Catharine Brubacher

Other Events:

• Name: Catharine Weber
• Name: Katie Brubacher
• Eby ID Number: 00018-1421
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Catharine Brubacher, "was born September 18th, 1865. She is married to Noah Weber, a farmer, and resides about two miles north of the town of Waterloo. They have no family."


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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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.].

Catharine married Noah S. Weber 23 Sep 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Noah (son of Joseph M. Weber and Veronica Shantz) was born 11 Jan 1868, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 16 Apr 1963, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

1. Hilda B. Weber was born 2 Oct 1895, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 27 Jul 1929, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
2. Nora B. Weber was born 2 Sep 1898, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1986; was buried , Wanner Mennonite Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
3. Lorne B. Weber was born 6 Oct 1900, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 2 Dec 1986, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: 00018-1412
• Occupation: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1851, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonist
• Residence: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Occupation: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Henry Brubacher, "was born February 12th, 1824. On January 6th, 1852, he was married to Mary, daughter of David and Esther Musselman. She was born November 24th, 1833, and died November 20th, 1867. Soon after their marriage they moved on his father's old homestead, a little east of Berlin, where they resided until their deaths. He died March 5th, 1893. To them was born a family of ten 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.].

____________________________________


BRUBACHER - On the 5th of March, 1893, near Berlin, Waterloo Co., Ontario, of an affection of the lungs, Bro. Henry Brubacher, aged 69 years and 21 days. The deceased was born on the 12th of February, 1824. In January, 1852, he married Mary Mussleman. To this union were born 5 sons and 5 daughters, of whom 4 sons and 3 daughters remain. Sister Brubacher died on the 20th of November, 1867. Bro. Brubacher had been confined to house nearly all winter and to his bed for about 4 weeks before his death. He was resigned to God's will. The remains were interred at C. Eby's meeting house, Berlin, on the 8th, followed by a large concourse of relatives and sympathizing friends. Funeral services at the house by D. Wisner and Moses Bowman in German from John 5: 24, 25 and by Noah Stauffer in English from Phillipians 1: 21.

Obituary - Herald of Truth, April 1, 1893

__________________

Mr. Henry Brubacher, an esteemed and widely known gentleman, who has resided near Berlin for many years, died at his late residence last evening after an illness of a few weeks. Deceased was in his sixty-ninth year of age and was the son of John Brubacher, one of the original settlers of the site where Berlin now stands. The dead citizen was very well known throughout the county and followed farming for the greater portion of his life, though for some years he was engaged, or had an interest in certain enterprises in the town. He was of a kindly disposition and leaves a family of seven grown children, four sons and three daughters, to mourn his loss. One of his sons is Mr. "Solly" Brubacher, so well and popularly known in Berlin. His death has aroused many expressions of condolences for his bereaved family, and the county loses a whole-hearted genial resident. He was born in Berlin, Feb 12 1821 and died of congestion of the lungs and will be buried on Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock in the Old Mennonite Cemetery. [Henry Sherk Brubacher]

The Daily Telegraph 6 Mar 1893

Henry married Mary Musselman 6 Jan 1852, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of David Musselman and Esther Z. Martin) was born 24 Nov 1833, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 20 Nov 1867, near, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried 23 Nov 1867, First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Brubacher
• Eby ID Number: 00083-4937
• Residence: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Mary Musselman, "was born November 24th, 1833. On January 6th, 1852, she was married to Henry Brubacher. They resided on the old "John Brubacher Farm" a little east of Berlin where she died November 20th, 1867, leaving a family of ten 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.].

________________

On the 20th of November, 1867, in Waterloo Co., Ontario, MARY, wife of Henry BRUBACHER, aged 33 years, 11 months and 26 days. Her maiden name was Musselman. She was buried on the 23rd at Eby's burying-ground. She leaves a husband and 10 children to mourn her early departure.

HERALD OF TRUTH - Volume IV, Number 12 - December 1867, Page 191

Other Events:

• Interesting: pioneer, story
• Eby ID Number: 00018-1389
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 057, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 059, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Land: Bef 1831, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 006, Waterloo County, Ontario
• Occupation: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

John Brubacher, "the youngest son of Jacob and Susannah (Erb) Brubacher, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, July 11th, 1793. In 1815 he came to Canada (See pages 45, 46 and 47) and selected his lot, No. 57, German Company's Tract, township and county of Waterloo, Ontario, a little to the east of Berlin. Here he had a small clearing made and a log shanty erected thereon. Late in fall of the same year Mr. Brubacher returned to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to make arrangements for moving to Canada the following spring. Early in 1816, he, in company with his mother, moved to this country and had their home with Bishop Benjamin Eby. As soon as the log shanty on his large farm was finished he started housekeeping for himself. His mother proved to be his female assistant for one year. On March 6th, 1817, he was married to Catharine, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Betzner) Sherk. She was born February 11th, 1798 and died October 8th, 1882. He died October 10th, 1875. When quite a young man he was ordained as deacon of the Mennonite Church for the Eby field of labor. This position he held until his death. To them was born a family of fifteen 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.].

________________________________________________


October 10th, in Berlin, Canada, John Brubaker, one of the first settlers in this section, aged 82 years and 3 days.


Death Announcement - Herald of Truth, November 1875

_____________

JOHN BRUBACHER

John Brubacher came to Canada in 1816 and was accompanied by his widowed mother, Mrs. Susanna (Erb) Brubacher. She was a plucky woman and whatever she did was done aright. On the way over Mrs. Brubacher rode on a horse and killed a rattlesnake with her whip. Her son drove a heavily-laden Conestoga. Among other articles he brought in a churn. When they reached this settlment, their first meal was eaten off a pine stump. Mother and son then threaded their way through the woods to her son-in-law, Ben Eby's place,

John Brubacher made a clearing on Lot 57 and erected a log home. His mother kept house for him until 1817, when he married Catherine, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Betzner) Sherk. Ezra Eby said that Mrs, Susanna Brubacher sold her son 896 acres for $672 and then returned to Pennsylvania. Later on John Brubacher. as has been said, bought the Elias Eby farm in the East Ward and built a home in Brubacher Street that is still in use. Eventually John is said to have acquired 3,000 acres of land and to have given each of his fifteen children a farm.

John Brubacher was a short, dark man, and could lift a barrel of cider to his shoulder and take a drink out of the bunghole. His favorite saying was: Truth lasts the longest. His great-grand-father, also named John, when urged by his neighbors in Pennsylvania to build a gristmill declined, because he feared he might he tempted to take too heavy tolls.

Mrs. John Brubacher dressed plainly and wore a white cap. Her descendants treasure the heirlooms she handed down. There were no locks on their doors and often at night Indians entered her kitchen and slept on the floor. Once she was alarmed at breakfast time when a squaw fed a young papoose a piece of liver-sausage.

Fire was hard to make, for the settlers had no matches. A handful of dry cedar-bark was shredded and sparks struck from a flint with a piece of steel. Some families kept their fire burning the year round.

One night an Indian buck rapped on John's window and pleaded for a drink of whisky, but the pioneer did not give him any. Wild animals were all too plentiful and wolves a menace. Occasionally he heard the squeal of a pig as it was dragged from its pen by a black bear.

The Mennonites loved music. Once, while revisiting his old home in Pennsylvania, John Brubacher called on a man who owned a medodeon and had him play a hymn often sung in Ben Eby's church. As he listened tears of joy rolled down his cheeks. The pioneer walked with his head bent Ward Bowlby once met him in East King Street and said, "Mr. Brubacher, when walking you should keep your head up" John responded, "Mr. Bowlby, yonder is a field of wheat. Some of the stalks stand with their heads up those are empty; the bent heads only are filled with grain."

Mr. Brubacher's youngest daughter, Veronica (Mrs. Moses Betzner) died in 1936, when in her ninety-second year. She was an early riser; ate whole-wheat bread and until her fortieth year never tasted tea nor coffee after that she drank milk or butter-milk. "Sunrise," said she, "has a virtue no other part or the day has. Work is a blessing. Without it He would not be worth living."

"This community," she added, "was based on practical Christianity. The people were honorable and in business matters no writings passed among them It was all done by word of mouth and a man's Yes was binding."

A History of Kitchener, W. V. (Ben) Uttley, Kitchener, Ontario 1937, pg 23, 24

John married Catharine Shirk 6 Mar 1817. Catharine (daughter of Joseph Sherk and Mary Betzner, daughter of Joseph Schoerg and Elizabeth Betzner) was born 11 Feb 1798, , Pennsylvania, USA; died 8 Oct 1882, near, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried 11 Oct 1882, First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Catharine Brubacher
• Name: Catherine Scherich
• Eby ID Number: 00101-5638
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Catharine Shirk, "was born February 11th, 1798. She was married to Deacon John Brubacher. They resided near Berlin where they both died. She died October 8th, 1882"


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:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37030080
• Interesting: pioneer, mill, story
• Eby ID Number: 00083.4908
• Birth: CALC 25 Apr 1799
• Occupation: 1852, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Occupation: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Musselman, "The two old pioneer settlers of this numerous family were David and Frederick who were no relatives to each other. They came to Canada in 1819 and settled in Waterloo County. The former, Mr. David Musselman settled in Woolwich Township, near Conestogo, on the farm now possessed by David Koch, while Frederick Musselman settled on the farm known as Rev. Elias Snider's place a little north of Waterloo. We shall first five the family of David and then of Frederick."

David Musselman, "was a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he was born April 18th, 1799, and was married to Esther, daughter of Peter and Anna (Zimmerman) Martin. She was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, August 29th, 1803, and died July 31st, 1872. He died October 25th, 1870. To them was born 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.].

_______________________________

All lands in the early days was in the hands of large holders. Where the village now standing was part of a large holding belonging to David Musselman who himself lived on the western side of the village[Conestogo]. It was this man Musselman who started the wheels of Conestogo running by beginning the very important business of flour milling. This was urgent owing to the extreme distance that settlers had to hand for their supplies as all these were brought in on horseback from Dundas.

The Milling Industry

In 1845 the flour mill was built, also a saw mill, both run by waterpower, obtained from the waters of the Conestogo River diverted to these plants thru a raceway nearly a mile in length, the building of which was a colossal piece of work.

Mr. Musselman did not continue long as a miller, for in 1850 he sold the saw and grist mill with the property belonging to them to Henry Snider who conducted both for some years. The saw mill was finally abandoned and the mill taken away. More time was devoted to the flour mill which had attained wonderful proportions so much so that a new building on a far larger scale was put up equipped with more machinery.

About this time it was a common occurrence for farmers to come 40 and 45 miles with their wheat, so that very often from 20 to 30 teams stood waiting at this mill for their chance to unload. After a very successful term, Mr. Snider turned over his interests here to one of his sons Menno who remained at the head until about 1916. During this time he suffered reverses and a severe fire in 1904 wiped out the mill with its contents together with the storeroom for wheat all of which was lost.

Berlin Daily Record Apr. 26, 2008 typed by Marion Roes

______________________________

CONESTOGA

A pioneer named David Musselman is credited with having founded Conestoga. He first purchased 700 acres of forest in the vicinity. In 1830 he bought a parcel of land where the village stands from Abram Martin. It was watered by the Conestoga River and Spring Creek, on which he built a sawmill. In 1844 he built a dam across the Conestoga River and erected another sawmill and a flourmill. A hamlet sprang up. Among the first buyers of lots in Musselman's survey were: John Miller, Adam Heller, Stephen Washburn, John B. Eby, Christian Stuernagel, James Merrilees, H. von Trilera, Theodore Spetz, Henry Snider, Jacob Grosz, Philip Oswald, Joseph S. Weaver, George Davidson, Peter Eby, S. B. Eby, Peter Buchanan, Michael Oswald, Jacob Kuntz, Charles Hendry, Solomon Kaufman, and Jacob Lippert.

After their advent a cooper shop, blacksmithshop, a store, an hotel, and a post office followed. In time a brickyard, a school, and a church were added, and the place was called Musselman's Mills. Later Perine Brothers built a flaxmill on Spring Creek, while on the same stream Goodworth & Sills constructed a paint mill.

The hamlet was known as Musselman's Mills until 1852, when it was renamed Conestoga, after the Conestoga River or the town of Conestoga in Lancaster County, Pa., from which county many of the pioneers had come. David Musselman operated his mills until 1856 and then sold them to Henry Snider, who carried on the milling till his death in 1885. His executors sold the mills to Menno Snider, who operated the flourmill until his own death in 1916. During his closing years he was assisted by his son Walter J. Snider, who succeeded to the property. Walter Snider afterward purchased the flour-mill at St. Jacobs from W. W. Snider and operated the two mills as the Snider Flour Milling Company, Limited. After his decease, his son Russell became head of the industries..

Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1933 pg 16 - Woolwich Township - Its Early Settlement by W. V. Uttley

David — Esther Z. Martin. Esther (daughter of Peter Martin and Anna Zimmerman) was born 29 Aug 1803, Earl Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; died 31 Jul 1872, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Esther Z. Musselman
• Eby ID Number: 00075-4391
• Residence: 1861, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1871, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Esther Martin, "the fourth daughter of Peter and Anna (Zimmerman) Martin, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, August 29th, 1803, and came to Canada when sixteen years of age. She was married to David Musselman who died October 25th, 1870. She died July 31st, 1872."

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:

• Eby ID Number: 00018-1372

Notes:

Jacob Brubacher, "the fourth member of the last named family, was born June 11th, 1758. He, in 1781, was married to Susannah Erb who was born March 17th, 1762, and died January 22nd, 1844, aged 81 years, 10 months and 5 days. They commenced 'keeping house' on the old 'Brubacher homestead' in Elizabeth Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They afterwards moved to Ephrata village, same county, to what is now called 'Keller's Mill', which they owned and also the farm adjoining it. Jacob Brubacher was a good farmer and a successful miller. During a trip on business to Philadelphia he contracted the yellow fever from which he died. His death occurred August 31st, 1793, aged 35 years, 2 months, and 20 days. His young widow devoted her time and energies nobly in the raising of her family of seven children. Two of the family, Maria, married to Benjamin Eby and John, the youngest of the family, moved to Canada, as also did Elias a son of Christian. In the year 1809 the widow, Susannah Brubacher, paid a visit to her daughter, Maria, who then resided in Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Ontario. Here in Waterloo, Ontario, she met her parents, Christian and Maria (Scherch) Erb who had moved here but a short time previously. Her three brothers, Jacob, Abraham, and John, and four sisters, Elizabeth, Barbara, Anna, and Magdalena, were all married and had moved here during the years 1804-1807. In the year 1816 she paid her second visit to this part of the country. This time her youngest son, John, accompanied her. He was unmarried and was about 23 years of age. She remained here two years with her son, John, who started on his farm, lot No. 57, German Company's Tract. After his marriage she returned home to spend her remaining days in the service of her Lord more fully so that when the death summons should call her away she would be ready to meet her Lord in peace. It is related that on her last journey over the Alleghanies she noticed a large rattle snake lying on the middle of the road, she dismounted her pony and with a well-aimed blow she killed this dangerous serpent, thus proving to be a woman of courage. The names of Jacob and Susannah (Erb) Brubacher's children were Jacob, John, Henry, Christian, Mary, Susannah, and John. Of those who remained in Pennsylvania we shall give merely names of children but of those members of the above family who settled in Canada we shall give a full history."


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.].

Jacob married Susannah Erb 1781. Susannah (daughter of Christian Erb and Maria Scherch) was born 17 Mar 1762, Warwick Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; died 22 Jan 1844. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Susannah Brubacher
• Eby ID Number: 00032-2778

Notes:

Susannah Erb, "daughter of Christian and Maria (Scherch) Erb, was born March 17th, 1762, and died January 22nd, 1844. In 1781 she was married to Jacob Brubacher who was born June 11th, 1758, and died of yellow fever, August 31st, 1793. After their marriage they moved on his father's homestead in Elizabeth (part of Warwick) Township, Lancaster County, where they had seven children, namely:... She remained a widow for upwards of fifty years and raised her family save John, the second of the children, who died of small-pox when a lad of nine years of age. Two of her children, Mary and John, moved to Canada. Mary was married to Bishop Benjamin Eby and came to Canada in 1807 (see family of Benjamin Eby). John was married to Catharine Sherk and came to Canada in 1816 (see family of John Brubacher). In 1809 the mother paid a visit to her daughter, Mary, and her brothers and sisters who had moved here a few years previously, besides her parents who had their home with old Christian Schneider. Here she remained until September of the same year when she returned to her family in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In the year 1816 she paid her second visit to this part of the country. This time her youngest son, John, accompanied her. He was unmarried. She remained here two years with her son for whom she kept house when he commenced on his farm which was composed of lot No. 59, German Company's Tract. After his marriage she returned to the land of her fathers to spend her remaining days in serving her Lord more fully so that when the death summons should call her away, she would be ready to meet her Lord in peace. It is related that on her last journey across the Alleghany Mountains she noticed a large rattle snake lying in the middle of the road. She dismounted her pony and with a well aimed blow killed the dangerous serpent, thus proving herself to be a woman of courage."


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:

• Eby ID Number: 00018-1389.2

Joseph — Mary Betzner. Mary was born Abt 1768, Of, Pennsylvania; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Sherk
• Eby ID Number: 00010-1389.3

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38400277
• Interesting: story, pioneer, religion
• Eby ID Number: 00075-4295
• Residence: 1830, Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 010, Waterloo County, Ontario

Notes:

Peter Martin, "was born in West Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, February 26th, 1769. He was married to Anna Zimmerman, December 25th, 1793. She was born February 18th, 1775. He followed farming in his native state, but owing to the poor harvests for several years in succession, together with low wages and many business failures, caused him to make arrangements with his numerous family to move to Canada. Two of his daughters, Barbara, married to David Martin and Maria, married to Christian Zimmerman, remained in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, while the parents with fourteen of their children, together with Daniel Weber and others, moved to Canada in 1819. They, at their arrival here, settled first on the farm now owned by Dilman Shantz and the heirs of the late Abraham Groff, but not finding this to their taste they finally located on the farm now possessed by Menno Gingerich. Here they resided until their deaths. He died March 2nd, 1831, and she died December 12th, 1836. They had a family of seventeen children, all of whom were married."

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.].

______________________________________

Martin Meeting House

According to Isaac Horst, "Martins meeting house was the first of the Old Order places of worship to be built. A meeting house is reported to have been built in 1830; burial was begun in the adjoining cemetery in 1831. Martins was aptly named. The first three bishops of the area were Martins, all descended from the pioneer, Peter Martin. The land on which the house stands was formerly owned by Martins (1979: 376)." Peter Martin, Jr. purchased 220 acres of land from his brother, Henry Martin, on May 8, 1824. Apparently he set aside four acres for a meeting house and burying ground at that time. The first burial is reported to have been that of Peter Martin, Sr., who died March 2, 1831. The meeting house was enlarged in 1900.

John Weber was the first minister, followed by Abraham W. Martin, Samuel Weber, Paul Martin, Tobias Martin and Urias Martin. At one time surrounded by countryside, the meeting house and cemetery are now completely encircled by the commercial development brought about by the rapid expansion northward of the city of Waterloo.

Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide To Churches Established Before 1900 By Rosemary Ambrose

________________________________

...Martin was 62 when died in 1831, just 12 years after coming to Canada, but his important role in local history was not forgotten. His home doubled as the Martin's Church before the Martin's Meeting House on King Street North was completed.

The meeting house still stands today, next to the Martin's cemetery that holds Peter Martin's remains. Across King Street was the Martin's School (SS21), in use until 1972. It's gone now.

Because of his large family, 17 children in all, Martin was once described as "probably the most vigorous progenitor in the history of the region." His story is told in a booklet Thou Art Peter, published in 1983 by the Mennonite historian Isaac Horst of Mount Forest.....

Flash from the Past: Peter Martin House once stood in Waterloo, Waterloo Region Record 4 May 2013 Jon Fear, Record Staff

Peter married Anna Zimmerman 25 Dec 1793. Anna was born 18 Feb 1775, Of, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; died 9 Dec 1836, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38400457
• Name: Anna Martin
• Eby ID Number: 00075-4295.1