Laura Wilhelmina Stroh

Other Events:

• Name: Laura Wilhelmina Schnarr
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-130940
• Residence: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; New Church
• Residence: 1911, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Swedenborgian

Laura — George Robert Schnarr. George (son of Werner Schnarr and Catharine Dorthea "Katy" Zinkann) was born 25 Aug 1874, Lisbon, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was christened 31 Oct 1875, Church Of New Jerusalem, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 22 Feb 1962. [Group Sheet]

1. Rudolph Schnarr was born Nov 1901, , Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.

Other Events:

• Business: Berliner Marble Studio
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-8967
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Occupation: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Stone Cutter
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Residence: 1877, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1877, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Marble Cutter
• Residence: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; New Church

Friedrich married Anna Maria "Mary" Rothaermel 21 Oct 1877, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Anna (daughter of Johan Heinrich "John Henry" Rothaermel and Elizabeth Metz) was born 13 Apr 1856, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was christened 29 Jul 1855, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 7 Aug 1938, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Anna Maria "Mary" Roschman
• Name: Anna Maria "Mary" Stroh
• Name: Maria Rothaermel
• Name: Mary Rothaermel
• Name: Mary Rothaermel
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-39491
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Residence: 1877, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; New Church
• Residence: 1884, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1891, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Swedenborgian
• Residence: 1911, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; New Jerusalam

Other Events:

• Business: Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Kranz & Stroh - general store
• Name: Heinrich Stroh
• Name: Johannes Henry Stroh
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-43730P
• Immigration: 1837, , Ontario, Canada
• Immigration: Sep 1837, New York City, New York, USA.
• Occupation: 1840, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; shoemaker
• Naturalization: 1845
• Occupation: 1851, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; shoemaker
• Elected Office: 1854, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; councillor - Kitchener Council
• Occupation: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Shoemaker
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Occupation: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Residence: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Swedenborgian
• Occupation: 1891, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1891, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Swedenborgian
• Retired: 1901, Waterloo, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

King Street , North Side

Queen St. North.

On the corner there was a frame building lengthwise with King Street, occupied by J. U. Tyson, dealer in groceries, wines, liquors and meats, erected about 1833. In 1841 Sheriff George Davidson bought this building and in it opened the first Post Office in 1842. His brother William was associated with him. Probably during 1845 Doering & Ahrens occupied the premises as a general store. A little later the firm was Huber & Ahrens. Mr. Huber acted as magistrate for a number of years, in which occupation he was popular and had much to do, people coming from small surrounding villages to Mr. Huber for fair trial. He was the second reeve in Berlin.

Next came a barber shop occupied by George A. Fischer who also served as dentist and as fruit dealer.

A house erected by C. A. Ahrens of Huber and Ahrens. Mr. Ahrens had a brick vault at the back of his kitchen, lined with an iron chest and considered fire proof. He was the first treasurer of Waterloo County and had this vault for safe keeping of his books and papers. The house was later occupied by Dr. Mylius.

Louis Breithaupt, who came from Buffalo in 1861 after having started his tanning business in Berlin in 1857, previously bought the corner of King and Queen Streets, and erected there the first section of the American Block in 1862.

Next to the Dr. Mylius house there was a two story brick building erected about 1855. It was occupied by Baedeker and Steubing who had a considerable business as book sellers and stationers, also as dealers in wallpaper, etc., besides doing some publishing. This business, moved later to the corner of King and Frederick Streets, continued until Mr. Steubing's death.

In his younger years Mr. Baedeker was a carpenter and had cut his knee with an adze, necessitating amputation and substitution of a cork leg.

On the site of the present Steel's store, George Davidson, later sheriff, erected a building in 1845 and moved the Post Office there when Doering and Ahrens occupied the corner store. Mr. Davidson also had a general store in this new building. About 1855 Kranz & Stroh occupied the building as a general store.

Next came a building occupied at first by George Klein and later the site of Henry Knell's jewelery shop.

John Winger's pump shop. Wooden pipe called pump logs were of about ten-inch timber, tamarack or pine logs with a bore of about 3". The pumps were mostly finished square and surmounted with turned tops.

A two story frame building painted white. John Winger's house. Eby's history mentions John Winger as having come from Pennsylvania in 1836.

A ten-foot lane leading back to the Public School grounds and into Winger's yard. The highest ground in this vicinity was in Winger's yard. Children were in the habit of sliding down the hill in winter to King Street. In 1840 Mr. Bentler erected a building and occupied the second floor as dwelling and shoe shop. Martin Messner had a music store on the ground floor which was a few steps above the street level. In 1855-6 Andrew Nicolaus took over the Winger house and changed it to a hotel. The first considerable street grading operation in Berlin was the lowering of the corner of King and Frederick and vicinity 8 to 10 feet. This put the St. Nicholas Hotel, as it was called, under the necessity of being extended downward one story and this lower part became the hotel office and bar room. At the westerly end of the hotel there was a shed and stable for horses. Over the shed, approached by a stairway, there was a hall known as St. Nicholas Hall used for concerts, balls and entertainments generally. At the rear of the adjoining St. Nicholas Hall there was a building on the high ground known as the Turner Hall and used as German Turnverein.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

____________________________

King Street , North Side

Frederick Street.

Bishop Benjamin Eby's farm came to the corner of King and Frederick Streets. Next to Frederick Street, Frederick and William Miller erected a frame building and used it as a general store. After the grading operations spoken of this building had to undergo the same process as the St. Nicholas Hotel. It was considered a fine building in its day with large windows on each side of the centre door. Henry Stroh finally bought the building and tore it down in 1868. Jacob Stroh has some of the window sash, shutters, stairway, etc., still in his possession. Later the building was occupied by Jacob Eckstein cigar maker and tobacco dealer. Mrs. Warren with a family lived on the second story for a number of years.

Vacant lot. Next a large brick building with double deck porch along the front, the Queen's Arms Hotel, built about 1840 and continued as a hotel until about 1860. A Mr. Butchard was the first landlord and later Levi Weber. From this hotel the first omnibus met the trains at the G.T.R. station in Berlin in 1856. Before that day it was a stopping place of stage coaches operating from Hamilton and Galt to Berlin and beyond. The old Queen's Arms long vacant and practically ruined as a building was sold finally and made room for the Market Building and Town Hall in 1869.*

Next we come to the John Roos house. This also had a double-deck veranda with heavy posts as was the style 1840-50. The building was later turned into a hotel known as the Market Hotel and kept by Casper Heller.

A lot with a log cabin in the rear, occupied by Jacob Sauer, who had come from Pennsylvania, father of Mrs. John Roat.

* See 1922 Annual Report W. H. S., p. 210.

A harness shop occupied by John Roat, then by his son John and later by John Haugh, a son-in-law of John Roat.

A garden. A dwelling, 4 or 5 feet lower than the street which had been filled up, where lived the Susand family. Mrs. Susand had a reputation with juveniles for tarts and molasses taffy sold in lc. bars. Her children were in the habit of selling these wares to passengers at the G.T.R. station. After her husband's death about 1860, widow Susand moved her shop to Foundry Street North, and there continued until she died. Susand was an ex-slave. In 1857 at a nomination meeting for Council, he was nominated and stood a good chance of being elected, as a joke. However, the more thoughtful element among the voters prevailed.

A two story, frame building, lengthwise with King Street, built in the '30's. After street grading this had to be raised so that what had before been the ground floor became the cellar or basement.

A house occupied by Wm. Hawke,-known as Bill Hawke- a mason. A stout, easy-going man. His wife was in the habit of standing in the door way, with white lace cap, smoking a clay pipe. The east end of this building was occupied by Winters, a hatter, the first hat maker in Berlin. He made the old style, broad brim, Mennonite hats in fashion up to about 1845. At the corner of Scott stood a brick building of good size with gable toward King Street, used to stable the first fire teams for a number of years. Later John Wagner had a waggon shop above and George Ward a blacksmith shop underneath. Scott Street was, however, not opened until many years later.

A one and one-half story building rough cast, gable facing King St., occupied by H. W. Peterson, who began publishing the "Canada Museum", in 1835 and so continued until 1840 when he went to Guelph as first Registrar of the County of Wellington. This was the first newspaper published in Waterloo County.

