John Witmer

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00007-0655.6

John — Sylvia Gingerich. Sylvia (daughter of Emanuel H. Gingerich and Lydia Hallman) was born 27 Nov 1890, Yale, St. Clair, Michigan, USA; died 31 Dec 1962; was buried , Evergreen Cemetery, Brown City, Sanilac, Michigan, United States. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00135-8317
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dunkard
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Tunker
• Occupation: 1877, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Residence: 1877, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1880, Brown City, Sanilac, Michigan, USA; farmer

Notes:

Jacob S. Witmer, "was born January 10th, 1854. He is married to Esther Bechtel and resides in Michigan where he is farming. His family consists 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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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.].

Jacob married Esther M. Bechtel 9 Sep 1877, Freeport (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Esther (daughter of Joseph B. Bechtel and Sarah Miller) was born 16 May 1853, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 6 Mar 1923, Brown City, Sanilac, Michigan, USA; was buried , Evergreen Cemetery, Burnside Twp., Lapeer Co., Michigan. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Esther M. Witmer
• Eby ID Number: 00007-0655
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1877, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Esther M. Bechtel "was born May 16th, 1853. She is married to Jacob S. Witmer. They reside at Brown City, Michigan, where he is engaged in farming. .."


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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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: 00135-8311
• Residence: 1836, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; joiner
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dunkard
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Carpenter
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Tunker
• Occupation: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dunker
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Carpenter
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dunkard

Notes:

Joseph Witmer, "was born July 11th, 1812. On December 22nd, 1834, he was married to Susannah Groh who was born October 9th, 1817, and died January 30th, 1849. On May 24th, 1852, he was married again to Catherine Sherk who was born April 1st, 1826. He lived on a farm near Hespeler for many years but of late they reside in Hespeler with their son-in-law, Mr. Isaac Goudie. Mr and Mrs. Witmer are pretty well advanced in years and are getting to be quite feeble at times. She causes much trouble and care to her daughter, Susannah who is constantly staying with her. Mr. Witmer's family consisted of ten children, five of whom were born unto his first wife and five unto his second."

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.].

Joseph married Catherine Sherk 24 Aug 1852, Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Catherine (daughter of Jacob Sherk and Hannah Bechtel) was born 1 Apr 1826, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 25 Jul 1911, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Wanner Mennonite Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Catherine Witmer
• Eby ID Number: 00101-5632
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dunkard
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Tunker
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dunker
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dunkard
• Residence: 1911, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Dunker

Notes:

Catharine Sherk, "was born April 1st, 1826. She is married to Joseph Witmer and resides in Hespeler. "1a

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: 00007-0651
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Not given
• Directory: 1864, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 088, Waterloo County, Ontario
• 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
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Joseph B. Bechtel "the third child of Samuel Bechtel and his wife, Barbara Baumann, was born June 8th, 1824. On April 18th, 1848, he was married to Sarah Miller who was born November 28th, 1828. They reside on lot No. 88, German Company's Tract, Waterloo Township. They had a family of eleven 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.].

Joseph married Sarah Miller 18 Apr 1848, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Sarah (daughter of Christian Miller and Hester Wanner) was born 28 Nov 1828, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 22 Jun 1907, Kossuth, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Wanner Mennonite Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Sallie Miller
• Name: Sarah Bechtel
• Name: Sarah Mueller
• Name: Sarah Muller
• Eby ID Number: 00079-4787
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Sallie Miller, "was born November 28th, 1828. On April 18th, 1848, she was married to Joseph Bechtel. They reside on lot No. 88, German Company's Tract, a little north of Kossuth."


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: 00135-8267
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - Beasley's Lower Block Conc. 1 Lot 06W, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - Beasley's Broken Front Lot 25NE, Waterloo County, Ontario

Notes:

Abraham Witmer, "Could not obtain any dates in regard to Abraham's birth or death) was married to Anna Eversole. In 1804 he, with his wife and family of three children, moved to Canada and settled on the farm now possessed by their grandson, Mr. Levi Witmer. This farm is situated about one and one-half miles north-east of Preston. Here they resided until their deaths. Their family consisted of nine 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 — Anna Eversole. Anna was born 7 Apr 1777, , Pennsylvania, USA; died 7 Mar 1858; was buried , Wanner Mennonite Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Anna Witmer
• Eby ID Number: 00135-8267.5

Notes:

In 1851 Anna lived with her son Jacob in Waterloo Township.

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00101-5612
• Epidemic: 6 Aug 1834, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Cholera

Notes:

Jacob Sherk, "was born August 18th, 1795. He was married to Hannah Bechtel (No. 753). They resided on the farm now in possession of Noah Betzner on the west side of the Grand River, near Breslau. Here he died of cholera, August 6th, 1834. His family consisted of eleven 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.].

Jacob — Hannah Bechtel. Hannah (daughter of Deacon Jacob Bechtel and Elizabeth Gabel) was born 24 Oct 1799, , Pennsylvania, USA; died 25 Sep 1874; was buried , Breslau Mennonite Cemetery, Breslau, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Hannah Sherk
• Eby ID Number: 00007-0753
• Residence: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1871, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Hannah Bechtel "the fourth member of old Jacob Bechtel's family, was married to Jacob Sherk. They resided on the farm now the property of Noah Betzner, where he died of cholera, August 5th, 1834. She was born October 24th, 1799, and died September 25th, 1874. They had a family of ten 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.].

Residence:
Lived with her son Abraham.

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00007-0648
• Historic Building: CONSTRUCTED About 1815, 168 Bechtel St., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; squared timber (about 1815) & stone after 1840
• Land: 1831, Waterloo Township - Beasley's Lower Block Conc. 2 Lot 08, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Residence: 1831, Waterloo Township - Beasley's Old Survey Lot 02, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Samuel Bechtel "son of Joseph and Magdalena (Allenbach) Bechtel, was born January 24th, 1791, and died February 21st, 1861. He was married to Barbara, daughter of Wendel and Mary (Huber) Baumann. She was born January 17th, 1799. They resided on the farm now occupied by their son Solomon, situated in the township of Waterloo, near Hespeler. Their family consisted of seven 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.].

________________________

Wanner Mennonite Church
Begun: 1829

A small wooden meeting house was built in 1829 on a corner of the farm belonging to Samuel Bechtel which was located in the vicinity of the present-day regional headquarters of the Ministry of Natural Resources near the intersection of Highways 24 and 401. The site for this community meeting house, as well as a school and a burial ground, had been chosen on August 8, 1829. The land was donated by Samuel Bechtel and his wife Barbara (Baumann) on March 15, 1830. A new meeting house, of white brick, was built in 1837 on the east side of Henry Wanner's farm, somewhat north of the first meeting house. Meetings at first were held every eight weeks. The deed of land for the meeting house known as Wanner's was dated October 15, 1837. Early preachers were David Sherk, who had been ordained by Benjamin Eby in July 1837, Jacob Bretz, Jr., and Joseph Hagey.

Joseph Hagey was ordained bishop in 1851. During his time divisions occurred in the church by a surge of enthusiasm for a Methodist form of revivalism. Solomon Eby of Port Elgin, who announced his own conversion in December 1869, was leader of a group which believed that members could be converted through participation in revival meetings. John Baer of Wanner's became associated with Solomon Eby, and was compelled to leave the church in the spring of 1874, as were Eby and his other followers. The new church movement resulted in organization conferences which culminated in the conference on March 23, 1875 at Bloomingdale where New Mennonites and Reforming (or Reformed) Mennonites joined together as United Mennonites. The United Mennonites favored revival meetings, Sunday Schools and prayer meetings, and were opposed to the use of alcohol and tobacco.

The date of construction of the meeting house which replaced the one built in 1837 is somewhat in doubt. It is possible that a new building was erected in the early 1870s; it is also possible that the 1837 building only underwent extensive renovations at that time. There is no doubt, however, that a new brown brick church was built in 1938. An education wing was added in 1969.

The earliest Mennonite Sunday School in North America was begun in 1842 and was held jointly by the Wanner and Hagey Meeting Houses. It was discontinued after a short time because of a division of opinion within the congregations. An attempt was made later, in the mid-1860s, to begin another Sunday School, but this, too, did not last long. Many years later, on June 10, 1896, a meeting was held to organize a Sunday School. Anson Groh was appointed superintendent..

Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide To Churches Established Before 1900 By Rosemary Ambrose

Samuel — Barbara Bauman. Barbara (daughter of Wendel Bauman and Maria Huber) was born 17 Jan 1799, Alleghany Valley, Berks Co., Pennsylvania; died 7 Jun 1871; was buried , Wanner Mennonite Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Barbara Bechtel
• Eby ID Number: 00002-32
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Barbara Baumann, "the fourth daughter of Wendel Baumann, was born January 17th, 1799 and died June 7th 1871. She was married to Samuel Bechtel. They resided in Waterloo County near Preston. They had a family of seven 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:

• Eby ID Number: 00079-4780
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - Beasley's Broken Front Lot 24W, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - Beasley's Broken Front Lot 23E, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Christian Miller, "son of John and Hester (Steiner) Miller, was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, February 6th, 1791, and in 1809 he came to Canada and settled a little above Preston. He was married to Hester Wanner who was born June 9th 1796, and died June 13th 1864. To them was born a family of ten 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.].

Christian — Hester Wanner. Hester was born 9 Jun 1796, , USA; died 13 Jun 1864; was buried , Hagey Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Esther Wanner
• Name: Hester Miller
• Eby ID Number: 00079-4780.1
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite