Collection comprises photographs, manuscripts, correspondence, ephemera, books and periodical material resulting from and pertaining to the settlement and subsequent history of Doukhobors in Western Canada. Books and periodical items have been catalogued in the SFU Library Catalogue. Digitized images and accompanying descriptions of a portion of the collection are available on the Doukhobor Collection, 1898-1930 website.

This sous-fonds consists of correspondence, circular letters, speeches and writings by Verigin and about him, and photographs that provide insight to Peter V. Verigin’s life as leader of the Doukhobors and the character of the Doukhobor community. The sous-fonds is arranged into the following five series: Correspondence ([190?]-1951); Circular letters (1908-1922); Speeches, writings, views ([190-]-1924); Photographs (1985-1925); Writings of others ([190-]-1969).

This series consists of the personal and Doukhobor community related correspondence of P. V. Verigin that dates from early 1900s until his death in October of 1924. Besides P. V. Verigin correspondence, part of File 1 is also correspondence by Anastasia Holoboff and Fodosia Verigin that dates from 1900s until 1959. Some letters are handwritten and some are mimeographed. All in Russian, except for a few in English.

This series consists of documents that were written by P. V. Verigin himself or by other individuals relating his views and ideas. These documents include transcripts of speeches and interviews, petitions, opinion pieces on the Doukhobor community and faith as well as some of the letter-like documents with his opinions on education. It also contains 70 page manuscript in a notebook by F. I. Wishloff recording P.V. Verign’s speeches. All documents in Russian, except for a few documents supplied with English translation.

This series consists of circular letters to be read at an assembled meetings. The bulk of the letters dates between 1908-1912. Often they consist of direction from CCUB, such as livestock to sell, when to clear the fields, or when to come to a meeting. The letters also deal with the logistics of the move to British Columbia. Most of the letters were issued on the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood (CCUB) letterhead or on the Office of the Peter V. Verigin letterhead. Most letters are signed by P.V. Verigin, except for some signed by Mikhail Kazakov and some that are unsigned. Most letters are mimeographed.

This file comprises of 70 page manuscript in ink in lined notebook by Whishloff, Fyodor Ivanovich, ca. 1920s, recording speeches of P. V. Verigin 1917-1923. This appear to be a fair copy made at the time. Although, other listeners sometimes copied Verigin’s speeches, none were ever printed contemporaneously, and all copies have varying texts.

This file comprises of typescript letters on CCUB letterhead written on issues of education by Peter V. Verigin (5 pages) and his associates, Ivan Konkin (9 pages) and S. Vereschagin (2 pages) that relate to Verigin’s views.

This series contains black and white photographs from various periods of P. V. Verigin’s life starting from around 1895 until his death and funeral in 1924. This series also contains photos of Verigin’s tomb in or after 1925. In specific, this series contains photographs of Verigin’s with his family, with close friends and with the Doukhobor communities in Verigin, Saskatchewan and in Brilliant, British Columbia during various events. There are photographs of Verigin demonstrating farming machinery, racing carriages, posing with community in the villages, as well as many photos from Verigin’s funeral and community visits to his tomb. One fine larger photograph, shows Verigin directing a steam tractor pulling a plow and harrow on the Prairie. In a letter to Tolstoy in December 1903, Verigin specifically describes buying these machines in the summer of 1903 in time for planting and harvesting at the end of that season. Other important images include 2 postcard size images labeled, “Machinery Sold to Doukhobors at Yorkton With Peter Verigin at X” and “A Doukhobor Outfit Ready to Move” showing the first two steam-driven tractors, with attached combines, to be brought into Yorkton by the Doukhobors, a move which some believe spurred jealousy among other farmers who agitated more strongly against the Doukhobors, and thus led to the calamitous reversals of policy by the Canadian government regarding conditions for Doukhobor settlement.

This image has two copies located in Box 3 folder 4 and folder 5

This photo has four copies; located in Box 3 folder 1 and Box 6 folder 2

This image has two copies.

This image has two copies located in Box 3 folder 4 and folder 5

P. V. Verigin in sailing skiff in Siberia. One of only know photographs of the leader of Doukhobors during his exile in Siberia. Verigin at the stern.

This image has two copies.

This image has two copies located in Box 3 folder 5 and Box 6 folder 1

This image has additional 2 copies in Peter P. Verigin sousfonds MSC-121-2

This images has 4 copies located in Box 3 folder 5, Box 4 and Box 6 folder 1