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. 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.
