Jacob Yost Shantz

Who was Jacob Yost Shantz?

Jacob Yost Shantz was a businessman from Ontario who helped Mennonites migrate from Russia to southern Manitoba.

Shantz was born and raised in Ebytown, Upper Canada. He was part of that community, and its success, in a large way. He was involved in a variety of successful business ventures during his lifetime. His further notability in Canadian history comes from his involvement with settling Mennonites from Russia in Canada.

In 1872, Shantz accompanied Bernhard Warkentin, a southern Russian Mennonite, on an exploratory trip to western Canada. He had been asked by the Canadian government to oversee this exploration. After his visit to Manitoba, Shantz sent a report of his findings to the government. Immigration officials liked the report and requested a more detailed account. The results of this request was a report called Narrative of a journey to Manitoba. When published and translated into various languages, this narrative became promotional literature for European immigration to Canada.

A community in Manitoba, Schanzenfeld, was named in his honour.