke or heart attack. Johann Reddekopp's wife, Maria passed away on May 20, 1935.

The photo and information were contributed-by John S. Reddekopp of Gruenthal, Sask., a grandson of the John Reddekopps.