Gene Sittler

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202971529
• Name: Gene Ruppel
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-183279

Notes:

Obituary of Gene Ruppel

Gene passed away in the loving arms of Ross, her beloved husband of 55 years, on Sunday, December 23, 2018, at the age of 76 years.

Loved mother of Kim (Derek) Doidge and Chris (Jill) Ruppel. Loving grandmother of Cassy (Brad) and Erik.

Predeceased by her parents Henry and Roxie (Grischow) Sittler and her newly found biological sister Sharon St. Louis.

Gene was a lifelong member of St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Jacobs and was a volunteer with the Ladies Group of the St. Jacobs Lions Club. She was active in her community and enjoyed helping with Brownies, playing Ringette, painting and creating crafts, jewellery and greeting cards. Since 2001, Gene and Ross had a lot of fun square dancing together. She was a floral designer and had worked at Raymond's Flower Shop, Flowers and Fancies, Julie's Flowers, and IC Flowers.

At Gene's request cremation has taken place. A memorial visitation will take place on Friday, December 28, 2018 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Dreisinger Funeral Home, 62 Arthur St. S., Elmira. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 29, 2018 at 11 a.m. at St. James Lutheran Church, 1407 King St. N., St. Jacobs.

As expressions of sympathy, donations to St. James Lutheran Church, St. Jacobs, or St. Mary's Hospital Foundation would be appreciated.

"Obituary Of Gene Ruppel | Dreisinger Funeral Home Ltd.". 2022. Dreisingerfuneralhome.Com. https://dreisingerfuneralhome.com/tribute/details/1273/Gene-Ruppel/obituary.html.

Gene — Ross Ruppel. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203025527
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-162231
• Residence: 1911, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1921, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1973, St. Jacobs, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Henry — Roxie Irene Grischow. Roxie (daughter of Noah C. Grischow and Lucy Henrietta "Harriett" Bartholomew) was born 10 May 1906, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 19 Jul 2001, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Saint James Lutheran Cemetery, St. Jacobs, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203025569
• Name: Roxie Irene Sittler
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-244186
• Residence: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Notes:

Passed away, on Thursday, July 19, 2001, at St. Mary's General Hospital, formerly of St. Jacobs. Wife of the late Henry Sittler. Beloved mother of Gene Ruppel and her husband Ross of St. Jacobs; proud grandmother of Kim Doidge and her husband Derek of Waterloo and Chris Ruppel and his wife Krista of St. Jacobs; cherished great- grandmother of Cassy and Erik. Predeceased by her brothers, Ford, Noah, Thomas and Elmer.

Edward R. Good Funeral Home, Waterloo, Ontario

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72491430
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-116874
• Occupation: 1911, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1911, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1921, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1921, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1923, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer

Notes:

JOSIAH SITTLER

Josiah Sittler, 88, died Wednesday, June 7, at Martin's Rest Home, Elmira, after a brief illness.

Born in Wallace Township May 10, 1873, he was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Sittler.

He farmed in Hawkesville for the past 30 years.

Mr. Sittler married Lydia Frey in 1901, and she died the following year, In 1903 he married Veronica Martin, who died in 1922. He married Rachel Wagler in 1923. She survives.


Also surviving are three sons, Henry of St. Jacobs, William of Elmira and Josiah of Britton; two daughters, Mrs. Wesley (Elvina) Metzger of Elmira and Elizabeth of Wallenstein; a brother, Noah of Hawkesville; a sister Mrs. Isiah Gregory of Yatton; five grandchilren and six great-grandchildren.

The body was at the Dreisinger Funeral Home Elmira until Friday when removal was made to the home of Noah Sittler, Hawkesville. Memorial service was conducted there Friday, and then at the South Peel Mennonite Meeting House. Burial was in the adjoining cemetery.