Jacob Hailer's house, a one and one-half story, frame building with porch along the front partly enclosed by lattice work. In this house was born in 1834, Catherine Hailer, who married Louis Breithaupt. She is said to have been the first child born in Berlin of parents who came from Germany. Hailer's barn was some distance back from the street and next along on the street front was his shop where he manufactured spinning wheels, etc., and chairs which had a large distribution. Hailer was an expert wood turner. He had two foot-power lathes and a number of German assistants from time to time, continuing his shop for about 40 years.
A two story frame building lengthwise with King Street, erected by Dr. John Scott. He had a drug store with two good-sized windows at the front. On the east gable of the building was a sign, "Med. Hall" in large letters. The sign was legible long after Dr. Scott's death. The doctor pursued his practice on horseback for which he used three horses. He was the first medical practitioner in Berlin, coming in 1834, at the time of the cholera epidemic. For a few years before he was married he boarded at the Gaukel Hotel. His later house, after the one described, is still standing on Weber Street at the rear of the Kitchener Public Library.

The old Scott house on King Street was later occupied by Franz Martin who kept a saloon. Martin had a musical family, with the zither as their principal instrument, which all the children could play.

A one and one-half story, frame building, painted, occupied by Anslm Wagner, a potter.

A brick building 1 ½ story lengthwise with King Street, the west end of which was John Eby's drug store, the rest of the building being his dwelling. This was the first regular drug store in Berlin.

A brick building with a frame extension in the rear used by David Eby as a pump shop. Part of the brick building is still standing, the rest having been cut out for the opening of Eby Street North.

A one story hip roof brick cottage occupied by Geo. Eby, a Notary, who came to Canada in 1804. He died in this house. A considerable fish story is told of how he followed a sturgeon in the Conestoga River, part of Grand River, and finally speared it.

A one and one-half story building, probably rough cast, occupied by Hy. Wurm, a carpenter employed at the Simpson factory.

A two story brick building painted red occupied by Henry S. Huber.'

A handsome brick building, two story, with veranda along the front and ground floor considerably above the street level, with broad steps, the width of the building, leading to it, was built in 1850. Some time later it was occupied by Casper Heller and known as the Royal Exchange hotel. Following the old custom its swinging sign had "Last Chance" on the side toward the village and "First Chance" outward, referring to liquid refreshments. Heller kept a good hotel and had also a large shed and ham next east of the hotel.

On the corner a steam grist mill was erected, about 1860. Louis Seyler, a German, was the miller. The custom was for farmers to bring in their wheat to have it ground, getting in return flour, bran and middlings, the miller retaining his toll. Later Lehnen & Shelly operated this mill.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

___________________

Queen Street North, West Side

Gaukel's well at the corner of the hotel shed, the corner being later built up as the Bowman Block, now the Bank of Montreal.

A brick warehouse belonging to the corner store of the Bowman Block. First occupants of this store were Bowman and Heins, later H. S, Huber and then by Huber and Roy.

Opposite the Breithaupt leather store stood a one-story brick building, Dr. Pipe's surgery and later Dr. Wright's.

A two-storey brick house lengthwise with Queen Street and with veranda on two sides, the veranda a few steps above the ground, occupied by Henry Schaefer. In 1871 Dr. Pipe lived in this house. Among other things Dr. Pipe kept bees, although he was quite afraid of them. Dr. Pipe and Henry Stroh succeeded in bringing the first Italian queen bee to this part of the country.

A lane.

A handsome brick house, gable roof, lengthwise with the street, the corners faced with limestone from Guelph, erected by Joseph Hobson, the surveyer, in 1860. Hobson eventually was Chief Engineer of the Great Western Railway and when that was merged with the Grand Trunk he became Chief Engineer of the latter Company and was among other things Chief Engineer of the Sarnia tunnel. Alexander MacPherson, editor and publisher of the Berlin Telegraph, later lived in the house. The site is now occupied by the head office of the Economical Fire Insurance Company.

A two-story red frame building well back from the street built probably before 1850 by Peter Eby, identified with the "Deutsche Canadier" and with the early days of the "Telegraph". Dr. Eggert, homeopath, lived in the house 1859-1860 and later John Klippert, high constable and county bailiff.

One and a half story brick building at the corner of Duke and Queen Streets occupied by a Mr. Von Ebenau and wife and later for a number of years by Michael Jaehle, a blacksmith. The site is now occupied by the Daily Record building.

Duke Street.

A large handsome building trimmed with cut stone built in 1860 by David S. Shoemaker of Bridgeport who was county registrar, The building was intended for a bank and agent's residence and so used first by the Commercial Bank which failed and later by the Merchants Bank of which R. N, Rogers was agent for a number of years. Some time later Dr. H. S. Lackner acquired the property and used it as residence and surgery. After Dr. Lackner's death the property was sold to the present occupants, the Langleys of Toronto.
building, colonial style, with large posts at the front carrying the projecting roof, erected in 1848-49, the Waterloo Township Hall, the land for which was donated by Frederick Gaukel. General public meetings were held in this hall, among others meetings purposing to have Berlin named as county town. After consummation of this a banquet was held in the hall, which was occasionally used for such purpose. The occasion of this particular banquet was the laying of the corner stone of the new county buildings in 1852. 100 guests were present and there were a number of patriotic toasts. Later the building was used as a printing office, the "Deutsche Canadier" and the "Telegraph" being printed there for a time. Eventually the building was remodelled and enlarged and became the Methodist Church. In 1904 the St. Matthews Lutheran congregation purchased the property and later the First English Lutheran Church, which still continues in the building.

Behind the present Kitchener Public Library, occupying the site of his ornamental garden, and still standing is Dr. Scott's residence, built in 1855. Henry Rothaermel was the contractor. Dr. Scott was the first warden of the county and first reeve of Berlin. After his death the house was occupied by M. C. Schofield who married Dr. Scott's widow. Later Israel Bowman, for many years county clerk and town clerk of Berlin, acquired the property and lived there.

Weber Street.

On the corner the Presbyterian Church first built 1860-61 at a size of 36 ft. by 50 ft., cost $4,500 and seating 175 persons. Rev. John McMeekin was an early minister.

A two-story red brick building lengthwise with Queen Street, built 1855-56, the house of H. S. Huber.

Simon Roy's house, also red brick, one and one-half story high, both of these houses were set back from the street. Mr. Roy was nurseryman and florist.

A one-story double house lengthwise with Queen Street.

Before Ahrens Street was continued westerly across Queen Street there was on the site a two-story unpainted weather-boarded building, the house of John Dopp.
frame building, similar to Dopp's, the house of Christina Bloch, a widow who lived there for many years.

A frame building, similar to Dopp's, but with gable facing Queen Street, the house of August Vetter, painter and paper-hanger.

A vacant lot later owned by Louis Breithaupt who built, on the corner of Margaret Avenue, a residence for Judge Lacourse.

Margaret Avenue.

On Margaret Avenue a short distance westerly from Queen Street was the Moxley farm with house and barn. The barn was later moved to Lexington by Henry Stroh who bought it to replace one that had been struck by lightning. On the corner of Ellen Street a brick house occupied in the early days by Rev. Mr. Savage, Methodist minister, and later by John Hoffman, Jr., a druggist.

Ellen Street.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

___________________

QUEEN STREET SOUTH, EAST SIDE.

On the corner of King Street Rehscher's vaulted cellar already spoken of.

An open space.

A two-story rough-cast building with two-story veranda along the Queen Street front built by Martin Anthes (father of John S. Anthes) in 1835 when it was considered one of the best houses in the village. Henry Stroh purchased this house from Mr. Anthes about 1837. Jacob Stroh was born in this house. Behind it there was a garden of about an acre of land. There were 31 pine stumps on the property when Mr. Stroh took possession and these stumps had to be laboriously removed as stump- pulling machines, which came later, were not then available. The well on the lot was only nine feet deep. Henry Stroh carried on a shoe shop in his house until he entered into partnership with Carl Kranz, on King Street.

In 1857, after he had dissolved partnership with Kranz, Henry Stroh built a one and one-half story frame building next to his house and used it as a shoe store. Mr. Stroh continued in this shoe business until 1863 when he went into partnership with Mr. Reinhold Lang, the tanner. The Queen Street shoe shop was changed to a dwelling. Later Mr. Vanderhart, a tailor, had his shop in this building and after him Carl Englehart had it as photographer. Henry Stroh sold his house to George King. Later Charles Ahrens owned it and had it moved to the corner of Shanley and Braun Streets about 1880.

A one and one-half story frame building erected about 1837 by Jacob Kraemer, later on Frederick Street, as spoken of. Later an addition was added to the front and the building used as the local post office, with William Davidson in charge. Later George Seip purchased the building and used it as a saloon, with a bowling alley in the rear, the first bowling alley in Berlin. William Jaffray lived in the house for a time and later William Knell, son-in-law of Mr. Seip.

A one and one-half story frame building, originally a cooper shop, later the dwelling of Mr. Seip, after he sold the other building. In 1860 he built a brewery, known as Seip's brewery. Under the whole building he had a vaulted cellar built of field stone. Power for the brewery was supplied by a horse-power contained in an attached shed, shelter for the horses. Seip had a high reputation for good beer. He at first made his own malt, but later purchased it. After George Seip's death his son Louis continued the business until about 1880. The building was finally torn down to make room for the present auditorium.

The cooper shop, a small one story building, with brick chimney such as coopers used to heat staves for their barrel making, operated by Henry Brickner who later had his shop at the corner of Young and King Streets. Later Adam Stein had the Queen Street cooper shop. The Berlin coopers were experts in the making of what was called tight-wear,that is water-tight barrels, in large tuns which they made for the brewers.

A very early building, occupied by John Peters, a cabinet maker in Hoffman's factory, about 1860. The building had an outside stairway at the back. Peters was a bird lover and expert in trapping native song birds, mocking birds, cat birds, finches, etc., which he hung under his veranda roof in public display.

On the corner of Church Street a frame house occupied by Mr. Knechtel, a weaver, about 1842-1850. Knechtel moved to a farm in Mannheim where later he was injured in the spine by a falling tree to such an extent that he was bedfast for fourteen or fifteen years. He lived to about 1871. Conrad Doering occupied the Queen Street house for a time. He also was a weaver and made coverlets, etc. The house was torn down to make room for the present one of brick built by Dr. Clemens and later occupied by the late Dr. Walters.

Church Street.

On the south side St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

A one and one-half story unpainted frame building with gable towards the street, the dwelling, about 1860, of John Fleischauer, a laborer, a native of Hessen, Germany.

A one and one-half story house occupied by E. Kern, cabinet maker, about 1860 and later by John Ansted.

A vacant lot.

George Street.

Joseph Schneider originally owned all the land between George Street and Mill Street, mostly woods at that time, and extending to Benton and Eby Streets.


REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

________________

King Street, Kitchener

Next, well back and at the bottom of a slope from King Street, was the back of Gaukel's Hotel, extending back to Hall's Lane.

Gaukel's was the first considerable Hotel in Berlin. Frederick Gaukel, who had come from Pennsylvania in 1820, purchased a tract of lots in 1833 from Joseph Schneider on the westerly corner of Queen and King Streets, the site formerly occupied by Phineas Vemum's blacksmith shop, and thereon erected a two story frame building with a wide Colonial style veranda. Candidates at election spoke from this veranda to the crowd on the street, and it had other like uses. The little house standing in the rear, which Phineas Varnum had used for a tavern, was used as a kitchen. The hotel woodshed came next. It was a frame building.

When judges came to Berlin for County Court they stayed at this hotel and Henry Stroh would be asked to forage for speckled trout and partridge, Mr. Gaukel wishing to place something special before his distinguished guests. In 1851 Gaukel had a bear tied by a chain to a post in the barnyard on King Street. There was a cross board on top of the post to which the bear could climb and become a public exhibition. In the early years Indians, wrapped in their government blankets, were in the habit of calling at the house for something to eat. The woods along the Conestoga River abounded in butternuts and these, gathered in the fall, served to entertain the guests on Sunday afternoons. Henry Bachman was an early bartender at the hotel.

Frederick Gaukel died in 1853. His son George thereafter had the hotel for one year, paying $140.00 rent to the Estate. James Potter, who came from Bridgeport, then bought the place and changed its name to The Great Western Hotel. He took down the heavy colonial veranda and replaced it with a new one of iron posts and iron railings. The veranda continued to be a rostrum for political orators. Hon. Michael Hamilton Foley, Post Master General, and Mr. I. E. Bowman, for many years Member of Parliament for North Waterloo, spoke from it. Potter had a large swinging sign on a post at the corner facing King Street. On a windy day 'the squeak of the swinging sign could be heard throughout the village. On the sign were the proprietor's name, the name of the hotel and a picture of The Great Eastern Steamship, by far the largest ship of its time.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

Elected Office:
1854, 1858-61, 1863

Henry married Susannah Gaukel 1 Sep 1840, Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Susannah (daughter of Friedrich "Frederick" Gaukel and Polly Kaufman) was born 18 Sep 1824, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 12 May 1873, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Susannah Stroh
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-43731
• Residence: 1840, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]

Notes:

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and BuildingsThe first settlers in Waterloo Township had large farms, four hundred acres and over, the lot sub-divisions of the German Company Tract. Joseph Schneider settled on Queen Street South, Bishop Benjamin Eby at the south-east side , Abram Weber on the corner of King and Wilmot Streets and David Weber in the neighborhood of the later Grand Trunk Railway station. After the railway was built David Weber moved to Weber Street, named after him, to a location opposite the present Zion Church. Samuel Schneider and Elias Schneider settled in Waterloo. John Brubacher arrived from Pennsylvania in 1816 and took up his lot of the German Company Tract which was in the district of the County House of Refuge.

Throughout the county here and there little settlements consisting of a few houses, a blacksmith shop, perhaps a tavern and probably a cooper shop and weaver shop, began to appear. Only those settlements which had possible water-powers had any hope of growing to villages or towns. Preston, Galt, Bridgeport and Waterloo were in this class.

For a long time the vicinity of Berlin was known as the sand-hills. In the locality where the hospital and Collegiate Institute now stand were hills over which loaded wagons could hardly be drawn. On a windy day the sand would form ridges. There was a troublesome sand-hill from Queen Street eastward on Church and another one at the corner of King and Frederick Streets. This latter was cut down about eight or nine feet to the level of the cellar floors, some time after the first buildings had been erected.

The easterly part of the settlement was known as Ben Eby's. Queen Street South was the Schneider road.

1830 the village centre was established by Phineas Varnum who, by permission of Joseph Schneider, started a blacksmith shop on the site of the present Walper House. A moderately sized house, 35' by 25', about 40' southwest of the blacksmith shop, was used as a tavern. In the same year the first store in the settlement was opened by William, David and Frederick Miller on the site of the present Post Office,

There were few houses in the hamlet until a number of immigrants arrived directly from Germany, after 1820. John Eby, druggist and chemist, who had his shop a little west of the present Eby Street, related that when immigrants arrived it was the custom, such was the scarcity of buildings, to form a "bee" including farmers and villagers, to erect log houses for the new-comers. A number of these primitive dwellings were in the locality of the present Post Office. It is related that after one of these bees, the company being assembled in Varnum's blacksmith shop or tavern, the proposal was made that the hamlet should be given a name and someone suggested Berlin in honor of the German immigrants. The suggestion was joyously received. Jacob Stroh's mother, adopted in 1827 by Abram Weber when she was three years old, often told Mr. Stroh of her remembrance of the day when Mr. Weber, who had assisted at the bee, came home and told how the little hamlet had that day received the name of Berlin. This occurred probably in 1833. Mr. Stroh has a document dated 1833 in which Berlin first appears as the name of the hamlet. H. W. Peterson, publisher of the "Canada Museum", the first newspaper in the county, from 1835-1840, is authority that in 1835 there were only 25 dwellings in the place.

