Mabel Mae Gress

Other Events:

• Name: Mabel Mae Rodger
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-351075

Notes:

Mrs. Mabel Rodger

Formerly of Preston, at the South Waterloo Memorial Hospital, Galt, on Saturday, Nov. 27, 1971, Mabel Gress, beloved wife of the late John H. Rodger; dear mother of Margaret (Mrs. Vincent Wildman) of Holland, Mich. and Gress Rodger of Buckhorn, Ont., in her 91st year. Resting at the Barthel-Stager Funeral Home, corner Queen and Argyle Streets, Preston, where funeral and committal service will be conducted Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m. Interment in Preston cemetery.

Kitchener-Waterloo Record 29 Nov 1971 pg 23

Mabel married John H. Rodger 14 Nov 1900, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. John was born 1873, Somerset Co., England; died 1955; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Interesting: hotel, fire,
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-112238
• Occupation: 1881, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mason
• Occupation: 1891, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Hotel Keeper
• Residence: 1891, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Public Service: 8 Nov 1892, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Preston Fire Brigade
• Occupation: 1911, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Hotel Keeper, Hotel
• Residence: 1911, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Notes:

George Gress was first a mason but left the trade to partner with John Soeder, operating the Commercial Hotel in Preston. After three years the partnership ended and he leased the Market Hotel in Galt for 5 years. He then became proprietor of the Western Hotel (Overland Hotel) and 5 years and returned to Preston in 1899 to run the Commericial Hotel. He in 1871 joined the St. Lawrence Fire Company of the two Preston Fire Brigades. While in Galt he also served as assistant fire chief. He was chief of the Preston Fire Brigade 1892-1907.

Cambridge Mosaic , Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge [abbreviated snippet from original text in book]

Public Service:
From Minute Book of Preston Fire Brigade

George married Mary Soeder 28 Jan 1879, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of John Soeder and Margaret Scheiblein) was born CALC 9 Jul 1858, Doon (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 24 Dec 1910, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Gress
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-128976
• Residence: 1891, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177440380
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-112233
• Occupation: 1871, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Brushmaker
• Occupation: 1881, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Hotelkeeper
• Occupation: 1891, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1891, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Notes:

It is probable that his brother is George Henry Gress who is buried in the same cemetery.

Henry married Elizabeth Kanmacher 1849. Elizabeth (daughter of Henry Kanmacher and Elizabeth Burghert) was born 12 Feb 1821, Hohwiller, , Alsace, France; died 15 Sep 1910, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177440355
• Interesting: midwife - 2,700 deliveries
• Name: Elizabeth Gress
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-112235
• Immigration: 1852, , Canada
• Retired: 1901, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Elizabeth was born in Hohnweiler, Alsace, France 12 Feb 1821. She was a midwife by profession and was trained in Strasbourg. She received her degree in 1847 and delivered over 2,700 babies retiring in 1900. She married Henry Gress in 1849 and they came to Preston in 1853. She sometimes charged food, sometimes up to $5.00 and sometimes nothing depending on the financial condition of the family she was helping. In 1880 aged 59 she was required to take a certification test and passed and continued until 1900.

Cambridge Mosaic , Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge [abbreviated snippet from original text in book]

__________________________

ELISABETH GRESS


Several issues ago in Branch Notes, we told you about the Preston midwife "Mother" Gress, who helped babies into the world for 55 years (c1853-c1910). We speculated about her records...if only they could be found.

Well, your genealogical detectives in the branch have found the surviving records of Elizabeth Gress, and the key word is "surviving".

In 1962 the Galt Reporter ran a feature on Mrs Gress having borrowed the substance from the London Free Press. At the time, a reporter from the paper met with Mrs Gress' grandson and borrowed her meticulously kept record book of the babies she had brought into the world. The records were never returned, and the Reporter cannot now find them.

What survives is her account book and her notebook of midwifery methods from her German college. The account book records what she was paid up to about 1883. These two records are in the hands of a descendant, and were found. We were graciously allowed to borrow the records and had them microfilmed. They will shortly be available for scrutiny at the Kitchener and Cambridge libraries; sharpen up your German handwriting analysis skills if you hope to read them!

Branch Notes Volume 15 No 4., Waterloo-Wellington Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society

________________________


... In 2006 or 2007? I donated to the Cambridge Archives several items belonging to my great-great grandmother. These items included the described accounts ledger listing the births and amounts received as well as a medical book written in German, a woollen shawl and a photo of Gramma Gress taken late in life. Due to the very fragile nature of the items (in particular the ledger and book), my brother, John Huggan and myself thought it important that these important family artifacts could be better preserved (and perhaps displayed) in an archival facility. We have long known of Elizabeth Kanamacher-Gress and her significant contribution to the births of many, many children in the Waterloo County Region and we are very proud to be her descendants.

Jane Huggan email

__________________


DEATH OF MRS, GRESS

Preston, Sept. 16. - There died in Preston to-day one of the oldest and most respected citizens in town in the person of Mrs. Elizabeth Gress. She was in her 90th year, and had only been ill for about ten days.

This venerable old lady was highly educated and led a very unusual life. She Was educated in a French College at Flasbourg, Germany, as a midwife, getting a degree, and started practicing in 1847. In the year 1853 she migrated to Canada with her husband, the late Henry Gress, and started a practice in Preston. Her husband predeceased her 14 years. She practiced from that date until the year 1900. Her records, which are in very beautiful handwriting, show that she attended the birth of 2,700 children.

The late Mrs: Gress was born February 12, 1831, at Honweiler. Alsace, Germany, and was married in Germany in November, 1849. Those who survive her, are three sons, four daughters, 18 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. The sons are: Henry, Detroit, Chris. Brantford, and Gcorge, Preston. The daughters are: Mrs. J. W. Gardner, Toronto, Mrs. Mahler, Detroit; Mrs. Fred Fischer, Presten and Mrs. Peter Middlemiss, Preston.

The funeral will take place on Sunday to the Lutheran Church, Preston, where services will be held, and thence to Preston cemetery.

The Chronicle Telegraph, 22 Sep 1910, p. 2

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-128393
• Occupation: 1871, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Cooper
• Occupation: 1881, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Cooper

John — Margaret Scheiblein. Margaret was born 11 Jan 1824, , Bavaria, Germany; died 27 Dec 1917, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Saint Clements Roman Catholic Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Margaret Soeder
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-89864
• Immigration: 1844, , Canada
• Immigration: 1845, , Canada
• Residence: 1891, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic
• Residence: 1911, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Catholic

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177440199
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-112243
• Residence: 1822, Trimbach, , Alsace, France
• Occupation: 1871, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; brushmaker

Michael — Catherine. Catherine was born CALC 1 May 1790, , France; died 5 Feb 1875, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177440328
• Name: Catherine Gress
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-112244
• Residence: 1822, Trimbach, , Alsace, France

Notes:

In Preston, at the residence of her son (Mr. Henry Gress), Mrs. Catharine Gress, aged 84 years, 9 months and 3 days.

Galt Reporter Feb 12 1875 pg 3

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-47053

Henry — Elizabeth Burghert. Elizabeth was born Abt 1801, of, Hausperch, Alsace, France; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Kanmacher
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-47054