Albert Clarke Quickfall

Other Events:

• Business: Ice dealer, sand, brick, sill, lintel
• Name: A. C. Quickfall
• Residence: 101 David St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: 00088-5134
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Occupation: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Manufacturer of Bricks
• Occupation: 1911, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical
• Occupation: 1911, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Ice Dealer

Notes:

Albert Clarke Quickfall, "was born January 17th, 1878. He is home working on the farm."

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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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.].

_________________

"Ice-Harvesting in Victoria Park" by rych mills:

"Born in 1878 in Bridgeport, A.C. Quickfall was still a young man in 1904 but a most experienced entrepreneur. While attending business college in Berlin, he had taken over his father Richard's Waterloo Township brickyard, made a success of that, tired of it, then met Collard. (Note: previously in article covers Collard) Two men, each weary of his current occupation.What better solution than to swap? Collard took the brickyard: Quickfall, the ice-harvesting. Collard later became Berlin's Inspector of Pavements. Quickfall, for the next two decades was one of Berlin's best-known businessmen.

At a Park Board meeting on April 1, 1905, the transfer of the remainder of Collard's 10-year lease to Quickfall was approved; he was on his way to leaving a mark on Victoria Park and vicinity. the years 1905-10 were building ones for A. C. Quickfall. In the 1906 Semi-Centennial Number of the Chronicle-Telegraph, he was listed among Berlin's prominent men:'...Victoria Ice: 2 words that stand out in large letters on the huge delivery wagons of A.C. Quickfall who does his share in keeping down temperatures on hot sultry days...besides his ice-business, Quickfall makes a specialty of cement bricks, window and door sills, etc...also being the owner of a splendid sand pit within the corporation limits...he has also found time to build several homes since taking up residence on David Street.'

As winters came and went, Collard's 10-year lease drew to a close. The Berlin Park Board did a quick two-step with the ice-contract. In April 1909, they advertised for tenders for a five or 10-year term. Quickfall had his application ready, but the Park Board decided to take no action until the original term expired in 1910. A week later they rescinded that motion, accepted Quickfall's new application, but did nothing until a year later, April 15, 1910. Then, finally, Quickfall had his own 5-year deal to harvest the ice at a cost of $150 per year. He also acquired a lot of problems.

Health Hazard Revealed

Victoria Park lake is an artificial one. The two streams which feed it were never strong-flowing, never full of fresh sparkling water. From the earliest days, all kinds of refuse ended up settling in the park lake. Some homes and industries had illegal hook-ups, venting their sewers directly into storm drains which had a habit of overflowing, dumping almost anything into the lake. Upstream butcher shops were fined numerous times for throwing offal into the streams. Nearby was the Berlin Glue Factory and the imagination boggles at what type of refuse came out of that plant!

In 1911, Victoria Park lake was 17 years old and the 'piper had to be paid.'

The Provincial Laboratory analysed samples of lake water and immediately condemned it. The Berlin Board of Health went further and said the lake itself was hazardous. In Dec. 1911, it declared the health of Berlin's citizens was more important than $150 in ice income. By late Jan. 1912, Dr. McCullough, the Provincial Health Officer, absolutely forbad the sale of Victoria Park ice for any purpose. Quickfall's solicitors argued, to no avail, that ice frozen for weeks is nearly pure. By a series of miscommunications with the Park Board, Quickfall had already cut and stored hundreds of tons of ice. It all had to be scrapped. The same sad tale held in 1913, 1914 and 1915.

Quickfall did get his $150 fee back each year, but one wonders at his enthusiasm for requesting another five-year deal in late 1916. He agreed to pay $200 a year for two years, then $250, as well as build a new ice storage house farther away from David Street. The original ice-house which Collard had built in 1900 was an ugly building and residents often complained about it. Back in 1913, Quickfall had removed the front portion of that building and constructed a lovely large home overlooking the park; 101 David still stands and it's interesting to note that A.C.'s wife Edith (nee Shoemaker) designed and planned this unique home, incorporating many imaginative features. This house is still a focal point of David Street; it was also the focal point for the next 12 years of the Quickfall business empire.