King Street, Queen Street and Frederick Street, being the main entrances from the surrounding country, were from the beginning the principal streets of the village. These streets are not normal with points of the compass. King Street changes direction several times. At the C.N.R. crossing its direction is about northwest, at an angle with the railway of about 45 degrees. It keeps on turning and finally in the main part of Waterloo it runs due north and south. Queen Street and Frederick Street are approximately at right angles to King Street. Conventionally King Street is called east and west from Queen Street, and Queen Street north and south from King Street. Particulars of the buildings and occupants for these streets follow:



REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

Other Events:

• Name: Heinrich Rothaermel
• Name: Henry Rothaermel
• Name: John Henry Rothaermel
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-26661
• Immigration: 6 Jul 1841, New York City, New York, USA.
• Occupation: 1842, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; carpenter
• Residence: 1846, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1851, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; cabinetmaker
• Occupation: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; cabinet maker
• Occupation: 1852, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; carpenter
• Occupation: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Carpenter
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Occupation: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Carpenter
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Occupation: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Tax Collector
• Residence: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Swedenborgian

Notes:

Death of an Old Citizen of Berlin

Says the News of Tuesday:-"Another of our old citizens, Mr. Henry Rothaermel, died today. The deceased has lived in Berlin since it was a very small village-about 40 years we think and always commanded the highest respect of those who knew him best. He was a carpenter by trade and conducted his business in a quiet unostentatious way, thoroughly upright in all his dealings. When the Berlin Market House was put up he was made Market Clerk, and faithfully discharged those duties till he moved to another part of the town when he resigned some six or seven years ago. His health has been feeble for some time and his death was not unexpected. He lived and died a faithful and worthy member of the New Jerusalem Church, which loses one of its best friends by his departure."

Galt Reporter Oct 3 1884 pg 8

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King Street Kitchener

Benton to Eby Etreet.-Successive occupation was as follows: From Benton Street easterward, before 1855, a one-story brick building with gable facing King Street was erected at the corner and used by Jacob Benner as blacksmith shop. Later Benner moved to West Montrose and the next occupant was Valentine Gildner and after him his son John Gildner. This blacksmith shop continued until comparatively recent years. A frame building painted white, with veranda in front, was Gildner s residence..

Vacant lot.

A tinsmith shop owned by Mr. Lehnen. This had a nice front with two good-sized glass windows on either side of the door.

A dwelling house built by Henry Rothaermel 1848-9. He was a carpenter and later was market clerk and tax collector.

A lane.

A one and one-half story building, with gable facing King Street and a verandah extending over the sidewalk, occupied by a Mr. Coleman 1855-1860. Adjoining it was a warehouse. 1 he store passed to Coleman's son and then to John Kegel. Later John George Schmidt, shoemaker, occupied the building.

. A lane.

A double, frame building about 50 feet along King St.; the east half used as a dwelling had a veranda; the west half was occupied by Charles Koehn, shoemaker.

Open space.

Dwelling of Gabriel Bowman, carpenter, who built the house.

A one and one-half story building occupied by Balzar Allendorf, a coverlet weaver, about 1840. Allendorf later moved to New Hamburg. There was a veranda at the front of the house and under it a well. Cattle ran at large in the streets at this time and one Sunday afternoon a steer got on the veranda floor, which was partly rotted, broke through, fell into the well and had to be pulled out by means of a windlass. The building was torn down later.
frame building ocupied by Henry Sippel, former employee of Allendorf, as a weaver's shop.

In 1855 there was a frame building one and one-half story high along Kmg Street divided into two parts, one part a dwelling and the other part a hat shop, owned by John Kidder, who made felt hats and old-fashioned bonnets. The shop was a few steps above the sidewalk level.

A dwelling.

A one and one-half story frame building lengthwise with King street occupied by a widow, Mrs. Caroline Lehnen.

A driveway.

A two story brick building with gable toward King Street, occupied by J. J. Lehnen, son of the widow Lehnen, as a copper and tinsmith shop and a store. Lehnen made his own tinware. Later Jacob Doebler occupied this building as a bakery.

A one and one-half story frame building with gable toward King Street occupied by George Yantz, a cabinet maker. He had a tavern in this same building for a time, and lived there.

In the early years a garden.

A small shop with sloping roof used by Christian Enslin as a book store and book-bindery, the first book-bindery in Berlin Enslm arrived in Berlin about 1830. Jacob Stroh remembers going with his father to the store to buy school supplies. Enslin later was editor, for Henry Eby, the publisher, of the Deutsche Canadier which began publication in 1840.

Enslin's House, one-half story, frame, standing lengthwise with King Street and having a veranda over the door, was on the site of Dr. Hetts present office and house. At the rear there was an orchard.

About 60 feet back of King Street there was a house built by Henry Eby. Shubel Randall, brother of George Randall, lived in it later. In 1860 the building was destroyed by fire and a servant girl Dina Hertz, perished in the flames. The walls remaining standing, the house was re-built, and is still in use.

A brick building, abutting on King Street with gable facing the street, was Henry Eby's printing office. The main floor was she or seven feet above the sidewalk level. In 1860 this building was changed to a church and was the first Anglican Church in Berlin.

A frame building, one end of which was used by Henry Bowman as a general store; he lived in the other end. This was known as the Bowman building. Later William Stein had a tailor shop in it and after him William Thoms used it as a shoe repair shop.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

___________________

Queen Street North, West Side

Gaukel's well at the corner of the hotel shed, the corner being later built up as the Bowman Block, now the Bank of Montreal.

A brick warehouse belonging to the corner store of the Bowman Block. First occupants of this store were Bowman and Heins, later H. S, Huber and then by Huber and Roy.

Opposite the Breithaupt leather store stood a one-story brick building, Dr. Pipe's surgery and later Dr. Wright's.

A two-storey brick house lengthwise with Queen Street and with veranda on two sides, the veranda a few steps above the ground, occupied by Henry Schaefer. In 1871 Dr. Pipe lived in this house. Among other things Dr. Pipe kept bees, although he was quite afraid of them. Dr. Pipe and Henry Stroh succeeded in bringing the first Italian queen bee to this part of the country.

A lane.

A handsome brick house, gable roof, lengthwise with the street, the corners faced with limestone from Guelph, erected by Joseph Hobson, the surveyer, in 1860. Hobson eventually was Chief Engineer of the Great Western Railway and when that was merged with the Grand Trunk he became Chief Engineer of the latter Company and was among other things Chief Engineer of the Sarnia tunnel. Alexander MacPherson, editor and publisher of the Berlin Telegraph, later lived in the house. The site is now occupied by the head office of the Economical Fire Insurance Company.

A two-story red frame building well back from the street built probably before 1850 by Peter Eby, identified with the "Deutsche Canadier" and with the early days of the "Telegraph". Dr. Eggert, homeopath, lived in the house 1859-1860 and later John Klippert, high constable and county bailiff.

One and a half story brick building at the corner of Duke and Queen Streets occupied by a Mr. Von Ebenau and wife and later for a number of years by Michael Jaehle, a blacksmith. The site is now occupied by the Daily Record building.

Duke Street.

A large handsome building trimmed with cut stone built in 1860 by David S. Shoemaker of Bridgeport who was county registrar, The building was intended for a bank and agent's residence and so used first by the Commercial Bank which failed and later by the Merchants Bank of which R. N, Rogers was agent for a number of years. Some time later Dr. H. S. Lackner acquired the property and used it as residence and surgery. After Dr. Lackner's death the property was sold to the present occupants, the Langleys of Toronto.


building, colonial style, with large posts at the front carrying the projecting roof, erected in 1848-49, the Waterloo Township Hall, the land for which was donated by Frederick Gaukel. General public meetings were held in this hall, among others meetings purposing to have Berlin named as county town. After consummation of this a banquet was held in the hall, which was occasionally used for such purpose. The occasion of this particular banquet was the laying of the corner stone of the new county buildings in 1852. 100 guests were present and there were a number of patriotic toasts. Later the building was used as a printing office, the "Deutsche Canadier" and the "Telegraph" being printed there for a time. Eventually the building was remodelled and enlarged and became the Methodist Church. In 1904 the St. Matthews Lutheran congregation purchased the property and later the First English Lutheran Church, which still continues in the building.

Behind the present Kitchener Public Library, occupying the site of his ornamental garden, and still standing is Dr. Scott's residence, built in 1855. Henry Rothaermel was the contractor. Dr. Scott was the first warden of the county and first reeve of Berlin. After his death the house was occupied by M. C. Schofield who married Dr. Scott's widow. Later Israel Bowman, for many years county clerk and town clerk of Berlin, acquired the property and lived there.

Weber Street.

On the corner the Presbyterian Church first built 1860-61 at a size of 36 ft. by 50 ft., cost $4,500 and seating 175 persons. Rev. John McMeekin was an early minister.

A two-story red brick building lengthwise with Queen Street, built 1855-56, the house of H. S. Huber.

Simon Roy's house, also red brick, one and one-half story high, both of these houses were set back from the street. Mr. Roy was nurseryman and florist.

A one-story double house lengthwise with Queen Street.

Before Ahrens Street was continued westerly across Queen Street there was on the site a two-story unpainted weather-boarded building, the house of John Dopp.
frame building, similar to Dopp's, the house of Christina Bloch, a widow who lived there for many years.

A frame building, similar to Dopp's, but with gable facing Queen Street, the house of August Vetter, painter and paper-hanger.

A vacant lot later owned by Louis Breithaupt who built, on the corner of Margaret Avenue, a residence for Judge Lacourse.

Margaret Avenue.

On Margaret Avenue a short distance westerly from Queen Street was the Moxley farm with house and barn. The barn was later moved to Lexington by Henry Stroh who bought it to replace one that had been struck by lightning. On the corner of Ellen Street a brick house occupied in the early days by Rev. Mr. Savage, Methodist minister, and later by John Hoffman, Jr., a druggist.

Ellen Street.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

_______________

Queen Street South, West Side.

A frame building used as a tavern by Phineas Varnum and later the kitchen of the Gaukel Hotel.

A frame building erected by Frederick Gaukel about 1833 as shelter for the considerable number of immigrants coming to Berlin at that time. In 1837 it was made into a dwelling for John Stroh, uncle of Jacob Stroh. Two children were born in this building, Katie, in 1838, (she married Jacob Oswald, still living, now 93 years of age), and Henry Stroh, born in 1840.

Hall's Lane.

A brick building erected about 1850. John Klein, father of John Klein of Buffalo, was the first occupant. Later the building was used as a printing office, first by the "Berlin Chronicle", William Jaffray editor and proprietor, and later by the "Berliner Journal", Rittinger & Motz. The site is now occupied by the Lockhart garage.

The Franklin Hotel, a handsome, good-sized frame building, erected by Philip Roth about 1856. Successive hotel-keepers were John Klein, Levi Gaukel, Frederick Riegelman, who later moved to Buffalo, and Jacob Weber. Weber was occupant in 1874 when the hotel was burned down. The fire started in the barn at the rear of the hotel. The hotel shed, next south, extended, at right angles, from Queen Street to the barn.

A garden.

A one and one-half story frame building lengthwise with the street occupied by Christopher K. Nahrgang whose parents came from Hessen, Germany, about 1835. He was married to a Miss Zinkann of New Hamburg.

A stone building used as a tailor shop by Mr. Nahrgang who was deaf and dumb. His wife helped him in the business. She lived to be 87. It was in this building that John Motz of the "Journal" and eventually County Sheriff, learned the tailoring trade.

A one and one-half story dwelling, erected about 1857, occupied by George Fischer, barber, who had his shop on King Street. A later occupant was George Lutz, a cabinet maker in Hoffman's factory and after him Henry Schaefer's mother.

A frame building lengthwise with the street, the church of the Evangelical denomination, erected in 1841. In 1866 it was replaced by the brick building still standing, now used as stores and upstairs dwellings.

A one and one-half story frame building with kitchen at the rear erected by William Becking, wagonmaker, about 1848. Becking was noted as a hunter. White hare and passenger pigeons, practically extinct long ago, were abundant at that time.

Becking's wagon-shop and lumber yard at the corner of John Street with the customary incline and stair to the second story of the shop. Up this incline the wagons were drawn to the paint shop. Valentine Gildner, at the corner of King and Benton Streets, did the blacksmith work for Becking's wagons.

John Street.

A one and one-half story house occupied by H. Baedecker in 1860 and later by Adam Doering.

Rev. F. W. Tuerk's residence erected about 1860 by Henry Rothaermel, a carpenter. The matching and planing was all done by hand, slow but thorough work. Window sashes, panel doors and all other requirements were made in the same manner. A skilled workman at that time was expected to be able to do painting as well as carpenter work. A single room in the shape of a square turret on the ridge of the building was Rev. Tuerk's study. The house was up-hill about twenty feet above the street level so that the study on top gave a good outlook. The site is now occupied by the York Apartments.

A frame building one and one-half story high.

Nothing but a building used as an ashery between that and Joseph E. Schneider's house and farm buildings.


REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

Johan married Elizabeth Metz 17 Oct 1841, Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Elizabeth was born 30 Oct 1820, , Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany; was christened 1846, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 15 Feb 1894, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Rothaermel
• Name: Elizabeth Rothermel
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-26662
• Immigration: 6 Jul 1841, New York City, New York, USA.
• Residence: 1842, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1861, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; [Member of New Jersulem Religion]
• Residence: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Swedenborgian
• Residence: 1891, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Swedenborgian

Other Events:

• Name: John Stroh
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-79453
• Immigration: Sep 1837, New York City, New York, USA.

Notes:

How More German Families Were Brought In

At that stage there was a further influx of German hand-workers. In the main they came from Hesse, with sprinklings from Baden, Saxony. Mecklenburg, and other States. Woodworkers predominated. The Dorf however boasted a weaver, wagonmaker, hatmaker. a tailor (John Nahrgang), two shoemakers, and several carpenters, while Anselm Wagner, potter, made shilling crocks and flowerpots for the Hausfrau. A Dr. Klinkert was the first doctor.

The late Jacob Stroh of Waterloo told how one German family brought in another. John Nahrgang, for example, wrote to his friend, Yost Stroh, of Lehrbach, Hesse-Darmstadt, a small land-owner and wagonmaker, urging him to come over, saying that good land could be bought at a low price. Yost Stroh reflected that his sons would soon be of age and require to serve seven years in the army: scratched his head when he thought of the seven or eight kinds of taxes he had to pay, including a head tax and a church tax; and winced when here remembered that the authorities took every tenth sheaf of grain he grew. So he resolved on emigrating.

Mr. and Mrs. Stroh and their sons John, Conrad, Henry and Yost, Jr., after a Grüsz Gott from relatives, set out on a sailing ship in 1837. The perilous seas tossed them hither and yon for twelve weeks before they reached New York. There they boarded a steamer for Albany; rode to Oswego in a train that ran on wooden rails faced with iron; at Oswego embarked in a ship they thought was bound for Hamilton but which landed them in Toronto; returned by boat to Hamilton, and hired a Negro to drive them up to Preston; then had a Mr. Guggisburg bring them up to Berlin in a wagon. When the party stepped inside John Nahrgang's door their combined capital was nine cents. Work however was plentiful and the family soon became householders. Later on John bought a farm at Lexington for eight dollars an acre, and Conrad one at West Montrose for $2.00 an acre. Henry and Yost Jr. were apprenticed to shoemakers. Afterward Henry opened a shop in Schneider's Road where the Seiler and Saddler blocks now are. Henry married Frederick Gaukel's daughter Susannah, and Mr. Jacob Stroh was one of their sons.

A History of Kitchener, W. V. (Ben) Uttley, Kitchener, Ontario 1937 pg 39, 40

_________________________

It was reported that her husband YOST died by drowning in he mill pond in Bridgeport and was buried in the Lutheran Cemetery in Berlin.

Johann — Anna Catherine Hahn. Anna was born 20 Aug 1786, , Germany; died 28 May 1865, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Anna Catherine Stroh
• Name: Catherine Hahn
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-79454
• Immigration: Sep 1837, New York City, New York, USA.
• Residence: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Notes:

Residence:
Lived with her son Henry and his wife Susanna

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32541876
• Interesting: business, hotel, story, pioneer
• Name: Frederick Gaukel
• Residence: Lutheran
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-34480
• Birth: CALC 7 Jun 1785
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 005S, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Occupation: 1836, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; innkeeper
• Occupation: 1840, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1851, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; innkeeper
• Occupation: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; innkeeper
• Probate: 1853, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region: Bef 2012, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

GAUKEL, FRIEDRICH (Frederick), farmer and businessman; b. 7 June 1785 in Württemberg (Federal Republic of Germany); m. first c. 1813 Polly Kaufman (d. 1827), and they had four sons and three daughters; m. secondly Maria Roschang (d. 1834 of cholera); m. thirdly Dorothea Weikmillar; d. 8 Nov. 1853 in Berlin (Kitchener), Upper Canada.

Friedrich Gaukel's name appears among those of the German immigrants who arrived at Philadelphia from Holland aboard the Rebecca on 27 Aug. 1804. Along with other Württemberg natives, he may have been attracted to America by the publicity attending the exodus to Pennsylvania at this time of members of the charismatic sect led by the German lay preacher and weaver John George Rapp. According to a short biography published by Gaukel's grandson Jacob Stroh, he served for his passage money as a redemptioner on a farm near Philadelphia. He continued farming after his release from the indenture and by 1815 lived near Johnstown, Pa.

About 1820 Gaukel, a Lutheran, heard of the Mennonite migration from Pennsylvania to Upper Canada and decided to move there. After a trip of four weeks he arrived with his family in Waterloo Township, where he worked in a distillery until he bought a small farm near Bridgeport (Kitchener) and began operating a distillery of his own. After 1826 increasing numbers of Germans arrived in the region directly from Europe and settled largely in four townships: Wilmot, Waterloo, Woolwich, and Wellesley. Thus when the settlement of Ebytown began to expand, Germans, as well as Mennonites, were prominent in its development as a commercial centre. On 2 Nov. 1833 Gaukel purchased property there from Joseph Schneider* and from Benjamin Eby and moved into the settlement. The deeds for these transactions are the first on record referring to the community as Berlin.

Gaukel operated a tavern while awaiting the completion of a larger building which would meet the demands of the growing village. A public-spirited member of the community, he subscribed to the establishment of Heinrich Wilhelm Peterson's newspaper Canada Museum, und Allgemeine Zeitung in 1835, the year in which Gaukel's Inn (later known as the Commercial Hotel) opened to the public. For many years Gaukel and his third wife, also a native of Württemberg, hosted, in addition to the inn's daily commercial activities, various civic and political meetings, markets, and other public gatherings in this predominantly German-speaking community. The wide veranda of the inn was a favourite tribune for political candidates who addressed the citizenry assembled in the street.

In 1841 and 1846 Gaukel acquired additional property and as one of Berlin's leading landowners he took an active interest in its municipal development. He donated the land on which Waterloo Township Hall was built in 1848-49. Together with his friend Joseph Schneider and other early citizens, he had campaigned for the organization of Waterloo County, which took place in 1850, and he was much involved in promoting Berlin's selection as county seat in 1852. He provided land that year for the construction of a county court-house. In recognition of Gaukel's contributions, a grateful community named two of its early streets after him.

Klaus Wust

AO, RG 22, ser.214, Friedrich Gaukel. Kitchener Public Library (Kitchener, Ont.), "Gaukel family notes" (typescript). PAC, RG 31, A1, 1851, Waterloo Township, pt.4: 178. Waterloo North Land Registry Office (Kitchener), Abstract index to deeds, Berlin (mfm. at AO, GS 2958); Waterloo Township (mfm. at AO, GS 3023, GS 3027). Der Deutsche Canadier (Berlin [Kitchener]), 10 Nov. 1853. R. B. Strassburger, Pennsylvania German pioneers: a publication of the original lists of arrivals in the port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808, ed. W. J. Hinke (3v., Norristown, Pa., 1934), 3: 147. Gottlieb Leibbrandt, Little paradise: the saga of the German Canadians of Waterloo County, Ontario, 1800'96 1975 (Kitchener, 1980), 36, 38'96 51. Bill Moyer, Kitchener: yesterday revisited; an illustrated history (Burlington, Ont., 1979), 19'96 21, 27. W. V. Uttley, A history of Kitchener, Ontario (Kitchener, 1937; repr. [Waterloo, Ont., 1975]), 35, 37'96 38, 40'96 41, 71, 80, 83, 85, 88. Jacob Stroh, "Frederick Gaukel," Waterloo Hist. Soc., Annual report, 1928: 86'96 87; "Reminiscences of Berlin (now Kitchener)," Waterloo Hist. Soc., Annual report, 1930: 175'96 207; 1931: 274'96 84.


Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online 2000 University of Toronto/Université Laval

__________________

In 1800 Frederick Gaukel of Wurtemberg, Germany, arrived at Amsterdam too late to join a whaling expedition to the Arctic. Finding a sailing vessel going to Philadelphia, he allowed himself to be sold under the hammer to the highest bidder for a service period of three years, to pay for the voyage across the ocean. Eventually he was sold to a farmer.

Gaukel immigrated to Canada, arriving at Preston where he worked in a distillery. Later he moved to a small farm near Bridgeport and erected a log cabin and barn and a small distillery. In 1819 he moved to Berlin and in 1833 started Gaukel's Tavern, later the site of the Walper House.

Gaukel was a civic-minded citizen and donated the property bounded by Queen, Weber and Frederick Streets on which the 1852 County Building was erected. This building was demolished when the present County Building was erected in 1965. Two of Kitchener's streets, Frederick and Gaukel, bear his name.

Waterloo Region Hall of Fame

____________________

A-1-20 Frederick Gaukel: Last Will and Testament of Frederick Gaukel, of Berlin, Translated from the Original written in German.

…I, Frederick Gaukel, Tavern Keeper in Berlin, being, thanks be to God, in full possession of my powers of mind, do hereby appoint my last Will and Testament, in manner following. …My beloved wife Dorothee, a born Weismiller, shall of the loose goods and chattels left by me receive one cow according to her choice, two made up beds with bedsteads, one bureau, one house clock and necessary kitchen utensils. My Executors, shall directly after my demise, build for my beloved wife Dorothee, on the North side at the righthand of King Street, at Abraham Weber's Fence, a one story frame house with room, chamber, kitchen and cellar, twenty by twenty four feet wide, with a proper stable thereto, with one half an acre of land thereto, whereof she is to have quiet and peaceable possession as long as she lives. After her heath it shall be sold and the half part of the proceeds shall fall to the Relations and friends of my said widow, and the other half shall be divided amongst all my children in equal proportions. All my remaining momoveable and immovable, real and loose property, goods and chattels, shall by my hereinafter named Executors, after previous three times repeated public advertisement, be sold by Public Auction to the highest bidder…My son George shall receive two hundred dollars more, which are to be taken out of the portion of my daughter Elizabeth, a married Ahrens. For Executors of this my last Will and Testament I chose nominate and appoint hereby, my son Levi, butcher in Berlin, Waterloo Township, and my son-in-law Henry Stroh of Berlin, Waterloo Township, Shoemaker…

Witnesses George Seip and Paul Schmitt
Will date 10 January 1849
Proved and Insinuated 15 November 1853
No inventory amount
Died 8 November 1853
Translated by Christian. Enslin, N.P.

Wills of Waterloo County Register A 1853-1871, transcribed by Frances Hoffman

____________________________

Shortly after the arrival of Mr. Hailer, Frederick Gaukel bought the Varnum tavern site. He was native in Wuertemberg, and first had owned a distillery and farm at Bridgeport. On November 2, 1833, he bought lots that lay from near the Walper House corner up to Ontario Street from Joseph Schneider. Mr. Gaukel bought also a block of land on the north side of King Street, between Queen and Ontario Streets, from Bishop Eby, and a small triangle on the corner of King and. Ontario Streets, to complete the Block, from Joseph Schneider.

