Martin M. Penner

Mennonite Genealogy with Michael Penner

Martin M. Penner

This article is from Manitoba Mennonite Memories: A Century Past but Not Forgotten, p.223-24.

M. M. Penner & Sons

Mr. Martin M. Penner was born in the village of Blumenort on February 7, 1882, as the son of Rev. Martin Penner, pioneer of the 1874 contingent of Mennonites settling in Manitoba. As a young man Mr. Penner started out in 1901 as a farmer. In 1904 he married Elizabeth Toews and out of this union eight sons and two daughters were born. The oldest son, Cornelius became a farmer and a building contractor at Syndey, Manitoba. Emil, Alfred, Bill and Peter operated the Colensco Lumber Company; Linden established a Family Store in Steinbach, and Joe operates and owns Penner Electric, while George established a prosperous insurance and travel agency business in Steinbach. Doris became Mrs. Henry Ketler and Eva is married to Mr. K. T. Kroeker.

Mr. Penner soon found out that farming did not satisfy his ambitious and restless spirit and offered little opportunity in being creative in a time when there was so much need for pioneer situations to be changed into a progressive viable economy. After spending a year in B.C. the Penners returned in 1913, when Mr. Penner, in partnership with his brother John, started a small sash and door factory. In 1918 he bought his brother's share in the business and established the Steinbach Lumber Company which he operated until 1950.

Besides operating his lumber business Mr. Penner was involved in many other activities. In 1931, when the need for a new hospital was acute, Mr. Penner was the first large contributor of $1000 worth of lumber which made it possible to get he building of the present Bethesda Hospital off to a start. As a councillor for the Hanover Municipality he used his influence in the construction of the Piney highway, and he also led a Chamber of Commerce-sponsored project in 1936 in the building of a road to Vita. He was also the man that provided the town of Steinbach with the first A.C. electric power, and who also was deeply involved in the establishment of the sugar factory in Manitoba.

He was generous in supporting philanthropic and charitable endeavors and society woes him a great debt of gratitude for his multitudinous services. He passed away the age of 81 in 1963.

In 1945 Mr. Penner's son Emil and Alfred, founded the Colenso Lumber Company which produced pulp and lumber, the latter amounting to 2 million board feet annually. In 1967 the Colenso mill was wiped out by fire with a damage of $200,000. Following the fire the Penners evaluated the position and decided to build and up-to-date mill on the site. The present establishment employs 110 persons, and has an annual turnover of 4.5 million dollars, and produces 34 million board feet of lumber annually.

The sons, like their father, are ever ready to support liberally philanthropic and charitable endeavors. Two special areas are Cancer Research and the Winnipeg Bible College.

Both sons, Emil and Alfred, have now retired and live in the city of Winnipeg. All the other sons are doing well and follow the steps of their distinguished father.

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