With reference to the Niverville Pioneer portion of the cemetery:

Niverville had its humble beginning in the early 1870's, with the arrival of its first settlers; giving it a 113 year history (at the time of printing), a story of pioneers of multi-ethnic descent.

One early historic account of the community aptly puts its past in a nutshell in the following words: "Named after a French nobleman, planned by a German diplomat, settled by Mennonite, English and Scottish farmers, and partly developed by Jews."

These are the facts of Niverville's past.

Niverville is a community with many firsts: It was the first Mennonite settlement in Manitoba, from which point the settlers began other communities. It was the site of the first grain elevator in Western Canada. It was a supplier of the first western Canadian barley ever shipped privately to an Overseas market. Its farmers were among the first to recognize the importance of a decentralized agricultural industry. The Cosmopolitan face of Niverville was more evident in Niverville's earlier years than it is today.

(Source: Niverville - A History 1878 - 1986, p 23f [1986; Adapted])

With reference to the Streich Lutheran section of the cemetery:

German immigration to Western Canada commenced as early as 1872. but the first German Lutheran families to settle in the Niverville area arrived in 1890.

They had little on arrival. For many. travel costs took what they had gained from the sale of their possessions in the old country. Many families stayed behind on their holdings in Russia, while the father ventured to the new land to establish a home.

The majority of these settlers were particularly fitted for conditions of western settlement by direct experience of pioneer life gained through periods of successive migrations, to that area of Poland annexed by Germany, during the reign of Kaiser Fredrich Wilhelm and later to the Ukraine.

In the settlement of the prairies, it was not nationaIity, but religious affiliation of the settlers. that was the main organizing principle. A common language in the first place, served to bring people together. Subsequently, German Lutherans from Poland, Bessarabia, Wolhynien in Germany, and the Bukovina were found together near the settlements of the Mennonitesm who were already established at this time.

Work was readily available with settlers already established in the area. Wages were Iow and many worked two years or longer, before they were able to have their families join them. Large families with their grown children hired out, soon acquired farms, which in 1890. sold for $3.00 an acre.

The Wilhelm Streich family were among the first Lutheran settlers to become established at Niverville. Their farm home was a stopping place for many German immigrants, while they secured living quarters and employment, or moved on to other areas.

The Niverville Lutheran cemetery had its beginning as a family plot on the Streich homestead, beside a quiet country trail. It was filled rapidly when diphtheria swept the countryside in 1903, 1910, and 1912. In 1920, it was enlarged and registered.

The country trail became part of the Piney Highway in the 1930's. When the highway was widened and laid with asphalt in 1955, a request was made to the Lutheran congregation, to move the Cemetery to a new location. The relocation was strongly opposed by all concerned. and it remained undisturbed on the shoulder of Highway 59, until November 1974, when further improvements on the highway and intersection were made.

After several meetings with next of kin and the Dept. of Highways officials, the decision was made to relocate this cemetery to the Niverville Cemetery. Of the 53 graves uncovered, 50 were moved to the Niverville cemetery and three to a cemetery in Steinbach. A memorial stone with informational plaque was placed at the site of the old cemetery, and also at the new site. All expenses incurred were borne by the highways department.  (Submitted by Emma S, Wiebe)

A memorial stone placed at the pioneer cemetery by the provincial Highways Department marks 55 new graves relocated from an old burial site on Highway 59. The engraving on the stone represents symbolically the efforts of the first famines who settled in the area more than 100 years ago; the cross represents the church. the figures the family and the branches the continuance of life. A similar marker was placed near the old grave site on the highway. The graves were relocated to permit road construction. (Photo: Courtesy The Carillon)

(Source: Niverville - A History 1878 - 1986, p 26f [1986; Adapted])

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Established in 1895.

In 1903, the Streich family cemetery became the burial ground for the Lutheran community when diphtheria epidemics swept through the countryside.

(Source: Manitoba Genealogical Society [Adapted])

In 1974, the Streich Lutheran Cemetery was moved to a corner of this cemetery. The graves in this section of the cemetery go back to 1895 and includes graves of the victims of the 1903 diphtheria epidemic.

(Source: Manitoba Historical Society [Adapted])

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Dominion Land Survey coordinates: LSD03-31-07-04-E1

In the Town of Niverville, which is adjacent to the Rural Municipalities of Ritchot and Hanover

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As noted above, a part of the community's story, and those of its inhabitants, from the early days of European settlement through roughly 1986 is told in the volume entitled "Niverville - A History 1878 - 1986". A free digital version of this and many other Manitoba local history books can be found online in the University of Manitoba Digital Collections. There is also a list of such books organized by district and town name on the Manitoba Historical Society's website on their page entitled "Finding Aid: Manitoba Local History Books".

A list of burials in this cemetery is available from the Manitoba Genealogical Society (reference #0376), transcribed by a member or members in 1989. Also available to MGS members is a searchable online database named the "MGS Manitoba Name Index" (or MANI). Some additional information is contained in the 1996 MGS publication "Carved in Stone: Manitoba Cemeteries and Burial Sites" (revised edition, Special Projects Publication, 106 pages).

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Additionally, and reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of the history of the area, as embodied in this cemetery:

The Manitoba Mennonite Society curates and makes available extensive records related to the communities established by the families of their faith who contributed to the story of Manitoba.

As well, the non-profit Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada centralizes, curates and makes available extensive records from various groups related to the communities established by the families of their faith who contributed to the story of Western Canada.

Further, the Ukrainian Museum of Canada (Manitoba Branch) centralizes, curates and makes available extensive records from various groups related to the communities established by the families of Ukrainian descent who settled lived in, died in, or contributed to the story of Manitoba.

Many records for Anglican congregations in Manitoba and over part of the territory designated historically as "Rupert's Land" (esp, as bounded on the south by the U.S. border, extending north into the Manitoba Interlake Region past Fairford, with the western boundary reaching into the Pembina Hills and includes Portage la Prairie, eastward the diocese stretches to Sioux Lookout/Atikokan) are now with the Diocese of Rupert's Land and are kept in their offices in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Many records for defunct United congregations in Manitoba, and those of the sects that merged to form it, are now kept in their Archives and Records Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Many records for defunct Lutheran congregations in Manitoba are now kept in their main offices in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

The St Boniface Historical Society (La Société historique de Saint-Boniface) maintains extensive records of the lives led by and influences of the people in Manitoba who had French ancestry, be it recently from France and Belgium, or by way of Quebec.