Bishop Eby, accompanied by Joseph Schneider, named the Dorf, Berlin. The date is uncertain, but Mr. Hailer's deed of May. 1833, describes Six acre as being in Waterloo Township; whilst Mr. Gaukel's deed of November 2, 1833, says his purchase lay in Berlin The assumption is that the place was named Berlin in the summer of 1833.

Mr. Gaukel built a large frame hotel near the Walser House corner in 1835. It had stables in the rear and a driving-shed on the Bank of Montreal corner. At Gaukel's, a meal was Sold far fifteen cents and a glass of beer for three cents. There the householders of Berlin and the Township paid their taxes, and there they nominated candidates for the Wellington District Council.
Afterward Mr. Gaukel bought additional lands in West King Street, up to Gaukel Street, which was named for him. He bought also a strip in Schneider's Road, bordering the Walper corner, from Joseph E. Schneider; and lands in East Weber Street, including the courthouse site.

A History of Kitchener, W. V. (Ben) Uttley, Kitchener, Ontario 1937, pg 35-6

____________________

King Street Kitchener

"Gaukel to Foundry Street (now Ontario Street).-After a vacant lot on the corner there was a one and one-half storey frame building with gable facing King Street, occupied by the late Frederick Gaukel in 1852 and 53, when he died there. The building was later moved to the corner and used by Mr. Woelfle as a plough shop. After Mr. Gaukel's death his executors built a one and one-half storey brick house for his widow next to the house just mentioned. This brick house was taken down by Messrs. Brown & Erb who built their glove factory on the site."

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) BY JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

_________________________

King Street, Kitchener

Next, well back and at the bottom of a slope from King Street, was the back of Gaukel's Hotel, extending back to Hall's Lane.

Gaukel's was the first considerable Hotel in Berlin. Frederick Gaukel, who had come from Pennsylvania in 1820, purchased a tract of lots in 1833 from Joseph Schneider on the westerly corner of Queen and King Streets, the site formerly occupied by Phineas Vemum's blacksmith shop, and thereon erected a two story frame building with a wide Colonial style veranda. Candidates at election spoke from this veranda to the crowd on the street, and it had other like uses. The little house standing in the rear, which Phineas Varnum had used for a tavern, was used as a kitchen. The hotel woodshed came next. It was a frame building.

When judges came to Berlin for County Court they stayed at this hotel and Henry Stroh would be asked to forage for speckled trout and partridge, Mr. Gaukel wishing to place something special before his distinguished guests. In 1851 Gaukel had a bear tied by a chain to a post in the barnyard on King Street. There was a cross board on top of the post to which the bear could climb and become a public exhibition. In the early years Indians, wrapped in their government blankets, were in the habit of calling at the house for something to eat. The woods along the Conestoga River abounded in butternuts and these, gathered in the fall, served to entertain the guests on Sunday afternoons. Henry Bachman was an early bartender at the hotel.

Frederick Gaukel died in 1853. His son George thereafter had the hotel for one year, paying $140.00 rent to the Estate. James Potter, who came from Bridgeport, then bought the place and changed its name to The Great Western Hotel. He took down the heavy colonial veranda and replaced it with a new one of iron posts and iron railings. The veranda continued to be a rostrum for political orators. Hon. Michael Hamilton Foley, Post Master General, and Mr. I. E. Bowman, for many years Member of Parliament for North Waterloo, spoke from it. Potter had a large swinging sign on a post at the corner facing King Street. On a windy day 'the squeak of the swinging sign could be heard throughout the village. On the sign were the proprietor's name, the name of the hotel and a picture of The Great Eastern Steamship, by far the largest ship of its time.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

___________________

Queen Street North, West Side

Gaukel's well at the corner of the hotel shed, the corner being later built up as the Bowman Block, now the Bank of Montreal.

A brick warehouse belonging to the corner store of the Bowman Block. First occupants of this store were Bowman and Heins, later H. S, Huber and then by Huber and Roy.

Opposite the Breithaupt leather store stood a one-story brick building, Dr. Pipe's surgery and later Dr. Wright's.

A two-storey brick house lengthwise with Queen Street and with veranda on two sides, the veranda a few steps above the ground, occupied by Henry Schaefer. In 1871 Dr. Pipe lived in this house. Among other things Dr. Pipe kept bees, although he was quite afraid of them. Dr. Pipe and Henry Stroh succeeded in bringing the first Italian queen bee to this part of the country.

A lane.

A handsome brick house, gable roof, lengthwise with the street, the corners faced with limestone from Guelph, erected by Joseph Hobson, the surveyer, in 1860. Hobson eventually was Chief Engineer of the Great Western Railway and when that was merged with the Grand Trunk he became Chief Engineer of the latter Company and was among other things Chief Engineer of the Sarnia tunnel. Alexander MacPherson, editor and publisher of the Berlin Telegraph, later lived in the house. The site is now occupied by the head office of the Economical Fire Insurance Company.

A two-story red frame building well back from the street built probably before 1850 by Peter Eby, identified with the "Deutsche Canadier" and with the early days of the "Telegraph". Dr. Eggert, homeopath, lived in the house 1859-1860 and later John Klippert, high constable and county bailiff.

One and a half story brick building at the corner of Duke and Queen Streets occupied by a Mr. Von Ebenau and wife and later for a number of years by Michael Jaehle, a blacksmith. The site is now occupied by the Daily Record building.

Duke Street.

A large handsome building trimmed with cut stone built in 1860 by David S. Shoemaker of Bridgeport who was county registrar, The building was intended for a bank and agent's residence and so used first by the Commercial Bank which failed and later by the Merchants Bank of which R. N, Rogers was agent for a number of years. Some time later Dr. H. S. Lackner acquired the property and used it as residence and surgery. After Dr. Lackner's death the property was sold to the present occupants, the Langleys of Toronto.

building, colonial style, with large posts at the front carrying the projecting roof, erected in 1848-49, the Waterloo Township Hall, the land for which was donated by Frederick Gaukel. General public meetings were held in this hall, among others meetings purposing to have Berlin named as county town. After consummation of this a banquet was held in the hall, which was occasionally used for such purpose. The occasion of this particular banquet was the laying of the corner stone of the new county buildings in 1852. 100 guests were present and there were a number of patriotic toasts. Later the building was used as a printing office, the "Deutsche Canadier" and the "Telegraph" being printed there for a time. Eventually the building was remodelled and enlarged and became the Methodist Church. In 1904 the St. Matthews Lutheran congregation purchased the property and later the First English Lutheran Church, which still continues in the building.

Behind the present Kitchener Public Library, occupying the site of his ornamental garden, and still standing is Dr. Scott's residence, built in 1855. Henry Rothaermel was the contractor. Dr. Scott was the first warden of the county and first reeve of Berlin. After his death the house was occupied by M. C. Schofield who married Dr. Scott's widow. Later Israel Bowman, for many years county clerk and town clerk of Berlin, acquired the property and lived there.

Weber Street.

On the corner the Presbyterian Church first built 1860-61 at a size of 36 ft. by 50 ft., cost $4,500 and seating 175 persons. Rev. John McMeekin was an early minister.

A two-story red brick building lengthwise with Queen Street, built 1855-56, the house of H. S. Huber.

Simon Roy's house, also red brick, one and one-half story high, both of these houses were set back from the street. Mr. Roy was nurseryman and florist.

A one-story double house lengthwise with Queen Street.

Before Ahrens Street was continued westerly across Queen Street there was on the site a two-story unpainted weather-boarded building, the house of John Dopp.
frame building, similar to Dopp's, the house of Christina Bloch, a widow who lived there for many years.

A frame building, similar to Dopp's, but with gable facing Queen Street, the house of August Vetter, painter and paper-hanger.

A vacant lot later owned by Louis Breithaupt who built, on the corner of Margaret Avenue, a residence for Judge Lacourse.

Margaret Avenue.

On Margaret Avenue a short distance westerly from Queen Street was the Moxley farm with house and barn. The barn was later moved to Lexington by Henry Stroh who bought it to replace one that had been struck by lightning. On the corner of Ellen Street a brick house occupied in the early days by Rev. Mr. Savage, Methodist minister, and later by John Hoffman, Jr., a druggist.

Ellen Street.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

_________________

Queen Street North, West Side

Gaukel's well at the corner of the hotel shed, the corner being later built up as the Bowman Block, now the Bank of Montreal.

A brick warehouse belonging to the corner store of the Bowman Block. First occupants of this store were Bowman and Heins, later H. S, Huber and then by Huber and Roy.

Opposite the Breithaupt leather store stood a one-story brick building, Dr. Pipe's surgery and later Dr. Wright's.

A two-storey brick house lengthwise with Queen Street and with veranda on two sides, the veranda a few steps above the ground, occupied by Henry Schaefer. In 1871 Dr. Pipe lived in this house. Among other things Dr. Pipe kept bees, although he was quite afraid of them. Dr. Pipe and Henry Stroh succeeded in bringing the first Italian queen bee to this part of the country.

A lane.

A handsome brick house, gable roof, lengthwise with the street, the corners faced with limestone from Guelph, erected by Joseph Hobson, the surveyer, in 1860. Hobson eventually was Chief Engineer of the Great Western Railway and when that was merged with the Grand Trunk he became Chief Engineer of the latter Company and was among other things Chief Engineer of the Sarnia tunnel. Alexander MacPherson, editor and publisher of the Berlin Telegraph, later lived in the house. The site is now occupied by the head office of the Economical Fire Insurance Company.

A two-story red frame building well back from the street built probably before 1850 by Peter Eby, identified with the "Deutsche Canadier" and with the early days of the "Telegraph". Dr. Eggert, homeopath, lived in the house 1859-1860 and later John Klippert, high constable and county bailiff.

One and a half story brick building at the corner of Duke and Queen Streets occupied by a Mr. Von Ebenau and wife and later for a number of years by Michael Jaehle, a blacksmith. The site is now occupied by the Daily Record building.

Duke Street.

A large handsome building trimmed with cut stone built in 1860 by David S. Shoemaker of Bridgeport who was county registrar, The building was intended for a bank and agent's residence and so used first by the Commercial Bank which failed and later by the Merchants Bank of which R. N, Rogers was agent for a number of years. Some time later Dr. H. S. Lackner acquired the property and used it as residence and surgery. After Dr. Lackner's death the property was sold to the present occupants, the Langleys of Toronto.

building, colonial style, with large posts at the front carrying the projecting roof, erected in 1848-49, the Waterloo Township Hall, the land for which was donated by Frederick Gaukel. General public meetings were held in this hall, among others meetings purposing to have Berlin named as county town. After consummation of this a banquet was held in the hall, which was occasionally used for such purpose. The occasion of this particular banquet was the laying of the corner stone of the new county buildings in 1852. 100 guests were present and there were a number of patriotic toasts. Later the building was used as a printing office, the "Deutsche Canadier" and the "Telegraph" being printed there for a time. Eventually the building was remodelled and enlarged and became the Methodist Church. In 1904 the St. Matthews Lutheran congregation purchased the property and later the First English Lutheran Church, which still continues in the building.

Behind the present Kitchener Public Library, occupying the site of his ornamental garden, and still standing is Dr. Scott's residence, built in 1855. Henry Rothaermel was the contractor. Dr. Scott was the first warden of the county and first reeve of Berlin. After his death the house was occupied by M. C. Schofield who married Dr. Scott's widow. Later Israel Bowman, for many years county clerk and town clerk of Berlin, acquired the property and lived there.

Weber Street.

On the corner the Presbyterian Church first built 1860-61 at a size of 36 ft. by 50 ft., cost $4,500 and seating 175 persons. Rev. John McMeekin was an early minister.

A two-story red brick building lengthwise with Queen Street, built 1855-56, the house of H. S. Huber.

Simon Roy's house, also red brick, one and one-half story high, both of these houses were set back from the street. Mr. Roy was nurseryman and florist.

A one-story double house lengthwise with Queen Street.

Before Ahrens Street was continued westerly across Queen Street there was on the site a two-story unpainted weather-boarded building, the house of John Dopp.
frame building, similar to Dopp's, the house of Christina Bloch, a widow who lived there for many years.

A frame building, similar to Dopp's, but with gable facing Queen Street, the house of August Vetter, painter and paper-hanger.

A vacant lot later owned by Louis Breithaupt who built, on the corner of Margaret Avenue, a residence for Judge Lacourse.

Margaret Avenue.

On Margaret Avenue a short distance westerly from Queen Street was the Moxley farm with house and barn. The barn was later moved to Lexington by Henry Stroh who bought it to replace one that had been struck by lightning. On the corner of Ellen Street a brick house occupied in the early days by Rev. Mr. Savage, Methodist minister, and later by John Hoffman, Jr., a druggist.

Ellen Street.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

____________________________

Queen Street South, West Side.

A frame building used as a tavern by Phineas Varnum and later the kitchen of the Gaukel Hotel.

A frame building erected by Frederick Gaukel about 1833 as shelter for the considerable number of immigrants coming to Berlin at that time. In 1837 it was made into a dwelling for John Stroh, uncle of Jacob Stroh. Two children were born in this building, Katie, in 1838, (she married Jacob Oswald, still living, now 93 years of age), and Henry Stroh, born in 1840.

Hall's Lane.

A brick building erected about 1850. John Klein, father of John Klein of Buffalo, was the first occupant. Later the building was used as a printing office, first by the "Berlin Chronicle", William Jaffray editor and proprietor, and later by the "Berliner Journal", Rittinger & Motz. The site is now occupied by the Lockhart garage.

The Franklin Hotel, a handsome, good-sized frame building, erected by Philip Roth about 1856. Successive hotel-keepers were John Klein, Levi Gaukel, Frederick Riegelman, who later moved to Buffalo, and Jacob Weber. Weber was occupant in 1874 when the hotel was burned down. The fire started in the barn at the rear of the hotel. The hotel shed, next south, extended, at right angles, from Queen Street to the barn.

A garden.

A one and one-half story frame building lengthwise with the street occupied by Christopher K. Nahrgang whose parents came from Hessen, Germany, about 1835. He was married to a Miss Zinkann of New Hamburg.

A stone building used as a tailor shop by Mr. Nahrgang who was deaf and dumb. His wife helped him in the business. She lived to be 87. It was in this building that John Motz of the "Journal" and eventually County Sheriff, learned the tailoring trade.

A one and one-half story dwelling, erected about 1857, occupied by George Fischer, barber, who had his shop on King Street. A later occupant was George Lutz, a cabinet maker in Hoffman's factory and after him Henry Schaefer's mother.

A frame building lengthwise with the street, the church of the Evangelical denomination, erected in 1841. In 1866 it was replaced by the brick building still standing, now used as stores and upstairs dwellings.

A one and one-half story frame building with kitchen at the rear erected by William Becking, wagonmaker, about 1848. Becking was noted as a hunter. White hare and passenger pigeons, practically extinct long ago, were abundant at that time.

Becking's wagon-shop and lumber yard at the corner of John Street with the customary incline and stair to the second story of the shop. Up this incline the wagons were drawn to the paint shop. Valentine Gildner, at the corner of King and Benton Streets, did the blacksmith work for Becking's wagons.

John Street.

A one and one-half story house occupied by H. Baedecker in 1860 and later by Adam Doering.

Rev. F. W. Tuerk's residence erected about 1860 by Henry Rothaermel, a carpenter. The matching and planing was all done by hand, slow but thorough work. Window sashes, panel doors and all other requirements were made in the same manner. A skilled workman at that time was expected to he able to do painting as well as carpenter work. A single room in the shape of a square turret on the ridge of the building was Rev. Tuerk's study. The house was up-hill about twenty feet above the street level so that the study on top gave a good outlook. The site is now occupied by the York Apartments.

A frame building one and one-half story high.

Nothing but a building used as an ashery between that and Joseph E. Schneider's house and farm buildings.


REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

Friedrich — Polly Kaufman. Polly was born Abt 1790, Of, Pennsylvania; died Abt 1827, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Maria Kaufman
• Name: Polly Gaukel
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-44891