Abraham Groff

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00044-3373
• Residence: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Abraham Groff, "was born October 13th, 1829. In September, 1852, he was married to Mary Eby who was born January 13th, 1835, and died April 28th, 1890. They resided several miles north of Waterloo where he was engaged in farming. His death took place February 15th, 1885. To them were born thirteen 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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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.].

Abraham married Maria "Mary" Eby 23 Nov 1852, Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Maria (daughter of Isaac Eby, Sr. and Veronica Shoemaker) was born 13 Jan 1835, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 28 Apr 1890, Near Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried 1 May 1890, Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

1. Susannah Groff was born 11 Jan 1854, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 30 Nov 1856, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
2. Levi Groff was born 24 Dec 1854, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 19 Dec 1923; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
3. Leah Groff was born 11 Jun 1856, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 3 Feb 1924, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
4. Ezra Groff was born 13 Nov 1858, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 8 Mar 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
5. Maria Groff was born 25 Mar 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1923; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
6. Lydia Ann Groff was born 27 Nov 1862, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 8 May 1949, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , North Woolwich Mennonite Meeting House Cemetery, Floradale, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
7. Matilda Groff was born 29 Apr 1865, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 10 Sep 1949, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
8. Isaac Eby Groff was born 2 Oct 1867, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 22 Sep 1895; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
9. Hannah Groff was born 10 Jan 1870, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
10. Emma Groff was born 14 Apr 1872, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 28 Apr 1872, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
11. Abram Groff was born 16 Aug 1873, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
12. Benjamin Groff was born 14 Jun 1876, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 14 Jun 1876, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
13. Jacob E. Groff was born 21 Jun 1878, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1 Dec 1960; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.

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
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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:

• 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

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00044-3336

Notes:

John Graff, "the third son of old Hans, was born in Switzerland and came to America with his parents when a mere lad. No records obtained of his birth or death, neither to whom he was married. His family was quite numerous."


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.].