Hazel Mueller

Other Events:

• Name: Jacob Miller
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-353856
• Residence: 1949, Coronation Blvd., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario

Notes:

Jacob Mueller

PRESTON, July 9. Jacob John Mueller, 74, died at his home, Coronation Blvd., Galt-Preston highway, last night. Ill since October, his condition became serious several days ago. A son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Mueller, he was born at Mannheim and came to Waterloo Township, with his parents in his youth. He has resided here since. Until his illness, he was a fireman at Werlich Manufacturing Co., for 22 years. Mr. Mueller was an adherent of the Lutheran Church. Surviving are his wife, the former Priscilla Wanner, whom. he married at Kossuth, 49 years ago and five daughters, Mrs. Edward Ringler, Galt, Mrs. Harry Solonik, Coronation Blvd.; Mrs. Clarence Knechtel, Rosebank; Mrs. Robert Marshall, Milton and Miss Hazel Mueller, at home. There are three sons, Clarence, Clayton and Cecil, all of Preston. Also surviving is one brother, John, of Innerkip, 26 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Funeral. service will be held Monday, at 2: 30 p.m., with burial in Preston Cemetery. The body is resting at Stager-Pass Funeral Home.

Kitchener-Waterloo Record 9 Jul 1949 pg 5

John married Priscilla Wanner 26 Dec 1900, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Priscilla (daughter of John Wanner and Mary Ann Witmer) was born 9 Dec 1879, , Ontario, Canada; died 1963, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Priscilla Mueller
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-353857
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1949, Coronation Blvd., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario

Notes:

Mrs. Priscilla Mueller by Record Staff Writer
PRESTON - Mrs. Priscilla Mueller, 83, of 2039 Coronation Blvd., died today in South Waterloo Hospital, Galt.
Born near Grand Bend, Mrs. Mueller, the former Priscilla Wanner, came to Preston 35 years ago from Ayr. Her husband, Jacob, died in 1949.
Surviving are three sons, Clarence, Clayton and Cecil, all of Preston; four daughters, Mrs. Harry (Alice) Solonik, Preston; Mrs. Clarence (Goldie) Knechtel, RR 2, Petersburg; Mrs. Floyd (Dollie) Marshall, RR 1 Milton, and Hazel of Preston, one brother, Roy of RR 1, Hespeler; two sisters, Mrs. Esther Rhodey of Preston, Mrs. William (Florence) Seftel of Doon; 25 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.
The body is at Stager-Barthel Funeral Home here where services will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Preston Cemetery with Rev. J. S. Dauphinee of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, here, officiating.

Other Events:

• Name: H. E. Mueller
• Name: Henry Miller
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-219399
• Immigration: 1852
• Occupation: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Other Methodist
• Occupation: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Occupation: 1901, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer Foundry

Notes:

How They Farmed Sixty Years Ago.

H. E. Mueller of Dickie Settlement has sent us an interesting tale of pioneer days, which gives a splendid insight into the neighborliness that made hard work a pleasure and paved the way for the luxury and ease of operation in all things that we now enjoy.

A neighbor out here sends me papers sometimes to read. Amongst them I found a letter written by Christian Heinrich Frederick Kraemer. I know old Fronz well. We were neighbors for years, and a nice neighbor he was. I appreciated reading his letter of his pioneer days which was very interesting to me.

I will try and give you a brief history of my pioneer days.

On the 24th of January, 1928, I celebrated my 80th birthday and as luck has it I have been confined to my room since the 15th of October, 1925, and since I am sick my eyesight has failed me as well, but on a bright day I can still see to read and write a little, both English and German as well.

On the 24th of January, 1848, I was born in Germany, Hessen, Darmstadt, and in 1852 we sailed from Liverpool to New York where my father had a brother and my mother a sister. Father and his brother had married sisters. We resided there in Brooklyn, N.Y., until February, 1855, when we moved to the promised land of milk and honey in Canada, now Ontario. We came by rail as far as Galt. That was as far as we could go at that time. A team took us a mile and a half west of St. Agatha. There we resided thirty years and there is where I spent my boyhood.

Married in 1872.

On the 27th of October, 1872, I married Miss Mary Steftel of New Dundee. The nuptials were solemnized by Rev. Herman Sagehorn pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Berlin (Kitchener). We had a family of twelve, and of these there are 4 surviving, namely, Jacob of Ayr, John of Black Horse, Margareth of Dickie Settlement, and Henry of Blair. There are 19 grand-children and 5 great grandchildren.

