David Rife^{[1, 2]}

1820 - 1888  (67 years)

• Name	David Rife
  Born	28 Aug 1820	, Adams Co., Pennsylvania   [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
  Gender	Male
  Elected Office	1859	Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	councillor of Hespeler
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65200335
  Honoured	Rife St., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Rife Street in old Hespeler name for David Rife.
  Interesting	politics, honoured, life story,
  Occupation	1861	Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Farmer
  Residence	1861	Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Methodist
  Occupation	1871	Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Farmer
  Occupation	1881	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  	farmer
  Eby ID Number	00092-5294
  Died	29 Apr 1888	Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 4, 8, 10, 11]
  Buried	New Hope Cemetery, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4, 8]
  Person ID	I10632	Generations
  Last Modified	11 Jun 2024

  
  

  Father	Samuel Rife,   b. 15 Apr 1788, , Adams Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 10 Mar 1856, Guelph Township, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 67 years)
  Mother	Elizabeth Hoke,   b. 7 Jan 1793, , Chester Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 21 Aug 1873, Guelph Township, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 80 years)
  Family ID	F3033	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary Pannabaker,   b. 16 Nov 1823, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 12 Sep 1906, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 82 years)
  Children	1. Abraham Samuel "Samuel" Rife,   b. 1844, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. George William Rife,   b. 24 Jan 1844, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 20 Jan 1927, Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, United States  (Age 82 years)   3. David Rife,   b. 30 Apr 1848, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 14 Apr 1913, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 64 years)   4. Sarah Elizabeth Rife,   b. 1852, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   5. Isaac "Ike" Rife,   b. Jan 1857, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 16 May 1939, Dillon, Beaverhead, Montana, United States  (Age ~ 82 years)   6. Mary Jane Rife,   b. 1860, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 11 Feb 1936  (Age 76 years)   7. Ephraim Edward Rife,   b. 15 May 1865, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   8. William B. Rife,   b. 1881, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	11 Jun 2024
  Family ID	F2854	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  David Rife, "the second son of Samuel Rife, was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, August 28th, 1820. When five years of age his parents moved to Canada and settled on the farm now in possession of his brother, Samuel Rife, Jr. Here he was raised. He was married to Mary, daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Clemens) Pannabecker. They resided on a farm now within the corporation of Hespeler, Ontario. Here he died April 29th, 1888. His widow is still living and is quite active for a person of her age. She resides in the village of Hespeler. Their family consisted of seven 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.]. ________________________________ St. Luke's United Church Meetings began in homes with the arrival of a Methodist New Connexion missionary in 1837. In 1844 New Hope (formerly Bergeytown) was on the Trafalgar Circuit and was ministered to by the Rev. W. Bothwell and two local preachers. Land was donated in 1849 by David Rife Sr. for a stone church called the New Hope Chapel which was located on Queen Street at Hungerford Road. This Chapel was constructed jointly by the New Connexion Methodists and the Evangelicals, who were to build their own church in 1863. In 1851 the congregation was on the Nassagaweya Circuit. Membership continued to grow with the resultant formation in 1858 of a new circuit, the New Hope Circuit. The name of New Hope was changed to Hespeler in the same year with the subsequent renaming of the circuit to the Hespeler Circuit. Early pastors were Revs. James Bell (1858), James Hall (1859-1860), James White (1861-1863), Elias Williams (1864-1866) and James Hill (1867-1870). In 1874 at the 46th Annual Conference of the Methodist New Connexion Church it was reported that the Hespeler Circuit, which was described as being a Mission of Galt, in the Guelph District, had 4 Chapels, 1 parsonage, 1 Circuit preacher, 2 local preachers, 2 Sunday Schools and a congregation totalling 580 individuals. In the same year, 1874, the Wesleyan Methodists and the New Connexion Methodists united to form the Methodist Church in Canada. Hespeler became a single charge c.1892 when the Rev. Dr. George H. Cornish was the minister, and from that date the church was considered to be self-supporting. Union with the Congregationals and some Presbyterian congregations resulted in the formation of the United Church of Canada on June 10, 1925; the Hespeler Methodist Church became known then as Hespeler United Church. The 1849 stone church was torn down in 1868 to make way for a newer, larger stone church which was to remain the place of worship until 1961 when a new church was built on Franklin Boulevard. The final service was conducted in the old stone Hespeler United Church on October 8, 1961, and dedication of the new St. Luke's United Church was held a week later on October 15, 1961. The congregation celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 1987. Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide To Churches Established Before 1900 By Rosemary Ambrose ___________________________ In 1874 J. N. Goebel bought a car load of Red Herring on track at Guelph. A load some merchant had ordered, then refused. And he got them cheap. He disposed of part of the shipment off the car to local merchants and others and arranged with David Rife Sr. to haul the rest to Hespeler. It was the dead of winter, deep snow, roads badly drifted and only a single track to Guelph. Jack Limpert, then 16, who was working for Mr. Rife (and who, by the way, told me the story) was sent with a hay rack on a bob sleigh to do the hauling. The fish were cleaned and smoked, and packed, with heads and tails on, in flat wooden boxes containing about a dozen. Jack went to Guelph and got his fish loaded after some delay, and by noon was coming along through the hills near Squire Phin's when he saw another rig coming and turned off to give him half the road; which was the thing to do. His load upset and there he was. It happened that the approaching rig was a load of soft drinks. The driver, a decent chap about Jack's own age, anchored his team with the weight and pitched in to give Jack a hand to get going again. By the time they got back on the road and the fish reloaded both boys were warm and tired and they sat down on a hard snow bank to rest. The hour was something after one and both boys were hungry so Jack broke open a box of Herrings, the other boy a couple of bottles of pop and they sat there and had a lunch. Red Herring and Ginger Ale. And Jack said it tasted good. Le Rue De Commerce, Other Times Other Customs Other Days Other Ways, Winfield Brewster 1954 _________________ In Memory of David Rife, Sr., Born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, U.S., August 28th, 1820, Came with his Parents to Canada in 1825, settled in Hespeler, (then New Hope) County of Waterloo, Ontario, in 1842. Died, At his Residence, in that Village, on Sunday, April 29th, 1888, Aged 67 Years, 8 Months and 1 Day. Interred in Hespeler Cemetery, Tuesday, May 1st, 1888. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing." Funeral Card __________________________ Rife Avenue This street was named in honour of David Rife, Senior and his son David Rife, Junior. David Rife, Senior was born in Pennsylvania in 1822. His father Samuel had immigrated to the American Colonies aboard the ship "Richard & Mary" in 1753. Samuel served in the American Revolutionary War prior to moving his wife Elizabeth, and young family, to Canada in 1822. They moved to Preston the following year, before settling in Guelph Township in 1825. David Rife, Senior settled on a Waterloo Township farm near Hespeler (now Avondale, Gerard, and Elizabeth Street area) in 1844. In 1849, he donated land to build the Methodist Church and parsonage at the corner of Hungerford Rd. and Queen St. East (replaced by an apartment building). He often served as minister, and was a strong adherent of the Temperance Movement. In 1874 he became a preacher when the New Connection and Wesleyan Methodist Churches merged. He also served on the Hespeler Village Council from 1859 to 1867. He died on April 29, 1888. David Rife, Junior was born in 1848 on the family homestead (known as Sunnyhill Farm). For many years he operated a dairy, supplying milk and related products to many of Hespeler's residents. He also enjoyed a well earned reputation for breeding quality Holstein cattle. He followed his father into public life, serving on the Hespeler Village Council from 1877 to 1884 and again from 1901 to 1904. He was also Hespeler's reeve from 1885 to 1887. David Rife, Junior died April 13, 1913 and is buried, as is his father, in New Hope Cemetery, Hespeler. Lary Miller 15 May 2011 The Company of Neighbours

  
  

• Sources

  [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..., 183. [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..., 150. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851. gives age and country of birth [S237] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - New Hope CC#4498 Internet Link . David Rife/ Born Adams County,Penn. U. S. Aug. 28, 1820/ Died Apr. 29,1888/ Mary Pannabaker/ His Wife/ Born Nov. 16,1823/ Died Sept. 12,1906/ They Have Fought The Good Fight, They Have/ Finished Their Course And Have Kept The Faith/ Rife [S178] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo South - 1881, Div 2 Page 20 Family 88. David RIFE M M 61 German USA Farmer Evangelical Mary RIFE F M 57 German Ontario Evangelical Edward RIFE M 16 German Ontario Farmer'S Son Evangelical Mary J. RIFE F 21 German Ontario Evangelical John WALLACE M 11 German Ontario Evangelical Gilbert WALLACE M 8 German Ontario Evangelical [S508] Census - ON, Waterloo, Hespeler - 1871, Page 23. [S1837] Census - ON, Waterloo, Hespeler - 1861, Div. 1 Page 5. [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65200335/david-rife. [S178] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo South - 1881, Div 2 Page 20 Family 88. [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..., 184. [S2208] Census - ON, Waterloo, Hespeler - 1891, Section 1 Page 50.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 28 Aug 1820 - , Adams Co., Pennsylvania Elected Office - councillor of Hespeler - 1859 - Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Honoured - Rife Street in old Hespeler name for David Rife. - - Rife St., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Farmer - 1861 - Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1861 - Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Farmer - 1871 - Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - farmer - 1881 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 29 Apr 1888 - Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - New Hope Cemetery, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth