Rev. John Stoeckle

Other Events:

• Honoured: 811 Bleams Rd., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Interesting: pioneer, story, weaver
• Name: Johannes Stoeckle
• Name: John Steckle
• Name: John Steckley
• Residence: 811 Bleams Rd., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: 00118-7447
• Land: Bef 1831, Bechtel Tract, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Occupation: 1851, 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
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennnonite

Notes:

John Stoeckle, "was born November 25th, 1802. He left Germany and emigrated to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, U.S., where he arrived October 2nd, 1829. Here he remained until the summer of 1831 when he moved to Canada and arrived at Berlin, Waterloo County, Ontario, August lst, 1831. Here he followed his profession (weaving) for about eighteen months. On January 29th, 1833, he was married to Esther Bliehm who was born March 16th, 1808. They moved on their large farm north of Strasburg and about four miles southwest of Berlin where they resided until his death which took place April 22nd, 1879. He was a member of the Mennonite Church of which body he was a minister for many years. 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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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.].

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Pioneer Park (Weber/Strasburg) Christian Fellowship Mennonite Church

Early services were held in the homes of the first settlers, perhaps as early as 1833. Services often were held at the home of David Weber who lived across from where the church would be located. David Sherk was ordained deacon to serve the group in 1837, and in the next year, 1838, he was ordained minister. He was followed in 1840 by John Steckle (Stoeckle).

In 1842, David Weber donated one acre of land for a meeting house and burial ground. The deed was dated March 23, 1854, although the meeting house had been built in 1843. A new yellow brick church was built in 1894 on the same site. Noah Stauffer, who had been ordained in 1876 to assist John Steckle, was minister at the time. A Sunday School was organized in the 1890s; Sunday School records date from 1898. In 1899 the first Bible Conference to be held in an Ontario Mennonite church was held in the Weber church.

In 1971-1972 the church was enlarged and completely renovated. During that time - from October 17, 1971 to January 23, 1972 - the congregation met in the Herbert Feick home on Doon Village Road. On September 24, 1872 the congregation celebrated the 130th Anniversary of the building of the first meeting house. The name of the church was changed to Pioneer Park Christian Fellowship Mennonite Church in 1972.

In 1951 the congregation had purchased from Clifford Snider an additional acre of land located behind the church. In 1976, for the sum of $1, the congregation acquired a sixty-five foot strip of land along the south edge of the church property from Major Holdings & Development Co. A new church was built within several feet of the old yellow brick one which was removed; the date on the cornerstone is 1980. The 150th Anniversary of the construction of the first meeting house is to be celebrated in 1993.

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

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April 22nd, in Waterloo Co., Ont., Preacher JOHN STECKLE, aged 76 years and 4 months. He served as minister 38 years. Buried at Weber,s burying ground the 25th.

HERALD OF TRUTH - Volume XVI, Number 7 - July 1879 - page 137, 138

Honoured:
The J. Steckle Heritage Homestead is named in honour of John Steckle (Stoeckle), a farmer, weaver, and pastor of Mennonite faith, originally from Switzerland. He and his wife, Esther Bleam, built the Homestead in 1833. The site was the ideal location due to its proximity to a spring/artesian well, which had a history of native use that predated European occupation. The Steckle Homestead has remained in the hands of the Steckle family since the time of the original settlers, with many of the original buildings still intact. In 1978 Dr. Jean Steckle purchased the Homestead and remaining 10.2 acres from her parents. In 1983 the J. Steckle Heritage Homestead was designated a heritage property in the City of Kitchener under the Ontario Heritage Act. In 1988 a non-profit organization was established to preserve the site as an education centre for youth.

Steckle Heritage Farm

John married Esther B. Bliehm 22 Jan 1833, , Ontario, Canada. Esther (daughter of Philip Bliehm and Esther Bechtel) was born 16 Mar 1808, Doon (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 26 May 1892, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Pioneer Park Mennonite Cemetery, [formerly Weber Mennonite Biehn Drive Cemetery] Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

1. Elizabeth "Betsey" Steckle was born CALC 20 Aug 1834; died 14 Jul 1878, Williamsburg (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Pioneer Park Mennonite Cemetery, [formerly Weber Mennonite Biehn Drive Cemetery] Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
2. Daniel B. Steckle was born 28 Apr 1837, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1900; was buried , Lakeview Conservative Mennonite Cemetery, Blake, Hay Twp., Huron Co., Ontario, Canada.
3. John B. Steckle was born 20 Feb 1840, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1 Sep 1857, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
4. Abraham Steckle was born 20 Jan 1842, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 6 Mar 1913, Freeport, Barry, Michigan, USA.
5. Elisabeth Steckly was born 1843, , Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
6. Jacob B. Steckle was born 20 Aug 1844, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 30 Jun 1898, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
7. Hannah Steckle was born 1846, , Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
8. Heinrich B. "Henry" Steckle was born 20 Dec 1846, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 18 Oct 1920; was buried , Pioneer Park Mennonite Cemetery, [formerly Weber Mennonite Biehn Drive Cemetery] Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00118-7446

Notes:

John Stoeckle, "was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1768, and was married in 1796 to Mary Witmer who was born in 1770. They had a family of nine children, of whom five died in infancy. Of the remaining four the name of only one was 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.].

John married Mary Witmer 1796. Mary was born 1770, Of, Bavaria, Germany; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Stoeckle
• Eby ID Number: 00118-7446.1

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00118-7445

Notes:

Joseph Stoeckle, "emigrated with his parents from Switzerland to Rehnish, Bavaria, when he was three years old. When some twenty years of age he was married to Veronica Bachmann. They had a family of three children, namely: John, Magdalena, and Catharine."


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 — Veronica Bachman. Veronica was born Abt 1740, Of, Bavaria, Germany; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Veronica Stoeckle
• Eby ID Number: 00118-7445.1