Stewart Robert Otto

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-214763

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-76163
• Residence: 1891, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical
• Residence: 1929, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Jacob R. Otto

A native of Wilmot Centre, Jacob R. Otto, 79, of Kitchener, died at K-W Hospital Thursday March 18, following a lengthy illness.
He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John T. Otto, and had lived in Kitchener for the past 40 years. His parents had been residents of New Hamburg at one time. Mr. Otto was a member of the Pentecostal Tabernacle. He was predeceased by his first wife, the former Matilda Feick in 1939, and his second wife, the former Elsie Eby in 1962.

Among the survivors are two sons, Raymond of Toronto and Emmerson of Waterloo; seven daughters, Mrs. Nelson (Florence) Angst and Mrs. Arthur (Eileen) Wilhelm, both of Kitchener, Mrs. Mildred Smith of Toronto, Mrs. Jack (Grace) Massel of Indianapolis, Indiana; Mrs. Manley (Golda) Higgins of Detroit, Mrs. Reuben (Betty) Seftel and Marjorie, both of Waterloo; one brother Daniel of Detroit, and four sisters, Mrs. Melissa James of Detroit, Mrs. Diana Weber of Kitchener, Mrs. Charles (Violet) Christner of New Hamburg and Talma of London, Ontario. There are 24 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by one son, Stewart in 1934 and by one brother and one sister.

Funeral services were conducted Saturday at the Pentecostal Tabernacle with burial in Woodland Cemetery. Rev. G. B. Griffin conducted the services.

New Hamburg Independent 25 Mar 1965

Jacob — Matilda Martha Feick. Matilda was born 25 Jun 1887, Normanby Twp., Grey Co., Ontario, Canada; died 31 Aug 1939, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Woodland Cem., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Matilda Martha Otto
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-214762

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00122-7516.4
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; E. Methodist
• Occupation: 1881, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Occupation: 1891, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1891, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical
• Occupation: 1901, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Elected Office: 1906, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Councillor of Wilmot Township
• Occupation: 1911, Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1911, Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical

Notes:

JOHN T. OTTO was born near New Hamburg on March 2, 1859, and received his education at Union School No. II in Oxford County. He is engaged in farming on a large scale, being the owner of 350 acres situated on Lots 11 and 12, First Concession, Block A, Wilmot. Mr. Otto was elected a municipal councillor in 1900 and created a Justice of the Peace in 1905.

Chronicle-Telegraph Newspaper, 100 Years of Progress in Waterloo County Canada Semi-Centennial Souvenir 1856-1906 (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: Chronicle-Telegraph Newspaper, 1906)pg 33

_____________________________

Peace Perfect Peace Died At London, on Thursday, September 29^th, 1921 John T. Otto of New Hamburg In his 63^rd year. Funeral Will take place from his late residence on Saturday, Oct. 1^st, at 2 o'clock p. m., to the Evangelical Church for service, thence to Riverside Cemetery. Friends and acquaintances will please accept this intimation.

Funeral Card

John — Elizabeth Ratz. Elizabeth (daughter of John Jacob "Jacob" Ratz and Marie Opfer) was born 27 Feb 1858, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 7 Jun 1942, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Otto
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-76158
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Other M
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Wesleyan Methodist
• Residence: 1891, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical
• Residence: 1911, Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical
• Residence: 1929, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Other Events:

• Name: Johannes Otto
• Eby ID Number: 00122-7516.1
• Occupation: 1852, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; labourer
• Occupation: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Occupation: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Ep. Methodist
• Occupation: 1881, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer

John married Leah Tohman 6 Nov 1849, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Leah (daughter of Abraham Tohman, Sr. and Mary Bricker) was born 18 Apr 1831, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 30 Aug 1902; was buried , Blenheim Mennonite Cemetery, Blenheim Township, Oxford Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Leah Otto
• Residence: Wilmot Township - Concession 3 Lot 14, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: 00122-7516
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Ep. Methodist

Notes:

Leah Tohman, "was born April 18th, 1831. On November 6th, 1849, she was married to John Otto, a farmer. They reside in Wilmot Township, near New Dundee. To them is born a family of twelve children".¹

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:

• Name: Jacob Ratz
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-75268P
• Immigration: 1828, , Canada
• Immigration: 1828, , Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1848, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Residence: 1848, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Occupation: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Saw Miller
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Other M
• Occupation: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer & Saw
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Wesleyan Methodist
• Occupation: 1881, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Occupation: 1911, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Income
• Residence: 1911, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Evangelical Association

Notes:

THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE

An interesting meeting took place the Saturday before last in the old log cabin in Waterloo Park.

This house was, of course, the first schoolhouse in this area and stood originally on the school-house square at the corner of King and Church Streets in Waterloo. It was built in 1820 and served its purpose until 1842, when it was torn down and a 1-storey stone house was constructed on the site. The dismantled log house was erected again in Greenbush and served as a residence for a long time for the coloured man, Mr. Carroll and his family. In the course of this year, the Waterloo Park Commissioners purchased the house, moved it to their park and furnished it again as it was when it was a school-house.

At this gathering, in addition to many other ladies and gentlemen, the following (male and female) former pupils attended, took their places on the benches, and were called to order by the 82-year-old teacher, Benjamin Burkholder, who held the scepter, or rather, the switch, from 1831 to 1842 in the old log-house: Joel Guth, 80 years old; Abraham Scherk, Blair, 79; Jakob Bricker, Waterloo, 77; Sarah Burkholder, nee Erb, Bridgeport, 75; Amos Weber, Berlin, 73; John C, Bricker, Hawksville, 71; Maria Erb, nee Quickfall, Norwich 69; David B. Eby, Waterloo, 69; Wendel Baumann, Woolwich, 68; Henry Stauffer, Erbsville, 67; Simon Beatty, Elmira, 67; Jakob Ratz, New Hamburg, 67; Israel Baumann, Berlin, 65; George Elbert, Moorefield, 63; George H. Baumann, Elmira, 63; John Devitt, Waterloo, 62; Richard Quickfall, Bridgeport, 62; Isaak Hoffmann, Waterloo, 61; Robert Barkwell, Peel, 60; Diana McMahon, nee Dekay, Berlin, 60; Thomas Quickfall, Floradale, 60; Benjamin Devitt, Waterloo, 60; Isaak Devitt, Floradale, 58; John Longmann, Peel, 57. In addition, to these, the teacher read the names of 25 pupils from the roll; they were, however, absent.

Mr. Burkholder gave an interesting talk about the history of the old school-house, and after him, Rev. J.A. MacLachlan, Rev. J. McNair, Mr. J.E. Baumann, M.P., and Mr. Jakob Ratz spoke about the old days which brought many things out of the past to mind again. School was, as a rule, only in session in winter and the costs were borne by the parents of the children. There were few subjects taught, namely: Reading, Writing and Sums. The children heard little about language, and geography; no child had more than 2 or 3 books. The predominant language was German. The pupils learned to read and write English, but didn't understand a word of it. Among the teachers in the old school-house from 1820-1842, with the exception of Mr. Burkholder, were the following whose names are still recognized: Jephtha DeKay, Joseph Guth, John Herringer, Peter Otto, John Dobbin, Elias Eby, Robert Barber, & Joseph Eby.

After those present, on hearing the various speeches felt themselves transported back to the past, the school was closed at four o'clock and the pupils were gathered together in front of the school and photographed as a group. On their return into the school, they found it had been transformed into a dining room with heavily-laden tables, which the old-timers thoroughly enjoyed. After everyone had chatted cordially for a while longer, the gathering broke up. The company will not meet again in complete numbers, nor in such a way.

Berliner Journal September 26, 1895 Page 4 Column 4

_________________


THE RATZ BROS.

It has always been my custom in writing up the industries of a community to first direct attention to its flouring mills, because from them is derived the staff of life, without which we would find a precarious subsistence. No other industry is of greater importance to the merchants, mechanics and inhabitants in general. In this particular, Elmira has a first-class establishment in the Elmira Roller Mills, owned and operated by the above well known firm. These mills were established in 1867 by a joint stock company. Sometime about the year 1870 they became the property of the late John Ratz, the father of the members of the present firm, in company with his brother Jacob. The latter is now living in New Hamburg, having withdrawn from the firm in 1872. His interest was then purchased by Isaac Wenger, it then being conducted under the firm name of Ratz & Wenger from 1872 to 1875, when Mr. Ratz became sole proprietor and operated the same until 1882, after which he gave his sons an interest in the business. It continued under the firm of Ratz & Sons until 1889, when the senior member of the firm died. The latter was a man honorable and prominent in the estimation of all who knew him, being both charitable and public spirited in every sense of the term. He was one of the first Reeves of the village and one of the main advocates of the railroad project for Elmira, and was prominent among those who rendered substantial encouragement to the movement that gave to the village its first railroad communication. Since his death the mills have been owned and operated by his three sons, Simon H. Daniel and George. They were among the first in the county to adopt the full roller process, and now have a capacity for turning out one hundred barrels of a superior grade of flour per day. A 75 horse power engine supplies the motive power. Their special brands are, viz, "Elmira" and "Sunshine," which are popular products in the market. They have an extensive local trade and a large demand in the maritime Provinces for their output.

They also buy and pay the highest market price for all the wheat that comes to their doors. In addition to the flouring mills the firm has a sawmill in connection, in which they do a large amount of custom sawing for the farmers of many miles around, besides manufacturing the heading, staves and hoops for their flour barrels. They also manufacture a first-class grade of shingles. Elmira's splendid electric light system is furnished by this firm, their plant having a capacity for producing 500 incandescent lights for that purpose. The brilliant, steady illumination of the town at night is ample proof that they are furnishing a first class article and giving the people good satisfaction. The Ratz Bros were all born within a mile and a half of Elmira and are among her honorable, industrious and enterprising citizens. The amount of money they pay out to the farmers annually is high in the thousands.

Waterloo County Chronicle 27 Jan 1898, p. 1, 2, 3

John married Marie Opfer 30 May 1848, Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Marie (daughter of Opper and Catherine) was born 23 May 1827, , Germany; died 27 Oct 1905; was buried , Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Marie Ratz
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-85842P
• Immigration: 1847, , Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1848, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Residence: 1861, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Other M
• Residence: 1871, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Wesleyan Methodist