Abraham Stauffer^[1]

1788 - 1860  (71 years)

• Name	Abraham Stauffer
  Born	1 Aug 1788	Near Lititz, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania   [2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Historic Building	Abt 1815	393 Tilt Dr., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	log house built
  	Research on the house as home of Abraham Stauffer, built about 1815 and therefore the oldest house in Kitchener, Ontario1a 1aNicholas Hill, Heritage Impact Assessment, Wildwood Neighbourhood, Doon South Community, City of Kitchener, Hill, Architect Planner, and Green Scheels Pidgeon Planning Consultants. November 1996.
  Land	Bef 1831	Waterloo Township - Biehn's Tract Lot 06, Waterloo County, Ontario   [5]
  House	Bef 1851	7 Fischer Court, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Log - 2 story
  Residence	1852	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Lived with son Joseph B. Stauffer.
  Eby ID Number	00117-7354
  Died	29 Apr 1860	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Person ID	I10106	Generations
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2025

  
  

  Father	Abraham Stauffer,   b. Nov 1748, Of Lititz, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Elizabeth Zug,   b. Abt 1750, Of Lititz, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	1780  [6]
  Family ID	F279	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Catharine Biehn,   b. 1785, , USA ,   d. 1869  (Age 84 years)
  Children	1. Joel Eli "Eli" Stauffer,   b. 1809, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 10 Jul 1887, Kinloss, Huron Township, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada  (Age 78 years)   2. Elizabeth Stauffer,   b. 28 Apr 1811, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 14 Apr 1878, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 66 years)   3. Nancy Stauffer,   b. 1813, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1813, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 0 years)   4. John Stauffer,   b. 3 May 1813, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 19 Sep 1898, Elkton, Huron, Michigan, USA  (Age 85 years)   5. Abraham B. Stauffer,   b. CA 1816, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1835  (Age ~ 19 years)   6. Joseph B. Stauffer,   b. CALC 23 Nov 1818, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 9 Jul 1853, Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 34 years)   7. Catherine Stauffer,   b. 5 Sep 1820, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 20 May 1854  (Age 33 years)
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2025
  Family ID	F2918	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Abraham Stauffer, "was born August 1st, 1788. When a young man he was married to Catharine, daughter of John and Barbara (Freed) Biehn. She was born in 1785 and died in 1869. They resided on the farm now owned by Mr. Bear, near Doon, Ontario, where they raised their family. He died about the year 1858. To them were born six 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.]. Abraham's birth is also given as 8th January, 1788. ______________________ A-2-70 Abraham Stauffer The Last Will and Testament and Codicils of Abraham Stauffer the elder, late of the Township of Waterloo, Yeoman, who died on or about the 29th April 1860 at the Township of Waterloo, and who at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode at the Township of Waterloo, was proved and registered in the said Surrogate Court, a true copy of which said Last Will and Testament and codicils are hereunder written, and that the administration of all and singular the personal estate and effects rights and credits of the said deceased and any way concerning his will was granted…to David Gingrich of the Township of Waterloo, Yeoman, and Jacob Hagey of the Township of Waterloo, Yeoman, Executors named in the said will and codicils… …I, Abraham Stauffer Senior…I will and order that my funeral, testamentary and other expenses and all my just debts be paid by my Executors hereinafter appointed, out of my estate so soon after my decease as practicable, and all the money and other effect due and payable to my Estate be collected and all my personal or other property that I may be possessed of at my decease shall be sold and made into money as soon as conveniently can be done and to the best advantage of my estate by my Executors…I will and order that all my children shall be made alike and equal in accounts in my Family Book, as may be seen reference being had thereto. I give, devise and bequeath all the rest and residue of my estate, real, personal and mixed of which I shall be seized and possessed, or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease to all my children and their heirs share and share alike, as follows, that is to say to my son Eli and his heirs one equal share thereof, to my son John and his heirs one equal share thereof, to the heirs of my son Joseph deceased one equal share thereof, and to the heirs of my daughter Katherine deceased late the wife of Joel Good, one equal share thereof. I will and order that my Executors shall pay to my heirs as above stated their several shares (in part) at the time or times my Executors shall collect and receive the same. And I do hereby constituted, nominate and appoint my son-in-law David Gingrich and my friend Jacob Hagey, Executors of this my Last Will and Testament… Codicil (1) : I, Abraham Stauffer, named as the Testator in the will within contained do hereby make this present Codicil which I do order and direct, shall be taken as a part of my written Last Will and Testament, and which will, in all respects excepting wherein it is altered or changed by this Codicil do hereby republish and confirm I hereby give and bequeath to my Grandson William Stauffer, the son of my son Eli Stauffer, the sum of two hundred dollars which I have this day paid to him, without interest, and which said two hundred dollars I will and order shall be deducted out of and from the share of my son Eli Stauffer… Codicil (2) I, Abraham Stauffer named as the Testator in the Will to which this is attached or annexed do hereby make this present Codicil which I do order and direct shall be take as a part of my annexed Last Will and Testament, and which Will, in all respects, excepting wherein it is altered or changed by this Codicil, and another Codicil bearing the date the 20th November 1855, do hereby republish and confirm; I will and order that the share given to my son Eli Stauffer shall not be paid to him as mentioned in my will but my Executors shall retain his share in their hands and pay him so much thereof from time to time out of said share, as they, my Executors shall in their wisdom see that he actually stands in need of and at the decease of my said son eli, the share or part of share as shall there be remaining in the hands of my Executors, shall be equally divided among the children of my son Eli, share and share alike. I will and order that my Grandson William Stauffer shall pay the two hundred dollars mentioned in my first Codicil as shall be hereinafter mentioned that is to say, it shall be divided into as many shares as my son Eli has lawful children and my Grandson William Stauffer shall pay to each of the said respective children one share, commencing to pay the eldest one year after my decease and so on down to the youngest child, one share yearly and every year until they are all paid in full without interest. But I further will and order that should my son Eli make a Will and deduct two hundred dollars out of the share of my Grandson William, and that in such case he is debarred from receiving from his Father's estate his full share. Then I will and order that he shall not pay the said two hundred dollars as aforesaid to his brothers & sisters… Witnessed by Abraham Gingrich and William Tilt Will dated 14th March 1855 Proved 22nd May 1860 Died 29th April 1860 Codicils witnessed by Abraham Gingrich and William Tilt First Codicil dated 20th November 1855 Second Codicil dated 14th February 1859 Surrogate Court Records Copybook Register A 1853-1871 partial transcript to 1863. Frances Hoffman transcriber. ______________ Beside the many hardships, labors and sufferings in getting here and making themselves homes, quite a few settlers along where Blair is now situated were visited by a fire this spring of 1806. On the 6th of May fire was set to a Job [a tract of land with timber slashed down ready to be burned so that the land could be farmed later] of 10 or 15 acres, soon after which a great wind arose, and swept through the new clearings and destroyed fences, houses and barns. Abraham Stauffer had his barn burnt. Abraham Bechtel had his house and barn burnt. Jacob Bechtel's house was saved but his barn and everything else were consumed. Nathaniel Dodge who was the last of the settlers along the river, had two barns with all their contents burnt. The fire went on making the most fearful destruction of all kinds of valuable timber. Thus those settlers who were probably the most advanced with their new homes were suddenly left without house, food or clothing, and were obliged to go below Dundas through mud, water, swamp and forest for provisions and other necessaries, which were not obtainable from their neighbors. MENNONITE IMMIGRATION TO WATERLOO COUNTY - THE MOYER JOURNAL Attributed to Samuel S. Moyer 1849 - 1941

  
  

• Sources

  [S3] Book - Vol I 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..., 710. [S10] Book - Vol II 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..., 508. [S3] Book - Vol I 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..., 252. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 5 Pg 14. [S1322] Land - Founding Families of Waterloo Township 1800-1830, 54. [S10] Book - Vol II 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..., 502.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 1 Aug 1788 - Near Lititz, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Historic Building - log house built - Abt 1815 - 393 Tilt Dr., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Land - Bef 1831 - Waterloo Township - Biehn's Tract Lot 06, Waterloo County, Ontario House - Log - 2 story - Bef 1851 - 7 Fischer Court, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1852 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 29 Apr 1860 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth