Historic Sites of Manitoba: Neu Reinland Cemetery / Enns Family Cemetery (RM of Stanley)

This small cemetery southeast of Winkler in the Rural Municipality of Stanley is believed to have been established in 1876 by Franz Enns (1844-1933) on the land that he farmed. Over the years, family members were buried here. The land was sold out of the family in 1952 and the new landowner plowed up an access road into the cemetery. Consequently, it is now located in the centre of an agricultural field and access is only permitted before crops are sown in the spring or after they are harvested in the fall.

Maintenance of the cemetery was done by a Enns descendant until his death in 1978. By the time of a 2018 site visit by two great-grandsons of Franz Enns, the cemetery was in a state of severe neglect. In 2020, assisted by the Winkler Heritage Society, they brought equipment to clear away accumulated debris, uncover some 20 grave markers including several that were partially buried in soil, and research the names of all those buried at the site.

A metal sign was installed in the cemetery on 21 October 2022.

Exposing partially buried grave markers during restoration (April 2020) Source: Ada and Henry Wiebe Concrete grave marker of Henry G. Enns, 1918-1921 (May 2020) Source: Ada and Henry Wiebe Restored cemetery (May 2020) Source: Ada and Henry Wiebe Detail of a gravestone in the restored cemetery (May 2020) Source: Ada and Henry Wiebe Cemetery sign (October 2022) Source: Ada and Henry Wiebe Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.15575, W97.87681 denoted by symbol on the map above

Graves with markers

Name	Comment
Franz Enns Sr (1844-1933)	Founder of the cemetery; patriarch of the Enns family
Maria Esau Ens (1842-1915)	First wife of Franz Enns Sr and mother of his children
Franz Enns Jr (1875-1951)	Son of Franz Enns Sr
Jacob F. Enns (1875-1952)	Son of Franz Enns Sr
Agatha Neufeld Enns (1877-1952)	Wife of Jacob F. Enns
Willie J. Enns (1919-1938)	Son of Jacob F. Enns
Irving E. Neufeld (1937-1937)	Great-nephew of Agatha Neufeld Enns
Johann F. Enns (1877-1929)	Son of Frans Enns Sr
Katharine Bergen Enns (1882-1941)	Wife of Johann F. Enns
Gerhard G. Enns (1881-1950)	Son of Franz Enns Sr
Anna Janzen Enns (1881-1950)	Wife of Gerhard F. Enns
Helena G. Enns (1906-1907)	Daughter of Gerhard G. Enns
Henry G. Enns (1918-1921)	Son of Gerhard G. Enns
Aron F. Enns (1882-1912)	Son of Franz Enns Sr
Peter F. Enns (1884-1964)	Son of Franz Enns Sr
Elizabeth Nickel Enns (1885-1949)	Wife of Peter F. Enns
Maria P. Enns (1908-1908)	Daugher of Peter F. Enns
Peter P. Enns (1909-1913)	Son of Peter F. Enns
Isaak Wiens (1916-?)	Name engraved on obase of Aron F. Enns headstone
Isaac ? (1909-?)	Name engraved on base of Helena G. Enns headstone

Graves without markers

Name	Comment
Elizabeth Esau Pries Enns (1844-1927)	Second wife of Franz Enns Sr (married 1915)
Aganetha Janzen Born Enns (1858-1941)	Third wife of Franz Enns Sr (married 1928)
Susanna Hamm Enns (1872-1943)	Wife of Franz F. Enns Jr
Johann Enns (1901-1901)	Son of Franz F. Enns Jr
Katharine F. Enns (1868-1882)	Daughter of Franz Enns Sr
Elisabeth F. Janzen Enns (1869-1928)	Daughter of Franz Enns Sr
Maria F. Enns (1873-1876)	Daughter of Frans Enns Sr
Aganetha Neufeld (1899-1902)	Sister of Agatha Neufeld Enns
Johann Enns (1900-1901)	Son of Johann F. Enns
Henry I. Enns (1922-1923)	Son of Isaac F. Enns
Dorothy Enns (1919-1949)	Granddaughter of Peter F. Enns

Sources:

“Cousins step up to restore old family cemetery” by Lorne Stelmach, Carman-Dufferin Standard, 28 May 2020, page 11.

“The restoration of the Neu-Reinland Cemetery” by Henry A. Wiebe, Winkler Morden Voice, 2 December 2021, page 22.

“What we found in the cemetery -- and what we didn't” by Henry A. Wiebe, Winkler Morden Voice, 23 December 2021, page 26.

This page was prepared by Henry Wiebe, Ada Wiebe, and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 November 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only. SEARCH the collection Browse lists of: Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner. Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes. Send corrections and additions to this page to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca. Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ Help us keep history alive!