Following Collard's tower-and-slide problems across David Street, several methods were used to get ice from the lake to the storage house. People would buy their ice in winter from Quickfall's shoreline cutting operation and haul it away in their own wagons. Teams of Quickfall horses were busy day after day hauling the cut blocks of ice across the parklawns, over David Street and into the ice storage house behind 101 David Street. There people could buy ice at any time of the year and Quickfall horses and drays would deliver. For a couple of winters in the early 20s,Quickfall tried floating the ice-blocks over the floodgate, under David Street, then hauling them out near the storage house.

Following his 1916 renewal, ice-pollution problems eased but others cropped up. The Park Board and Quickfall never really got in sync. One or the other often had a complaint about costs or protection or late payments or repairing damage. In Feb. 1916, a young girl ventured too close to the cutting area and almost drowned. Walter A. Bean, who grew upon Roland Street, recalls his father's daily path across the ice on his way to work as editor of the Daily Telegraph. One evening David apparently forgot exactly where the cutters had been working, and in the darkness, took a chilly dip in seven feet of water.

In Feb. 1918, trouble of another kind threatened the ice-harvesting and other Quickfall enterprises. One of the worst-ever winter rainstorms put the entire park under water. David Street was two feet deep and rising.Quickfall's stables were in danger and the horses had to be moved quickly. By the time the water had receded much of the winter's ice-harvest was ruined.

Pressures Herald the End

The criticism about ice-cutting from skaters hadn't abated in all the years. Many felt the public would be better served by having the entire surface reserved for skating. By this time the Park Board regularly cleared the snow, had change-rooms and lights available, and called in the fire department from time-to-time to flood the surface. Local theatre-owner A.P. Berberich had an interesting idea in 1919. He proposed flooding the baseball field in the athletic grounds and using that area for skating while the entire lake was harvested for ice. Nothing came of that suggestion. Later that same year Quickfall was cutting 24-inch thick crystal-clear ice from the lake, some of the best ever.

In 1921, Quickfall's latest five-year term expired and it looked as if there would be no renewal. Park Board member W.O. Knechtel declared ice-cutting wrecked the use of Victoria Park for winter sports. He felt the damage to lawns and drives exceeded the $250 paid by Quickfall. In the end, the Park Board did renew the ice-cutting rights, increasing the cost to $350, but forbidding Quickfall from selling in the park, thus reducing wear and tear on the lawns.

Through the 1920s, Quickfall's other business expanded, though ice stillmade his name. Each year the Park Board pondered eliminating theice-harvest but ended up giving Quickfall one more season. Other forces,however, were at work.

In the prosperous post-war 20s, electricity crept more and more into peoples' lives. Electricity not only provided much simpler home refrigeration, it also meant absolutely pure block-ice could be made artificially at such plants as Silverwoods on Courtland Avenue. Even those who wanted to continue using their ice-boxes were hard-pressed to decide on taking possibly polluted natural ice when pure was so easilyobtained.

Just as ice meant Quickfall, so too, Quickfall meant ice. When Albert Charles Quickfall died prematurely at age 50 in 1927, ice-harvesting in Victoria Park did not long outlast him.

Today there is little evidence of the ice-harvesting business in Victoria Park. The 1916 ice storage house was torn down in the 1930s. A later brick storage building built by Quickfall nearby lasted until the Schneider Creek realignment in 1984. That same development saw two Quickfall houses, numbers 113 and 117, torn down on David Street. Number 101, built in 1913, continues to overlook Victoria Park. To many are aresidents it's still known as The Quickfall House 35 years after the family sold it, and nearly 70 years after one of Berlin/Kitchener's early, and most interesting, businessmen died.

Eileen Dahms of Guelph, one of several surviving children of A.C. Quickfall recalls her childhood years at 101. There are many good memories but she especially remembers summertime when the place was a hive of business ctivity with horses hauling heavy drays in and out of the driveway. Her girlhood summers were spent answering the phone, taking orders for home delivery of Victoria ice. Dorothy Russell, a resident of Schneider Avenue since 1901, recalls the old tower-slide set-up stretching across David Street and the steady flow of ice blocks. J. Edward Snyder of Kitchener still savors thoughts of those hot summer days when he and his pals would slip into the ice-house for a cooling off.

So, ice-harvesting in Victoria Park is long gone, and definitely not on the way back! Memories, though, do remain. It's always good to remind oneself, when the modern fridge door is opened and a cool one beckons, how much effort it took just 80 years ago for the same pleasure. In someways, today is the Good Old Days."

Waterloo Historical Society 1994 pg. 31-43 "Ice-Harvesting in Victoria Park" by rych mills
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Residence:
House built in 1913

Albert — Edith Shoemaker. Edith (daughter of Alexander Shoemaker and Susannah Weber) was born 20 Mar 1882, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 16 Sep 1958, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

1. Clark Irvin Quickfall was born 3 Jun 1905, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1996, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Mount Forest Cemetery, Mount Forest, Wellington Co., Ontario.
2. Evelyn May Quickfall was born 17 Aug 1907, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
3. Edith Pearl "Pearl" Quickfall was born 11 Oct 1910, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1986; was buried , Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
4. Eileen Adele Quickfall was born 29 Nov 1912, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 13 Feb 2007, Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada; was buried , Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
5. Richard Quickfall was born 17 Aug 1916, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 26 Apr 1943, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
6. Ellen Marguerite Quickfall was born 1919, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.

Other Events:

• Name: R. M. Quickfall
• Eby ID Number: 00088-5128
• Immigration: 1837, , Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Wesley Methodist
• Residence: 1862, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Free Church
• Occupation: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Occupation: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer

Notes:

Richard M. Quickfall, "was born in New York State, March 16th, 1833. When eight years of age his parents moved to Canada and settled on a farm now possessed by his son, Allan E., where he was raised. On May 27th, 1862, he was married to Leah Groff who was born August 17th, 1839. Soon after his marriage he took possession of the old homestead which he greatly improved in appearance and value in erecting first-class buildings thereon and in planting a great variety of both fruit and ornamental trees. Here he resided until 1889 when he moved on the farm he now possesses about a mile north of Bridgeport. Mr. Quickfall has held various positions such as trustee, assessor, councillor and at present he holds the position of first deputy Reeve for Waterloo Township. His family consisted of six 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.].

____________________________

Died: In Berlin, on Tuesday, November 15th, 1910, at 1 o'clock p,m., Richard M. Quickfall, Aged 77 years, 8 months. The Funeral Will take place on Friday, Nov. 18th, at 2 o'clock p. m., from the residence of his son, Mr. A. C. Quickfall, David St., to Zion Evangelical Church for service and East End Mennonite cemetery for interment.

Funeral Card

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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

_______________________

Passing of a Pioneer
Mr. Richard Quickfall Died This Afternoon at the Age of 77 Years

A host of people, throughout the district will be deeply grieved to learn of the death this afternoon of Richard M. Quickfall, one of the most widely known and hihly respected residents of this district, in his 78th year.

The deceased came to Canada with his parents from near Syracuse, N.Y., over seventy years ago. The family located on a farm near Bridgeport, then known as the Ziegler farm. Some years later the family moved to the Moxley farm, whence the deceased grew up, succeeding to the property on the death of his father. In 1889 Mr. Quickfall moved to a farm near Lexington, residing there until about six years ago, when he retired from active life and took up his residence in Bridgeport. Mrs. Quickfall passed away in April of this year and since that time the deceased had resided with his son Mr. Albert Quickfall, David Street. He had been ill for about six weeks, death being due to his advanced age.
In the death of Richard Quickfall, Waterloo County loses one of its few remaining pioneers. He was known and beloved throughout the district, and to be numbered among his friends was accounted a high honor. Progressive in his ideas he prospered financially, but the spirit of charity was strong within hom and many have received from him a heloing hand. His kindly and cheerful character endeared him to all with whom he came in contact, and his passing will bring sorrow to many homes.

