David Musselman

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37030080
• Interesting: pioneer, mill, story
• Eby ID Number: 00083.4908
• Birth: CALC 25 Apr 1799
• Occupation: 1852, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Occupation: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Musselman, "The two old pioneer settlers of this numerous family were David and Frederick who were no relatives to each other. They came to Canada in 1819 and settled in Waterloo County. The former, Mr. David Musselman settled in Woolwich Township, near Conestogo, on the farm now possessed by David Koch, while Frederick Musselman settled on the farm known as Rev. Elias Snider's place a little north of Waterloo. We shall first five the family of David and then of Frederick."

David Musselman, "was a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he was born April 18th, 1799, and was married to Esther, daughter of Peter and Anna (Zimmerman) Martin. She was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, August 29th, 1803, and died July 31st, 1872. He died October 25th, 1870. To them was born 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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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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All lands in the early days was in the hands of large holders. Where the village now standing was part of a large holding belonging to David Musselman who himself lived on the western side of the village[Conestogo]. It was this man Musselman who started the wheels of Conestogo running by beginning the very important business of flour milling. This was urgent owing to the extreme distance that settlers had to hand for their supplies as all these were brought in on horseback from Dundas.

The Milling Industry

In 1845 the flour mill was built, also a saw mill, both run by waterpower, obtained from the waters of the Conestogo River diverted to these plants thru a raceway nearly a mile in length, the building of which was a colossal piece of work.

Mr. Musselman did not continue long as a miller, for in 1850 he sold the saw and grist mill with the property belonging to them to Henry Snider who conducted both for some years. The saw mill was finally abandoned and the mill taken away. More time was devoted to the flour mill which had attained wonderful proportions so much so that a new building on a far larger scale was put up equipped with more machinery.

About this time it was a common occurrence for farmers to come 40 and 45 miles with their wheat, so that very often from 20 to 30 teams stood waiting at this mill for their chance to unload. After a very successful term, Mr. Snider turned over his interests here to one of his sons Menno who remained at the head until about 1916. During this time he suffered reverses and a severe fire in 1904 wiped out the mill with its contents together with the storeroom for wheat all of which was lost.

Berlin Daily Record Apr. 26, 2008 typed by Marion Roes

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CONESTOGA

A pioneer named David Musselman is credited with having founded Conestoga. He first purchased 700 acres of forest in the vicinity. In 1830 he bought a parcel of land where the village stands from Abram Martin. It was watered by the Conestoga River and Spring Creek, on which he built a sawmill. In 1844 he built a dam across the Conestoga River and erected another sawmill and a flourmill. A hamlet sprang up. Among the first buyers of lots in Musselman's survey were: John Miller, Adam Heller, Stephen Washburn, John B. Eby, Christian Stuernagel, James Merrilees, H. von Trilera, Theodore Spetz, Henry Snider, Jacob Grosz, Philip Oswald, Joseph S. Weaver, George Davidson, Peter Eby, S. B. Eby, Peter Buchanan, Michael Oswald, Jacob Kuntz, Charles Hendry, Solomon Kaufman, and Jacob Lippert.

After their advent a cooper shop, blacksmithshop, a store, an hotel, and a post office followed. In time a brickyard, a school, and a church were added, and the place was called Musselman's Mills. Later Perine Brothers built a flaxmill on Spring Creek, while on the same stream Goodworth & Sills constructed a paint mill.

The hamlet was known as Musselman's Mills until 1852, when it was renamed Conestoga, after the Conestoga River or the town of Conestoga in Lancaster County, Pa., from which county many of the pioneers had come. David Musselman operated his mills until 1856 and then sold them to Henry Snider, who carried on the milling till his death in 1885. His executors sold the mills to Menno Snider, who operated the flourmill until his own death in 1916. During his closing years he was assisted by his son Walter J. Snider, who succeeded to the property. Walter Snider afterward purchased the flour-mill at St. Jacobs from W. W. Snider and operated the two mills as the Snider Flour Milling Company, Limited. After his decease, his son Russell became head of the industries..

Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1933 pg 16 - Woolwich Township - Its Early Settlement by W. V. Uttley

David — Esther Z. Martin. Esther (daughter of Peter Martin and Anna Zimmerman) was born 29 Aug 1803, Earl Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; died 31 Jul 1872, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

1. Anna "Nancy" Musselman was born 26 Dec 1823, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 6 Nov 1902; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
2. Peter M. Musselman was born 7 Oct 1825, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 18 Aug 1904; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
3. Magdalena Musselman was born 16 Dec 1827, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 5 Jul 1877, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
4. Daniel M. Musselman was born 10 Apr 1830, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Jul 1830, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
5. David M. Musselman was born 26 May 1832, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 2 Jan 1905, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
6. Mary Musselman was born 24 Nov 1833, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 20 Nov 1867, near, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried 23 Nov 1867, First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
7. John M. Musselman was born 15 Nov 1836, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 11 Sep 1918; was buried , Bloomingdale Mennonite Cemetery, Bloomingdale, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
8. Lydia Musselman was born 22 Jun 1838, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 31 Oct 1918, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
9. Solomon M. Musselman was born 8 Sep 1840, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 9 Dec 1891, Near Conestogo, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
10. Esther Musselman was born 18 Nov 1842, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 25 Apr 1926; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
11. Leo Musselman was born 1844, , Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
12. Leah Musselman was born 3 May 1844, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 4 Nov 1921; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
13. Elizabeth Musselman was born 27 Nov 1845, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 25 Apr 1926; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.