The Elmira Signet 14 Jun 1961 pg 5

Josiah — Veronica "Fanny" Martin. Veronica (daughter of Henry B. Martin and Christiana Frey) was born 21 Sep 1868, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 19 Sep 1921; was buried , South Peel Mennonite Cemetery, Peel Township, Wellington Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72491564
• Name: Fanny Martin
• Name: Fronica Martin
• Name: Veronica "Fanny" Sittler
• Eby ID Number: 00075-4579.5
• Residence: 1871, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1881, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1911, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1921, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00023-1802.3
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Occupation: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Miller
• Occupation: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer, Farm
• Residence: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Noah married Lucy Henrietta "Harriett" Bartholomew 20 Nov 1901, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Lucy (daughter of Martin Thomas Bartholomew and Sarah L. Lesham) was born 15 Nov 1880, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1945; was buried , Pioneer Park Mennonite Cemetery, [formerly Weber Mennonite Biehn Drive Cemetery] Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Etta Bartholomew
• Name: Harriet Bartholomew
• Name: Henrietta Bartholomew
• Name: Lucy Henrietta "Harriett" Grischow
• Name: Lucy Henrietta "Harriett" Holt
• Eby ID Number: 00023-1802.44
• Residence: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/222219470
• Eby ID Number: 00114-7222
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1881, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Labourer
• Occupation: 1901, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Labourer

Notes:

John Sitler, "was born July 29th, 1847, and is married to Lydia Gingerich. They reside on a farm near Hawksville, Ontario."

Eby, Ezra E. (1895). A biographical history of Waterloo township and other townships of the county: being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character. Berlin [Kitchener, Ont.]: [s.n.].

___________________

The remains of John Sittler, Hawkesville, were interred at the Mennonite burial grounds here on Sunday, the 9^th inst. Mr. Sittler had lived for many years in the vicinity of Hawkesville and was a familiar figure to everyone. His death took place, on the morning of Oct. 7^th, from heart failure. Deceased was 57 years, 2 months 22 days old. The sympathy of the community is extended to the bereaved wife and family.

Elmira Signet 13 Oct 1904

John — Lydia Gingerich. Lydia (daughter of David Gingerich and Lydia Weber) was born 30 Aug 1849, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 30 Nov 1932, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , South Peel Mennonite Cemetery, Peel Township, Wellington Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/222219675
• Name: Lydia Sittler
• Eby ID Number: 00039-3171
• Occupation: 1911, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Income
• Residence: 1911, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Lydia Gingerich, "is married to John Sitler, a farmer. They reside in Wellesley township, near Wallenstein P. O."

Eby, Ezra E. (1895). A biographical history of Waterloo township and other townships of the county: being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character. Berlin [Kitchener, Ont.]: [s.n.].

Other Events:

• Name: Heinrich B. Martin
• Eby ID Number: 00075-4579
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1863, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1871, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1871, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1881, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1881, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1901, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1911, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Henry B. Martin, "the second son, was born April 24th, 1837. He was married to Christiana Fry. They reside in Wellesley Township, near Wallenstein P.O., where he follows farming. Their family consists of eight children"


Eby, Ezra E. (1895). A biographical history of Waterloo township and other townships of the county: being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character. Berlin [Kitchener, Ont.]: [s.n.].

Henry married Christiana Frey 31 Mar 1863, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Christiana (daughter of Johannes "John" Frey and Katharina "Catherine" Schneider) was born 25 Mar 1841, , Baden, Germany; died 2 Mar 1914, near, Wallenstein, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , South Peel Mennonite Cemetery, Peel Township, Wellington Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Christiana Martin
• Eby ID Number: 00075-4579.1
• Immigration: 1843
• Residence: 1863, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1871, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1881, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1911, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Other Events:

• Name: Frederick Grischow
• Eby ID Number: 00023-1802.1
• Immigration: 1860, , Canada
• Immigration: 1868, , Canada
• Naturalization: 1876, , Canada
• Naturalization: 1878
• Occupation: 1878, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; labourer
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Occupation: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farm Laborer
• Residence: 1921, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Notes:

Rsrch. Note:
Lydia Clemens was born in Williamsburg, Waterloo County, and Fred Grischow in the northern region of Germany called Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Fred immigrated to Canada in 1868 and became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1878.
Frederick's birth year is a bit unclear. Three sources peg his birth year at 1845: the 1881 census says he is 36 years old, his first marriage registration in 1873 says 28 years old, and his second marriage registration in 1878 says 33 years old. The 1901 census states he was born May 4, 1840. His death registration says he was born May 4, 1837 and his tombstone says 1837-1923. Assuming his death record is correct, it seems his birth year got earlier as Fred got older. Of course, as an immigrant whose birth record was back in Germany, it would be hard for any of his peers to double-check. It could be that Fred initially wanted people to think he was younger than he really was.
Lydia Clemens' birth record was discovered in New York State in the 1960s. There was a collection of documents owned by a rare book dealer that originally belonged to Thomas Saunders, the Clerk of the Peace during the 1840s for Wellington District, Upper Canada. The documents were purchased by A. Leone Hinds, who transcribed them and donated the originals to public archives in Ontario.
Waterloo County was part of Wellington District in those days. Some of the documents were letters from church ministers complying with the new requirement to submit lists annually for all births, marriages, and deaths that they presided over in their congregations. Many from Waterloo County were from the Mennonite Bishop Benjamin Eby. One birth record was the following:
May 8, 1848, Abraham D. Clemens, Veronica formerly Shantz, a daughter.
p. 19, Waterloo County Marriages, Births and Burials, 1840-1849 as Recorded in Wellington District by the Clerk of the Peace Thomas Saunders, compiled by A. Leone Hinds, Waterloo-Wellington Branch of the Ont. Genealogical Society, June 1992.
That was the entire official record of Lydia Clemen's arrival. Notice that in those early days of collecting vital statistics, the baby's name was not even included in the birth record!

Family Life
On Jan. 12, 1873, Frederick and Lydia were married by Jacob Hoelsche, a Lutheran minister. Both are residents in Lydia's birthplace, Williamsburg, Waterloo Twp., a small hamlet south-west of Berlin. Fred is a farmer.
On their marriage record, both bride and groom are listed as being Lutheran, although Lydia was raised Mennonite. They seem to have raised their family Lutheran without completely losing Lydia's ties to the Mennonite church. Both of them were eventually buried at First Mennonite cemetery, and daughter Mary would eventually marry a Mennonite (Leander Snider).
Six months after Fred and Lydia married, on June 20, 1873 son Noah C. was born. The "C." likely stood for Christoph, after Fred's father. Mary Lydia came on Feb. 5, 1877. At this time, the family is still in Waterloo Twp., and Fred is a labourer, likely a farm hand.
Ezra Eby, writing in his Biographical History of Waterloo Township in 1895, records a third child of Fred and Lydia, Susannah, but with no birthdate. He lists her first, but it is unlikely she could've been born before Noah given how soon he was born after his parents' wedding. She may have been a twin to Noah, or may have been born between Noah and Mary. There is no birth record for Susannah, but neither is there one for Noah as it was just after mandatory birth registrations had been introduced. She is not listed with the family in the 1881 census, nor is there any death record for her. If Susannah Grischow did exist, she apparently lived a short life.
Shortly after Mary's birth in 1877, the family moved from Waterloo Twp. to Wilmot Twp., probably close to New Dundee. Fred likely got a job working for a different farmer.

Death & Remarriage
A couple months after daughter Mary's first birthday, her mother became very sick. After a month of gradually getting weaker, Lydia died of consumption on May 3, 1878, 5 days before she would have turned 30. Consumption was a medical term of that day referring to a gradual wasting away of the body, usually related to pulmonary (lung) dysfunction. The most common cause of consumption was tuberculosis. Lydia's physician was Dr. H. Miller from New Dundee, and a neighbour, John S. Hallman, informed the local registrar of the death.
Needing a mother for his two (or three?) young children, Fred remarried 10 weeks after Lydia's death, on July 21, 1878. Mary Rodass (Rhodes) was a Lutheran from Germany, born Nov. 20, 1855. Her parents were John and Dorothea Rodass. Her immigration year is not known.
Fred and his new wife would have 8 more children, half of them "May babies": Lillie (May 24, 1879), twins Ella and Elma (May 14, 1881), Ivan R. (May 17, 1883), Ida Hulda (Dec. 15, 1887), Alfred F. (June 2, 1891), Dorothy A. (Sept. 1, 1892), and John Milton Herbert (Sept. 21, 1895). Alfred was known as "Freddie" and Dorothy as "Dora." The youngest went by "Herbie."
Throughout these years, Fred is consistently listed as a labourer, probably a farm hand. The family moved back to Waterloo Twp. after the twins were born (May 1881) and that would turn out to be the final move for Fred. He would live at that residence for another 42 years until his death.

The Grischow Kids All Grown Up
Noah Grischow was a 28-year-old miller in Berlin when he married Harriett Bartholomew on Nov. 20, 1901. Harriett's parents were Martin Thomas Bartholomew and Sarah Lesham, who were born and married in Kent, England. Both Noah and Harriett listed their denomination as Church of England. (Harriett may have also gone by the name Lucy.) In 1904-5, Noah was the postmaster of Strasburg, a position his father-in-law had held since 1891 and one his mother-in-law would later take on until that post office closed in 1914. (For the postmaster data, see this page by Mrs. A. Reist and scroll down towards the end of the article.)
They had five children: Ford, Roxie, Noah Jr., Thomas, and Elmer. Roxie would marry Henry Sittler , who became one of the founding managers of Home Hardware.
Noah and Harriett's married life would not last too long however. On Mar. 14, 1914 at age 40, Noah succumbed after a year of suffering from asthma. Dr. J. H. Cormack from New Dundee recorded the immediate cause of death as "hemorrage of lungs, duration 1 week." Harriett would remarry in 1919 to Andrew Holt, and would live to age 65, passing away in 1945. Noah and Harriett are buried at Strasburg Cemetery on Biehn Dr. in Kitchener.
Mary Grischow married Leander Snider and died at age 40 of diabetes.
Lillie Grischow married Joseph Miller on Sept. 4, 1898 in Berlin. Joseph's parents were Ferdinand Miller and Hannah Wagner.
What happened with the twins Ella and Elma is not yet known. Elma was a witness at her sister Lillie's wedding.
Ivan R. Grischow is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Kitchener. He died in 1957. Beside him is his wife Amelia (1890-1972). There are two stones adjacent which are likely sons of Ivan and Amelia: Howard Grischow (1914-1970) and Walter Grischow (1921-1998).
Ida's later whereabouts are not yet known, nor are Alfred's.
Dora Grischow had a son out of wedlock on Sept. 22, 1908 in Waterloo Twp. However, young Stanley Lloyd Grischow died of pneumonia less than 2 years later on May 27, 1910.
Herbert Grischow's life appears to have been varied and the details are still sketchy. We have 3 pieces of information about him.
Fact #1: Kathleen Dorothy Grischow was a 2-day-old infant who died March 19, 1923 in Kitchener. Her parents are listed as Herbert Grischow, born in Waterloo Twp., and Venata Mader, born in Breslau. Venata's father was Aaron Mader.
Fact #2: Martha (Snider) Arndt remembers a visit from a Herbie Grischow and his American wife Belle in the late 1940s or early 1950s. They drove all the way from California, an unusual accomplishment in those days. They had no children.
Fact #3: Herbert Grischow died in Los Angeles, California, on Dec. 10, 1953 at age 58. He had no social security number, suggesting he never became an American citizen. His death record can be viewed online.
Piecing together these three facts, it appears Herbie was married twice. Sometime after being widowed or divorced from his first wife, he moved to the U.S. and remarried an American.

Later in Life
Fred Grischow lived to be 85 years 10 months and 10 days old, according to his death registration. He died of heart failure on Mar. 18, 1923 and was buried 5 days later at First Mennonite Church cemetery in Kitchener.
His wife Mary died in 1931 and is buried with Fred.

[

John married Lydia Clemens 12 Jan 1873, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Lydia (daughter of Abraham D. Clemens and Veronica "Fanny" Shantz) was born 8 May 1848, Williamsburg (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 3 May 1878, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Pioneer Park Mennonite Cemetery, [formerly Weber Mennonite Biehn Drive Cemetery] Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Lydia Grischow
• Eby ID Number: 00023-1802
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Lydia Clemens, "was born May 8th, 1848. On January 12, 1873, she was married to Frederick Grischow. They resided two miles south-west of Berlin, near Wendel Shantz's farm where she died May 3, 1878, leaving a family of three children".


Eby, Ezra E. (1895). A biographical history of Waterloo township and other townships of the county: being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character. Berlin [Kitchener, Ont.]: [s.n.].

Other Events:

• Name: Martin Bartholomew
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-53049
• Immigration: 1873
• Immigration: 1883, , Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; hotel keeper
• Occupation: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Hotel Keeper [catagory: hotel keeper, inn keeper, tavern keeper]

Martin — Sarah L. Lesham. Sarah (daughter of John Lesham and Mary Bartley) was born 24 May 1851, , England; died 18 Aug 1926, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Pioneer Park Mennonite Cemetery, [formerly Weber Mennonite Biehn Drive Cemetery] Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Sarah L. Bartholomew
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-53051
• Immigration: 1873