John H. Groff

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00044-3361
• Residence: 1850, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1871, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Retired: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

John Groff, "was born September 29th, 1827. On November 12th, 1850, he was married to Susannah Bowman who was born September 26th, 1826. They resided near Conestogo, on the farm now possessed by Jacob S. Cressman for a number of years. He now has his home in Berlin. To them was born a family of eleven 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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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.].

John married Susannah Bowman 12 Nov 1850, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Susannah (daughter of Benjamin H. Bauman and Susannah Bechtel) was born 26 Sep 1826, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 24 Jul 1910, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Nith Valley Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

1. Benjamin B. Groff was born 21 Nov 1850, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 7 Nov 1910, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
2. Moses b. Groff was born 12 Sep 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 7 Aug 1927, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Nith Valley Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
3. Andrew B. Groff was born 9 Sep 1854, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 5 Jul 1911, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Shantz Mennonite Cemetery, Wilmot Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
4. Nancy Groff was born 6 Feb 1856, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 26 Jul 1886, Orillia, Orillia Twp., Simcoe Co., Ontario; was buried , Huronia Regional Centre Cemetery, Orillia, Simcoe, , Ontario, Canada.
5. Franklin B. Groff was born 1857, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 24 May 1884, Orillia, Orillia Twp., Simcoe Co., Ontario; was buried , Huronia Regional Centre Cemetery, Orillia, Simcoe, , Ontario, Canada.
6. Noah B. Groff was born 17 Nov 1860, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 15 Dec 1909, Orillia, Orillia Twp., Simcoe Co., Ontario; was buried , Huronia Regional Centre Cemetery, Orillia, Simcoe, , Ontario, Canada.
7. Abraham B. Groff was born 15 Apr 1862, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1 Jul 1937, Elk River, Sherburne, Minnesota, United States; was buried , Orono Cemetery, Elk River, Sherburne, Minnesota, United States.
8. Leah B. Groff was born 1863, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 9 Aug 1954, Orillia, Orillia Twp., Simcoe Co., Ontario; was buried , Huronia Regional Centre Cemetery, Orillia, Simcoe, , Ontario, Canada.
9. Aaron Groff was born 1866, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
10. John B. Groff was born Abt 1868, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
11. Israel Groff was born 1868, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.
12. Ezra Groff was born 1871, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown.

Other Events:

• Name: Andreas Groff
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3340
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 007, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Occupation: 1852, 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
• Residence: Bef 1865, Lititz, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region: Bef 2012, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Andrew Groff, "son of John and Anna (Moyer) Graff, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, April 18th, 1793. His boyhood days were spent in acquiring a business education which proved of great benefit to him in later years. At the age of seventeen he made choice of the milling business as the most pleasing to his taste. His first years of apprenticeship were served in Earl Township where he remained until 1822 when he was induced by others to seek his fortune either in the West or in Canada. Being persuaded by one Joseph Mosser and others who were on the point of leaving for Canada, to join in with their company, he came to Waterloo in the fall of 1822 and found everything most satisfactory. As he was a miller by trade, old Abraham Erb wanted him to take charge of his grist mills which he intended to do after moving to Canada. After being here a short time and making arrangements to move to Canada he started again for Pennsylvania. Arriving at home in safety and spending a few weeks in visiting friends, he then set out for his new home. He left Pennsylvania with his wife and family of four children and made the trip to Canada in seventeen days. On his arrival at Waterloo in November, 1822, he was engaged by Abraham Erb to work on the saw mill where he remained three weeks, after which he entered the employ of Mr. Shade of Galt where he remained for nearly two years, and acquired a considerable amount of cash. He then purchased 200 acres of land half way between Preston and Galt and in a few years he was the proprietor of a store, tavern, grist mill, saw mill, and distillery, from all of which he soon realized quite a fortune, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the county. In 1848 he sold this property and purchased the farm of the late David Erb, north of the town of Waterloo, now in possession of his son Jacob. During the close of his life he lived on the place now possessed by Mr. F. Scheifle, a little to the north of the town of Waterloo. Here he died May 11th, 1877. He was married in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1815, to Annie, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Reist) Huber. She was born October 15th, 1795, and died in Waterloo County, Ontario, September 19th, 1865. They had a family of twelve 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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SAMUEL GROFF. PRESIDENT NORTH WEST BUTTON CO.

Mr. Samuel Groff, though not a native born Berliner, still is a son of the fine old County of which Berlin is the chief town. He comes of Pennsylvania German stock. His grand father was Andrew Groff who learned the trade of Miller in his home state-Pennsylvania. In 1822 he came to Waterloo and after a few years spent there and at Galt, he acquired a large tract of land near Preston, where he carried on farming, saw-milling, a grist mill, store, hotel and distillery and became one of the wealthiest men in the county. His eldest son, Isaac, was the father of the subject of this sketch, who was born near Freeport in 1847. He early entered mercantile life in the late J. Hoffman's store and was one of the earlier merchants in Berlin. He was head of the firm Groff and Hymmen for many years, a house that was among the largest in the county. Several years ago, he went to Winnipeg and at present he is president of the North West Button Co.2^a


Berlin Today 1806-1906 official souvenir
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From the Region of Waterloo Hall of Fame website.

The name of Groff in Waterloo in the nineteenth century was associated with the raising of Shorthorn cattle.

Andrew Groff of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, settled in 1822 on 170 acres at the location of the Galt Country Club. He later owned a grist mill, general store, tavern and a distillery. In the 1840s the family moved to Waterloo where his sons and grandsons, with outstanding success, bred and raised Shorthorn cattle.

A Knight of Warlaby, imported from Scotland, proved to be an outstanding sire. A son, A Baron of Waterloo," in 1882 was Grand Champion at the leading Canadian show at Kingston. In 1886 he was champion at Guelph. He was then sold to the Hon. George Brown. This bull sired what was probably the best show herd in Canada, winning awards on the American and Canadian show circuits. The Groffs were justifiably proud of their reputation as Shorthorn breeders.

Andrew married Annie Huber 1815, , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Annie (daughter of Samuel Huber and Elizabeth Reist) was born 15 Oct 1795, , Pennsylvania, USA; died 19 Sep 1865, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Annie Groff
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3340.1
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00044-3337

Notes:

John Graff, "one of the youngest children of John Graff, was born in Earl Township where he was married to Annie Moyer and resided in the same neighborhood where he was born. Here he was engaged in farming. His family consisted of several children, all of whom resided in Lancaster County with the exception of three"


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 Annie Moyer Earl Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Annie was born Abt 1740, Of, Earl Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Annie Graff
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3337.1

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00044-3340.2

Samuel — Elizabeth Reist. Elizabeth was born Abt 1765, Of, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Huber
• Eby ID Number: 00044-3340.3

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00044-3336

Notes:

John Graff, "the third son of old Hans, was born in Switzerland and came to America with his parents when a mere lad. No records obtained of his birth or death, neither to whom he was married. His family was quite numerous."


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.].