My Pioneer Days.

When I was 12 years old I was hired out to Jacob Litwiller, a young progressive farmer close to St. Agatha. I received two dollars per month, twelve dollars for the six months. That is where I learned to plough and how to tie a sheaf. But they were good to me. In those days we had no ten hour system. My time called from half past four in the morning till 8 or 9 at night. I went to school again during the winter. Next summer I worked for a farmer across the road and received twenty-four dollars for six months. Back to school again and the following summer I worked for the same boss and received thirty-six dollars for six months. After this I often helped to clear and break up new land. In those days there was no demand for wood until the Grand Trunk started to buy wood. Then you could buy the best of wood from $2.25 to $2.50 per cord delivered.

Cutting Down Bush

When you would have ten or twelve acres of bush to cut down you would take maybe five or six trees standing in line with each other and cut a chip out of each tree. Then you would cut a heavy tree on top of them and you would have what they called a winrow. In ten or twelve acres, if you watched yourself, you could make quite a lot, which would save you a considerable lot of chopping, and would give you a clear strip of land as well. When your bush was cut down and in logs you would have a logging bee. Those were the good old days when a friend in need was a friend indeed. If you asked your neighbor for help he would not scratch his head and think three times before he would speak, like the doctor's coachman, who was told he was always to think three times before he spoke. The old doctor was wearing a fifty dollar wig to disguise his age. One night he was reading to his tallow candles and fell sound asleep. "His wig caught fire and his coachman called "Boss, I think once" stopped a little; "Boss, I think twice." and yelled, "Boss, I think three times your wig is on fire." In those days the man would ask you when you would be ready. You mentioned the day and he would say he will be over with bells on. And furthermore they would say. we have friends living quite a distance. from here, with good oxen. If you send them word they will come too.

When the day arrived your near neighbors would be there quite early in the morning. Around nine o'clock It was no surprise to see John and Joe come along from a distance, each with a nice yoke of oxen and bundle of clover hay on the wagon for their dinner. In those days they thought just as much of their oxen as they do now of their horses and they would not come empty-handed. They always brought four or five able-bodied men with hand spikes to help skid the logs. They would come whistling and singing as happy as a meadow lark in spring. As soon as they arrive they would put a logging chain on their oxen, go amongst the logs, each trying to bring in the most logs.

There would always be lots of work for us boys. We would have to pick up chips and brush and carry it to the log piles. By night the field would be ready to start the fire. Often there would be an acre or more of a small pinery. These would be cut as close to the ground as possible and when the logs were burned the fire would burn them all up. After everything is burned you would sow your wheat and clover. Then you would have to harrow it. We could not take a 12 or 16 foot harrow. We had a harrow made specially where we could crawl between the stumps. The pinery sometimes we could not harrow at all. That would not worry the farmer. He would put his old pipe into commission, take his axe and go to the bush and cut a tree with a nice top, cut of the top, fasten the oxen to the top and draw it over the pinery. When the wheat came up you could not tell the difference between that which was harrowed and that which was done with the tree top.

He would pasture this field for four or five year and then he would summer fallow it. By that time the stumps would nearly all have disappeared and he would have a nice field. He would then sow wheat once more and it was not much of a trick to realize from 35 to 40 bushels per acre.

Saw First Grain Cutting Machine.

I can well recall the day when the first machine came our way to be tried to cut wheat. It was a heavy, clumsy machine, built by John Watson of Ayr. It took two men to work it. The grain would fall on a platform at the end. There was a place built for a man to stand on and whenever he thought it was a sheaf he would draw it off. We had no telephone, but you believe. me that field was lined with spectators to see that wonderful machine work. The field was a corner field. the road south led to Baden, north to Berlet's Corner, west to Philipsburg and east to St. Agatha. The farm was owned by David Y. Shantz, an uncle of Peter Shantz, residing in Preston. He had five brothers. namely, Jacob of Berlin (Kitchener) who had a saw mill east of Kitchener: He built his own sidewalk from his house to the city limits. Then there was Joe Jop and Amos living close, to Haysville, and Samuel, father of Peter, at Pine Hill. A year later Samuel Merner of New Hamburg built a machine called the Excelsior dropper which was a very easy running machine. When the grain stood nice and the man would watch the dropper it made nice work. Many a day I had the pleasure of binding after that machine.

In those days our oats were cradled and bound by hand. If you had 10 or 12 acres you would get 2 or 3 good men with their cradles. Our pioneers always wanted the oats to get a little rain before it was bound and put in the barn. Sometimes it would get too much rain and on a hot day you could not bind it The farmer would then have a bee, and on a moonlight night he would invite his neighbors and it was nothing unusual to see twenty or more willing hands help bind that field. As soon as the dew was on we would hike for that field and by 12 o'clock the field was tied in sheaves ready to go to the barn.

The next thing on the program was a real old country lunch. Lard was plentiful those days and our pioneer women knew how to put up a lunch with always lots of doughnuts. sandwiches with ham and cheese, and for a drink we had tea, coffee and beer as well, but our beer those days was no 2 1/ or 4.4 stuff like they have now.

I can well remember when Noah Bechtel, uncle of John B. Bricker, our genial corn borer inspector for Waterloo county, shot a large black grizzly bear in October, 1863. They had seen the bear eight miles north where there was a large bush and swamp, called Queen's Bush, where the farmers had their pigs to get acorns and beechnuts, which were plentiful. Mr. Bear came out sometimes to help them to butcher. We had no selects, a pig was a pig. One day a squad went after him but did not get him. Later in October he came trotting along through Wilmot township. Moses Bechtel and Christian Hallman were ploughing beside Noah Bechtel's cedar swamp when he came walking right up to them. They went in and Bechtel brought his rifle with him. They followed the bear's tracks for a mile from the swamp, through John Forler's swamp, then across the road into another 400 acre bush. John Forler hitched his carriage team into the democrat, drove to Petersburg, and brought a man up with a hound, and John Ernst Jr. came along with his bulldog. Wm. Miller put his hound on the trail and in a short time found Mr. Bruin sound asleep. Miller fred a shot and the bear came trotting through the swamp with the dogs after him. When he saw that he was surrounded it did not take him long to climb a tree. Noah Bechtel, with a well aimed shot, brought the bear down.

I could relate many other incidents, but there is only one more and that is about our footwear. Now we have to pay from 8 to 9 dollars for a pair of shoes. Sixty years ago when we were 18 or 20 years of age you would not see us with shoes on Sunday. Oh no, we would have a pair of French calf or other calf skin boots, the top all decorated with red, white and blue, either with an anchor or stars. The sole had to match the top. The cobbler would put on a half sole with wooden pegs, etc., and we would pay only five dollars for a pair. If you wanted your shoes half-soled the coat was 50 cents as compared to $1.00 to $1.25

Thanking you very much for your valuable space.

Yours truly, H. C. M.

Waterloo Chronicle, 5 Jul 1928, p. 9

Henry married Mary Seftel 27 Oct 1872, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of Philip Seftel and Hanna Mary Tietsen) was born 3 Dec 1849, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Aft 1929. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Mueller
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-35885
• Occupation: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Servant
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; With Jacob Stoltz
• Residence: 1901, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-53072
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1911, Breslau, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1911, Breslau, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

JOHN WANNER

HESPELER, Dec. 2, John Wanner a resident of this community all his life died in his home near, Kossuth, Waterloo township, late yesterday afternoon. He was in his 85 year, Surviving are his wife, two sons, Nelson of Legal, Alta. and Roy at home, three daughters, Mrs. Jacob Mueller, Preston, Mrs. Henry Rhody, Blair and Mrs Wm. Seftel, Doon, also 20 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren. One daughter, Mrs. Gustav Paulitski, died 16 years ago, at Strasburg The funeral will be held Friday, with a short service at the home at 2 o'clock, followed by service at Wanner's Mennonite church, near Hespeler, at 2: 30. Interment will be made in the adjoining cemetery.