He could tell of Berlin when it was but a mere village and his intimate friends were frequently entertained by interesting reminiscences of the early days in this country.

In politics the deceased was a Reformed. He was an adherent of the Methodist church.

The survivors are three sons, Messrs. Albert, David Street, Berlin; Allen E., on the farm; and Charles of Berlin. Two sisters, Mrs. Bowers of Minnesota, and Mrs. Devitt, of Burlington, who survive.
The funeral arrangements have not yet been completed.

Berlin News Record, November 15, 1910

Richard married Leah Groff 27 May 1862, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Leah (daughter of Andrew Groff and Annie Huber) was born 17 Aug 1839, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 18 Apr 1910; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Leah Quickfall
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3396
• Residence: 1862, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Free Church
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist

Notes:

Leah Groff, "was born August 17th, 1839. She is married to Richard Quickfall, a farmer. They reside about a mile north of Bridgeport."

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:

• Eby ID Number: 00088-5128.2
• Residence: 1825, Burton upon Stather, , Lincolnshire, England
• Land: Bef 1839, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 006E, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; England Church

Notes:

"The Quickfalls of this and other counties of Ontario are all descendants of old Franklin and Barbara Quickfall who emigrated to America and settled in New York State where they resided for many years. One of their sons, named II Thomas was born September 13, 1799. He was married to Hannah Martinson who was born November 14th, 1803, and died June 18th, 1889. In 1841 they (Thomas and his wife) with their family and his aged parents moved to Canada and settled in Waterloo County, Ontario, on the old "Moxley Farm" now known as the "Evergreen Farm", a little north-east of the town of Waterloo. Here they resided until their deaths. He died February 10th, 1868. To them were born several children, but the name of only one of their sons has been received"

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.].

_____________________________

According to letters held by Madeline Lavender of Burlington, Ontario in 1995, brother-in-laws William and John Martinson left Thealby, Lincolnshire, England in the spring of 1830 for Quebec and were some years in Jamesville, Onondaga County, New York through the 1830's.

Thomas married Hannah Martinson 20 Oct 1825, Burton upon Stather, , Lincolnshire, England. Hannah (daughter of Martinson) was born 14 Nov 1803, , England; died 18 Jun 1889, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Artifact: Hannah Martinson's coffin plate
• Name: Hannah Quickfall
• Eby ID Number: 00088-5128.3
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Wesley Methodist

Notes:

Artifact:
Original at the Waterloo Historical Society

Other Events:

• Name: Andreas Groff
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3340
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 007, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Occupation: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: Bef 1865, Lititz, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region: Bef 2012, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Andrew Groff, "son of John and Anna (Moyer) Graff, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, April 18th, 1793. His boyhood days were spent in acquiring a business education which proved of great benefit to him in later years. At the age of seventeen he made choice of the milling business as the most pleasing to his taste. His first years of apprenticeship were served in Earl Township where he remained until 1822 when he was induced by others to seek his fortune either in the West or in Canada. Being persuaded by one Joseph Mosser and others who were on the point of leaving for Canada, to join in with their company, he came to Waterloo in the fall of 1822 and found everything most satisfactory. As he was a miller by trade, old Abraham Erb wanted him to take charge of his grist mills which he intended to do after moving to Canada. After being here a short time and making arrangements to move to Canada he started again for Pennsylvania. Arriving at home in safety and spending a few weeks in visiting friends, he then set out for his new home. He left Pennsylvania with his wife and family of four children and made the trip to Canada in seventeen days. On his arrival at Waterloo in November, 1822, he was engaged by Abraham Erb to work on the saw mill where he remained three weeks, after which he entered the employ of Mr. Shade of Galt where he remained for nearly two years, and acquired a considerable amount of cash. He then purchased 200 acres of land half way between Preston and Galt and in a few years he was the proprietor of a store, tavern, grist mill, saw mill, and distillery, from all of which he soon realized quite a fortune, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the county. In 1848 he sold this property and purchased the farm of the late David Erb, north of the town of Waterloo, now in possession of his son Jacob. During the close of his life he lived on the place now possessed by Mr. F. Scheifle, a little to the north of the town of Waterloo. Here he died May 11th, 1877. He was married in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1815, to Annie, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Reist) Huber. She was born October 15th, 1795, and died in Waterloo County, Ontario, September 19th, 1865. They had a family of twelve 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.].

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SAMUEL GROFF. PRESIDENT NORTH WEST BUTTON CO.

Mr. Samuel Groff, though not a native born Berliner, still is a son of the fine old County of which Berlin is the chief town. He comes of Pennsylvania German stock. His grand father was Andrew Groff who learned the trade of Miller in his home state-Pennsylvania. In 1822 he came to Waterloo and after a few years spent there and at Galt, he acquired a large tract of land near Preston, where he carried on farming, saw-milling, a grist mill, store, hotel and distillery and became one of the wealthiest men in the county. His eldest son, Isaac, was the father of the subject of this sketch, who was born near Freeport in 1847. He early entered mercantile life in the late J. Hoffman's store and was one of the earlier merchants in Berlin. He was head of the firm Groff and Hymmen for many years, a house that was among the largest in the county. Several years ago, he went to Winnipeg and at present he is president of the North West Button Co.2^a


Berlin Today 1806-1906 official souvenir
_______________________________________________________

From the Region of Waterloo Hall of Fame website.

The name of Groff in Waterloo in the nineteenth century was associated with the raising of Shorthorn cattle.

Andrew Groff of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, settled in 1822 on 170 acres at the location of the Galt Country Club. He later owned a grist mill, general store, tavern and a distillery. In the 1840s the family moved to Waterloo where his sons and grandsons, with outstanding success, bred and raised Shorthorn cattle.

A Knight of Warlaby, imported from Scotland, proved to be an outstanding sire. A son, A Baron of Waterloo," in 1882 was Grand Champion at the leading Canadian show at Kingston. In 1886 he was champion at Guelph. He was then sold to the Hon. George Brown. This bull sired what was probably the best show herd in Canada, winning awards on the American and Canadian show circuits. The Groffs were justifiably proud of their reputation as Shorthorn breeders.

Andrew married Annie Huber 1815, , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Annie (daughter of Samuel Huber and Elizabeth Reist) was born 15 Oct 1795, , Pennsylvania, USA; died 19 Sep 1865, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Annie Groff
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3340.1
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Other Events:

• Name: Franklin Quickfall
• Eby ID Number: 00088-5128.4
• Occupation: 1851, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Residence: 1851, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England

Francis married Barbara Lawson 8 Apr 1798, Sunderland, , Cumberland, England. Barbara was born 1777, , England; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Barbara Quickfall
• Eby ID Number: 00088-5128.5
• Residence: 1851, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-42948

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00044-3337

Notes:

John Graff, "one of the youngest children of John Graff, was born in Earl Township where he was married to Annie Moyer and resided in the same neighborhood where he was born. Here he was engaged in farming. His family consisted of several children, all of whom resided in Lancaster County with the exception of three"


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.].

John married Annie Moyer Earl Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Annie was born Abt 1740, Of, Earl Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Annie Graff
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3337.1

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00044-3340.2

Samuel — Elizabeth Reist. Elizabeth was born Abt 1765, Of, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Huber
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3340.3