Ian H. MacDonald

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-141449

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-141446

Isaac married Adeline Yager Ratz 6 Jan 1914, Kintore, Oxford Co., Ontario. Adeline (daughter of Hon. Valentine Henry Ratz and Mary Yager) was born 4 Mar 1880, Huron Twp., Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada; died 1963; was buried , Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Adeline Yager MacDonald
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-85844
• Residence: 1911, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical Association

Other Events:

• Interesting: politics
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-181371P
• Residence: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Other M.
• Occupation: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Saw
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Wesleyan Methodist
• Elected Office: 1896; MP of Huron County
• Occupation: 1911, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; ? - Government
• Residence: 1911, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical Association

Notes:

VALENTINE RATZ. (North Middlesex.) Valentine Ratz was born at St. Jacobs, County of Waterloo, November 12, 1848, and educated at Pine Hill Public School. He is a grandson of Valentine Ratz, who emigrated from Germany and settled on the site of the present town of Waterloo, Ont. His father, Jacob Ratz, was formerly an extensive lumberman in the Township of Wilmot, County of Waterloo, The subject of our sketch unites the occupation of lumberman with that of farmer. He is President of the South River Lumber Co. of Parry Sound Dist. He was married on February 13, 1873, to Miss Mary Yager, of New Hamburg. In 1879 he entered the Municipal Council of the Township of Stephen, and has successively filled the offices of Deputy Reeve and Reeve. He was also elected Warden of the County of Huron in 1886. He was first returned to Parliament at the general elections of 1896. A Liberal. Mount Carmel, O.

Personnel of the Senate and House of Commons, Eighth Parliament of Canada Elected June 23, 1896, Portraits and Biographies of the Members, Montreal, John Lovell & son 1898, pg 191

Valentine married Mary Yager 13 Feb 1873, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of Conrad Yager and Marie Wilker) was born 19 Dec 1847, North Easthope Twp., Perth Co., Ontario, Canada; died 31 Oct 1934, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Ratz
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-181372P
• Residence: 1911, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical Association

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• Name: Jacob Ratz
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-75268P
• Immigration: 1828, , Canada
• Immigration: 1828, , Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1848, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Residence: 1848, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Occupation: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Saw Miller
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Other M
• Occupation: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer & Saw
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Wesleyan Methodist
• Occupation: 1881, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Occupation: 1911, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Income
• Residence: 1911, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical Association

Notes:

THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE

An interesting meeting took place the Saturday before last in the old log cabin in Waterloo Park.

This house was, of course, the first schoolhouse in this area and stood originally on the school-house square at the corner of King and Church Streets in Waterloo. It was built in 1820 and served its purpose until 1842, when it was torn down and a 1-storey stone house was constructed on the site. The dismantled log house was erected again in Greenbush and served as a residence for a long time for the coloured man, Mr. Carroll and his family. In the course of this year, the Waterloo Park Commissioners purchased the house, moved it to their park and furnished it again as it was when it was a school-house.

At this gathering, in addition to many other ladies and gentlemen, the following (male and female) former pupils attended, took their places on the benches, and were called to order by the 82-year-old teacher, Benjamin Burkholder, who held the scepter, or rather, the switch, from 1831 to 1842 in the old log-house: Joel Guth, 80 years old; Abraham Scherk, Blair, 79; Jakob Bricker, Waterloo, 77; Sarah Burkholder, nee Erb, Bridgeport, 75; Amos Weber, Berlin, 73; John C, Bricker, Hawksville, 71; Maria Erb, nee Quickfall, Norwich 69; David B. Eby, Waterloo, 69; Wendel Baumann, Woolwich, 68; Henry Stauffer, Erbsville, 67; Simon Beatty, Elmira, 67; Jakob Ratz, New Hamburg, 67; Israel Baumann, Berlin, 65; George Elbert, Moorefield, 63; George H. Baumann, Elmira, 63; John Devitt, Waterloo, 62; Richard Quickfall, Bridgeport, 62; Isaak Hoffmann, Waterloo, 61; Robert Barkwell, Peel, 60; Diana McMahon, nee Dekay, Berlin, 60; Thomas Quickfall, Floradale, 60; Benjamin Devitt, Waterloo, 60; Isaak Devitt, Floradale, 58; John Longmann, Peel, 57. In addition, to these, the teacher read the names of 25 pupils from the roll; they were, however, absent.

Mr. Burkholder gave an interesting talk about the history of the old school-house, and after him, Rev. J.A. MacLachlan, Rev. J. McNair, Mr. J.E. Baumann, M.P., and Mr. Jakob Ratz spoke about the old days which brought many things out of the past to mind again. School was, as a rule, only in session in winter and the costs were borne by the parents of the children. There were few subjects taught, namely: Reading, Writing and Sums. The children heard little about language, and geography; no child had more than 2 or 3 books. The predominant language was German. The pupils learned to read and write English, but didn't understand a word of it. Among the teachers in the old school-house from 1820-1842, with the exception of Mr. Burkholder, were the following whose names are still recognized: Jephtha DeKay, Joseph Guth, John Herringer, Peter Otto, John Dobbin, Elias Eby, Robert Barber, & Joseph Eby.

After those present, on hearing the various speeches felt themselves transported back to the past, the school was closed at four o'clock and the pupils were gathered together in front of the school and photographed as a group. On their return into the school, they found it had been transformed into a dining room with heavily-laden tables, which the old-timers thoroughly enjoyed. After everyone had chatted cordially for a while longer, the gathering broke up. The company will not meet again in complete numbers, nor in such a way.

Berliner Journal September 26, 1895 Page 4 Column 4

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THE RATZ BROS.

It has always been my custom in writing up the industries of a community to first direct attention to its flouring mills, because from them is derived the staff of life, without which we would find a precarious subsistence. No other industry is of greater importance to the merchants, mechanics and inhabitants in general. In this particular, Elmira has a first-class establishment in the Elmira Roller Mills, owned and operated by the above well known firm. These mills were established in 1867 by a joint stock company. Sometime about the year 1870 they became the property of the late John Ratz, the father of the members of the present firm, in company with his brother Jacob. The latter is now living in New Hamburg, having withdrawn from the firm in 1872. His interest was then purchased by Isaac Wenger, it then being conducted under the firm name of Ratz & Wenger from 1872 to 1875, when Mr. Ratz became sole proprietor and operated the same until 1882, after which he gave his sons an interest in the business. It continued under the firm of Ratz & Sons until 1889, when the senior member of the firm died. The latter was a man honorable and prominent in the estimation of all who knew him, being both charitable and public spirited in every sense of the term. He was one of the first Reeves of the village and one of the main advocates of the railroad project for Elmira, and was prominent among those who rendered substantial encouragement to the movement that gave to the village its first railroad communication. Since his death the mills have been owned and operated by his three sons, Simon H. Daniel and George. They were among the first in the county to adopt the full roller process, and now have a capacity for turning out one hundred barrels of a superior grade of flour per day. A 75 horse power engine supplies the motive power. Their special brands are, viz, "Elmira" and "Sunshine," which are popular products in the market. They have an extensive local trade and a large demand in the maritime Provinces for their output.

They also buy and pay the highest market price for all the wheat that comes to their doors. In addition to the flouring mills the firm has a sawmill in connection, in which they do a large amount of custom sawing for the farmers of many miles around, besides manufacturing the heading, staves and hoops for their flour barrels. They also manufacture a first-class grade of shingles. Elmira's splendid electric light system is furnished by this firm, their plant having a capacity for producing 500 incandescent lights for that purpose. The brilliant, steady illumination of the town at night is ample proof that they are furnishing a first class article and giving the people good satisfaction. The Ratz Bros were all born within a mile and a half of Elmira and are among her honorable, industrious and enterprising citizens. The amount of money they pay out to the farmers annually is high in the thousands.

Waterloo County Chronicle 27 Jan 1898, p. 1, 2, 3

John married Marie Opfer 30 May 1848, Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Marie (daughter of Opper and Catherine) was born 23 May 1827, , Germany; died 27 Oct 1905; was buried , Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Marie Ratz
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-85842P
• Immigration: 1847, , Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1848, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Other M
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Wesleyan Methodist

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• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-38296

Conrad — Marie Wilker. Marie was born Abt 1817, , Germany; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

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• Name: Marie Yager
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-38407