Kitchener Daily Record 2 Dec 1936 pg 23

John married Mary Ann Witmer 10 Apr 1877, Zurich, Hay Twp., Huron Co., Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of Henry Witmer and ?, daughter of Christian Witmer and Mary Bechtel) was born 22 Sep 1857, Blenheim Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada; died 19 Oct 1943, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried 21 Oct 1943, Wanner Mennonite Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Ann Wanner
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-53071
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1911, Breslau, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Wanner.-Mary Ann Witmer, wife of the late John Wanner, passed peacefully away at her home in Waterloo Twp., early Tuesday morning, Oct. 19, 1943; aged 87 years. She had been in fair health until the time of her decease. Al-though the Master's summons came suddenly, we rest assured that she has passed happily on to her eternal reward. She united with the Mennonite Church in her early womanhood and remained a faithful member until death. She is survived by 2 sons (Nelson, Alberta; Roy, at home), 3 daughters (Mrs. Jacob Mueller, Preston; Mrs. Henry Rhodey, Glennmorris; Mrs. William Seftel, Doon), 22 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren, and a brother (Abram Witmer, Kitchener). She was preceded in death by a daughter (Mrs. Gus Paulitzki, Strasburg) in 1919, and by her husband in 1936. Funeral services were held Oct. 21 at her late residence and at the Wanner Mennonite Church, near Hespeler, Ont., conducted by Bro. J. W. Witmer. Text, Phil. 1: 21. Interment in adjoining cemetery.

Gospel Herald - Vol. XXXVI, No . 33 - November 11, 1943, page 687

_____________________

MRS. JOHN WANNER

MAPLE GROVE, Oct. 20. Mary Ann Witmer, wife of the late John Wanner passed away at her home in Waterloo Township, early yesterday morning, in her 87th year. Born in Blenheim Township, Mrs. Wanner, had spent her entire life in the district, coming to Waterloo Township 56 years ago with her husband. They resided on a farm in the Fisher Mill district, Waterloo Township, until the time of the death of Mr. Wanner in 1936. Mrs. Wanner was a member of the Mennonite Church. Surviving are two sons. Nelson of Legal, Alta. and Roy at home, three daughters (Priscilla) Mrs. Jacob Mueller of Preston, (Esther) Mrs. Henry Rhodey of Glenmorris and (Florence) Mrs. Wm. Seftel at Doom, 22 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren and one brother, Abram Witmer of Kitchener. One daughter, Mrs. Gus Paulitski, of Strasburg, predeceased her 24 years ago. A short funeral service will be held at the residence, at 2 o'clock, Thursday afternoon, followed by a public service, at 3: 30 p.m., at the Wanner Mennonite Church. Both services will be in charge by Rev. J. W. Witmer of Hespeler. Interment in the adjoining cemetery.

Kitchener Daily Record 20 Oct 1943 pg 17

Other Events:

• Name: John Miller
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-120031
• Occupation: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Occupation: 1881, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Day Laborer

Johannes married Margretha Klaum 31 Oct 1841, Hueffler - Wahnwegen, , Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Margretha was born 1824, Hesse, Germany; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Margretha Mueller
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-219398
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Other Methodist
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-35877
• Occupation: 1852, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Day Labourer
• House of Industry and Refuge: 1871, House of Industry and Refuge, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Inmate of Poor House
• Residence: 1871, House of Industry and Refuge, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Pauper
• Residence: 1881, House of Industry and Refuge, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic

Philip — Hanna Mary Tietsen. Hanna was born 1813, , Hessen, Germany; died Bef 1871. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Hanna Mary Seftel
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-35878

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-53126

Henry — Elizabeth. Elizabeth was born Abt 1825, of, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Wanner
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-53127

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00135-8331

Notes:

Christian Witmer, "was married to Mary Bechtel. They resided in Dumfries where he was farming."

Christian Witmer, "a farmer, is married to Nancy Bechtel and resides in North Dumfries Township, Waterloo County."

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.].

____________________


WITMER. On the 27th of January, in Huron county, Ont., Bro. Christian Witmer, aged 67 years, 2 months and 25 days. He was buried on the 29th; services by H. B. Detweiler and E. Snyder. He leaves a widow and nine children. We hope their loss is his eternal gain.

Herald of Truth - Volume XXII, Number 4 - February 14, 1885 pages 62 and 63

Christian married Mary Bechtel 8 Apr 1840, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of Abraham Bechtel and Elizabeth Wanner) was born 1820, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 30 Sep 1897; was buried , Babylon Line Cemetery, Hay Township, Huron Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Witmer
• Eby ID Number: 00007-0741
• Residence: 1840, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Mary Bechtel "the eldest, is married to Christian Witmer, a contractor and builder. They reside in the township of Hay, Huron County."


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.].