Henry Bernhard

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-35452

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-88960
• Residence: 1845, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1852, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Brewer

George married Anna Elizabeth Steppler 16 Nov 1845, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Anna was born 21 Jan 1830, , Hessen, Germany; died 12 Jul 1888, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried 14 Jul 1888, Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Anna Elizabeth Bernhardt
• Name: Anna Elizabeth Frosch
• Name: Elizabeth Stoeppler
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-88965
• Residence: 1845, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Other Events:

• Name: Jacob Bernhardt
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-35454
• Residence: 1852, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

THE JACOB BERNHARDT FAMILY HISTORY

By Clara Wurster Atkinson

The dates in this history were obtained from the records in German, of Rev. Jacob Huettner (pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Preston, from 1838 - 1849) and records of Rev. I. Wurster (pastor of St. Peter's 1854 - 1881). Rev. Huettner was the great grandfather, and Rev. Wurster was the grandfather of Mrs. Percy (Clara Wurster) Atkinson who completed this account at Preston on April 21, 1952.

Among the early pioneers of Waterloo County, Ontario, were Philip Jacob Bernhardt (known as Jacob) and his wife Barbara Rupp Bernhardt, who came to America in 1831 from Oberhofen, Alsace.

Jacob and Barbara were married in 1817 in Oberhofen and they lived there and also in Steinseltz. Typical of the ambitious, industrious people of those days, they spent happy hours tilling the fertile soil of Alsace and enjoying the exceptionally fine climate of the Rhine Valley.

Following the custom of those southern provinces, they harvested many kinds of fruit, especially grapes and prune plums, and made quantities of wine. Instead of carrying water to men working in the fields, they served them from huge jugs filled with grape and prune wine.

Another quaint custom which they observed on Shrove Tuesday was the making of fried cakes of the yeast variety (a tubful as the tale was told), and in the evening friends gathered to enjoy these large twisted cakes served with coffee. It was a time of feasting, dancing and merrymaking. There appears to have been an abundance of food. However, at that time many people were leaving Alsace for America, the New World.

In the spring of 1831 Jacob and Barbara decided to leave their homeland with its pleasant surroundings and neat farm, for the wilds of America. They set sail from Le Havre, France, with their five children: Catherine, John, George, Henry and Magdalene. After a long, rough voyage they landed at Buffalo, N.Y., on July 4, 1831. Independence Day celebrations were in full swing with fireworks and crackers even at that early date. Barbara, who had been accustomed to war and unrest in her homeland, was terrified. She thought they had landed in the midst of a terrific war, and decided that America was not the peaceful spot she had anticipated.

Barbara refused to settle in Buffalo, so they journeyed on by oxcart to the little town of Hamburg, N.Y. After resting there awhile they again travelled on, finally settling in a rural section near the village of Boston. To be exact, their home was between Boston and Eden, both small New York State villages. Here they cleared the land and farmed until coming to Canada about the year 1841.

Being possessed of strong religious principles, and faithful to the Lutheran church in their homeland, they wanted to settle as near as possible to a Lutheran church in this wild country. While there they were quite close to the little old Evangelical church, which was located on the East Eden Road near Hamburg and was later torn down. The church was founded in 1829 by German emigrants who were on their way to Wisconsin but were marooned by the severe New York State winter.

It is almost certain the Bernhardts attended this church when they arrived in 1831, but unfortunately the church records from 1829 to 1845 were destroyed by fire. It is therefore impossible to obtain records of attendance and christenings of children. However, the records of their confirmation in St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Preston, Ontario, show that the children born in America were christened near Eden, N.Y. Five more children were born to the couple in their American home: Rosina, Elizabeth, William, Jacob, and Philip.

They heard of the fertile lands along the Grand River near Waterloo, Canada, which lured them on to cross the border into the deeper wilderness of Canada. They settled in Waterloo Township north of Kossuth where the farm upon which they settled, now cleared of its forest and in a high state of cultivation, stands as a monument to their industry and patience. Here they lived for some years, until Jacob was in poor health, the work was too strenuous, and the boys were leaving home. They decided to settle in Preston, where they had been faithful members of the Lutheran church since their arrival in Canada. Also, the long drives to attend church had become wearisome.

Arriving in Preston, Jacob became an innkeeper. On April 11, 1855 he purchased Lot No. 17 on the corner of King and Montrose Streets (later the Von Ende property) from Dinah Sidney Smith. Here the Bernhardt tavern was located for many years. After Jacob's death in 1857, his son George carried on at the inn. Incidentally, Jacob's son Henry had purchased Lot No. 14 from Alex. Grant on Jan. 15, 1855.

Jacob and Barbara spent happy days at the inn, but not for long. Jacob died in 1857 at the age of 61 years. He was laid to rest in the old Lutheran cemetery behind the church, with Rev. Immanuel Wurster officiating. Barbara lived with her son-in-law and daughter (Mr. and Mrs. John Beck) at their home which is now 132 Waterloo St. N. in Preston. There she died on Jan. 24, 1881 at the age of 86 years. During a blinding snow storm that drifted the snow so high that a tiny cutter almost overturned, she was laid to rest in the old section of the Preston cemetery (known as The Row) with Rev. I. Wurster officiating. The stone and inscription are still in perfect condition.

At the time of her death there were 84 descendants, but today there are many more Bernhardts.

BERNHARDT FAMILY RECORDS

Philip Jacob Bernhardt (known as Jacob) Born in Oberhofen, Alsace, France, March 29, 1796 Married in Oberhofen in 1817 Died in Preston, Ont., July 23, 1857, of dropsy Age 61 years, 3 months, 25 days Buried July 25, 1857 in the old Lutheran cemetery behind the church by Rev. I. Wurster Survivors: widow, 10 children and 22 grandchildren.

His Wife
Barbara Bernhardt (nee Rupp)
Born in Oberhofen, Alsace, March 28, 1794 Married in Oberhofen, 1817 Died in Preston, Ont., Jan. 24, 1881, of cancerous tumor Age 86 years, 9 months, 7 days Buried Jan. 26, 1881 in Preston cemetery by Rev. Wurster

Survivors: four sons (one son George had died and one son John had disappeared); four daughters; 40 grandchildren; 36 great grandchildren. Total of 84 survivors

CHILDREN OF JACOB AND BARBARA BERNHARDT
First five children born in Oberhofen, Alsace. The other five children born near Boston, New York State.
1.Catherine-married (1) Michael Roos in Buffalo, 1833.
(2) John Hinderer in Preston, 1859.
2.John-married Anna Steppler in Preston, 1845.
3.George-married Elizabeth Steppler in Preston, 1845.
4.Henry-married Dorothea Rahn in Preston, 1850.
5.Magdalene-married Hubert Kratzmeier in Preston.
6.Rosina-married John Beck in Preston, 1867.
7.Elizabeth-married Gustaph Kraus, Baden.
8.William-married (1) Isabel Campbell, Galt.
(2) Kate Munroe, Galt.
9.Jacob-married Elizabeth Israel in Preston, 1861.
10.Philip-left Preston about 1881.

Atkinson, Clara Wurster Atkinson. "THE JACOB BERNHARDT FAMILY HISTORY" Forty-Fifth Annual Volume, Waterloo Historical Society., 1957, Annual Report

Philip — Barbara Rupp. Barbara was born 27 Mar 1791, Oberhofen, , Alsace, France; died 24 Jan 1881, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Barbara Bernhardt
• Name: Barbara Reul
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-35455
• Residence: 1861, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran