Benjamin Potter

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30809
• Occupation: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Saddler
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Residence: 1863, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist

Benjamin married Betsy Hicks 20 Oct 1863, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Betsy (daughter of Thomas Hicks and Hannah) was born Between 1834 and 1835, , England; died 1 Dec 1918, Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States; was buried , Mt. Hope Cemetery, Rochester, Monroe, New York, USA. [Group Sheet]

1. Anna Potter was born 3 Sep 1864, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 5 Feb 1931, Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States; was buried , Mt. Hope Cemetery, Rochester, Monroe, New York, USA.
2. Clara Isabella Potter was born 14 Nov 1869, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 4 Aug 1936, Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States; was buried , Mt. Hope Cemetery, Rochester, Monroe, New York, USA.

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-46805
• Immigration: 1832, , Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1836, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1840, Bridgeport (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Residence: 1852, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Tavern Keeper [catagory: hotel keeper, inn keeper, tavern keeper]
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Occupation: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Presbyterian
• Occupation: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1881, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Weslyan Methodist
• Occupation: 1891, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1891, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Presbyterian

Notes:

James Potter, an elderly settler in this area, died on Monday at the age of 86 years and 8 months. He came to Canada in 1832, settled on a farm near Bridgeport in 1840, and came to Berlin in 1852, where he at first worked in Mackies Store. Then, he was employed in the so-called "Hueglin Hotel" in the eastern part of town and later, in the Commercial Hotel, on the site where the present Walper House stands. He later lived for a long time on a small parcel of land west of the city. Five years ago he moved into the house on Ahrens St., where he died. He was known near and far, and had many friends.

Berliner Journal February 10th, 1898 pg 4 col 2
___________________

King Street, Kitchener

Next, well back and at the bottom of a slope from King Street, was the back of Gaukel's Hotel, extending back to Hall's Lane.

Gaukel's was the first considerable Hotel in Berlin. Frederick Gaukel, who had come from Pennsylvania in 1820, purchased a tract of lots in 1833 from Joseph Schneider on the westerly corner of Queen and King Streets, the site formerly occupied by Phineas Vemum's blacksmith shop, and thereon erected a two story frame building with a wide Colonial style veranda. Candidates at election spoke from this veranda to the crowd on the street, and it had other like uses. The little house standing in the rear, which Phineas Varnum had used for a tavern, was used as a kitchen. The hotel woodshed came next. It was a frame building.

When judges came to Berlin for County Court they stayed at this hotel and Henry Stroh would be asked to forage for speckled trout and partridge, Mr. Gaukel wishing to place something special before his distinguished guests. In 1851 Gaukel had a bear tied by a chain to a post in the barnyard on King Street. There was a cross board on top of the post to which the bear could climb and become a public exhibition. In the early years Indians, wrapped in their government blankets, were in the habit of calling at the house for something to eat. The woods along the Conestoga River abounded in butternuts and these, gathered in the fall, served to entertain the guests on Sunday afternoons. Henry Bachman was an early bartender at the hotel.

Frederick Gaukel died in 1853. His son George thereafter had the hotel for one year, paying $140.00 rent to the Estate. James Potter, who came from Bridgeport, then bought the place and changed its name to The Great Western Hotel. He took down the heavy colonial veranda and replaced it with a new one of iron posts and iron railings. The veranda continued to be a rostrum for political orators. Hon. Michael Hamilton Foley, Post Master General, and Mr. I. E. Bowman, for many years Member of Parliament for North Waterloo, spoke from it. Potter had a large swinging sign on a post at the corner facing King Street. On a windy day 'the squeak of the swinging sign could be heard throughout the village. On the sign were the proprietor's name, the name of the hotel and a picture of The Great Eastern Steamship, by far the largest ship of its time.

REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

James — Mary Sherington. Mary (daughter of John Sherington and Ann Parson) was born Between 1813 and 1814, , England; died 22 Nov 1852, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Potter
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-30806

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-96365

John — Ann Parson. Ann was born 1783, , England; died 7 May 1859, Bridgeport (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Ann Sherington
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-86062
• Residence: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Residence:
Lived with Robert and Ann Sherrington