Rev. Johann Wall was born June 4, 1872, to Jacob Wall and Katherine Harder. The Wall family came to Canada from Russia on the S.S. Sardinian. This ship arrived in Quebec City on June 19, 1876. They then settled at Neuhorst, Manitoba.

Johann Wall married Anna Klassen on July 5, 1891. Anna was born August 3, 1871. Her parents, Peter Klassen and Anna Janzen, also lived in Neuhorst. The Klassens had come to Canada from Russia on the S.S. Quebec arriving in Quebec City on July 20, 1875.

Rev. Wall came to Saskatchewan with his family in 1898 and took up a homestead on NE 12-40-4-W3, south of Hague.

In 1898 he broke 10 acres and cropped 0; in 1899, he broke 30 acres and cropped 15; in 1900, he broke 18 acres and cropped 35; in 1901, he broke 30 acres and cropped 60. He built a framed house 23×36 ft. in Neuanlage, valued at $400, and he also built a stable 16×23, and dug a well valued at $100. In 1901, he owned 4 horses and 3 head of cattle.

Rev. Wall was elected as a deacon in the Old Colony Church on Oct. 25, 1898. He was elected as a minister on July 16, 1900. On Aug. 4, 1919, he was elected as a delegate by the church to search for new land.

This delegation was an Old Colony response to the government order for the Old Colony, Mennonites to shut down their private schools and send their children to the public schools. Mennonites refused. In 1873, when they came to Canada the government promised these Mennonites that they could have their own schools, teach their own’ curriculum and in the language of their choice (namely German).

These Mennonites felt that their private schools taught morals and values that the public school could not. The government had hoped that by forcing the Mennonites into public schools it would help them to assimilate into the wider Canadian society.

One example of this is a government leader’s words that ‘reflect this notion, when he said, “What we need is to get the youth filled with the traditions of the British flag, and when they are men they will be able to defend it.” The Mennonite belief of loving one’s enemy and not participating in war was in direct opposition to the beliefs of the government.

So in 1919, Rev. Johann Wall and Rev. Johann P. Wall of Hochfeld, were sent to find a new home where they could, amongst other things, run their own schools. In the course of their trip Rev. Johann Wall died. He died Sept. 28 and was buried Oct. 8, 1919, in Curtika, Brazil. His wife later married Rev. Johann P. Wall and moved to Mexico.