George Klinck^[1]

1862 - 1944  (82 years)

• Name	George Klinck
  Born	7 Jul 1862	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90159802
  Residence	1871	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  	Lutheran
  Occupation	1881	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Watch Maker
  Occupation	1881	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	watch maker
  Occupation	1891	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [10]
  	Jeweller
  Residence	1891	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [10]
  	Lutheran
  Occupation	1901	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Machinist
  Occupation	1901	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	merchant
  Occupation	1903	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	jeweller, watch maker, publisher of the Elmira Signet
  Residence	1903	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  		Klinck residence 1903 Elmira From: Enterprising Elmira Souvenir, An historical, descriptive, and illustrated Book of the Village of Elmira, Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada, published by George Klinck, 1903.
  Residence	1911	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Lutheran
  Residence	1921	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [11]
  Died	12 Dec 1944	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region	Bef 2012	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [12]
  	publisher, merchant, educator
  Historic Building	farm
  		George Klinck's home 1903 Church St. East, Elmira, Ontario
  Interesting	story, building, business, newspaper, politics, public service
  Organization	Elmira Public Library, Elmira, Waterloo, Ontario
  	On January 24, 1888, a meeting was held to organize a Mechanics' Institute in Elmira. Membership cost $1 a year. The first board members were: David Bean, George Klinck, A. Werner, John Ratz, A. H. Erb, A. Blatz, Wm. Behrens, Sol Laschinger, Dr. Ullyot, and M. Weber. The librarian/caretaker, C. K. Jansen was paid $30 a year.
  Eby ID Number	00030-2334.5
  Buried	Elmira Union Cemetery, Elmira, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Person ID	I12692	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Karl "Charles" Klinck,   b. 31 Mar 1835, , Bavaria, Germany ,   d. 11 Jun 1924, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 89 years)
  Mother	Elizabeth Hollinger,   b. 22 Sep 1840, Heidelberg, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 4 Jan 1921, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 80 years)
  Married	3 Jan 1860	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16]
  Family ID	F6966	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary Ella Devitt,   b. 21 Sep 1866, Floradale, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 21 Jul 1926, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 59 years)
  Married	30 Sep 1891	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  Children	1. Luella Klinck,   b. 18 Oct 1892, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 19 Oct 1960  (Age 68 years)   2. Flora Catherine Klinck,   b. 13 Apr 1894, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 11 Sep 1970, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 76 years)   3. Charles Edmund Klinck,   b. 2 Aug 1895, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 16 Jan 1943, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 47 years)   4. Edward Klinck,   b. 2 Aug 1895, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   5. Mary Edna Klinck,   b. 13 Apr 1897, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 6 Nov 1898, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 1 years)   6. Laurina Magdalena Klinck,   b. 4 Jul 1898, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 17 Apr 1965, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 66 years)   7. William A. Klinck,   b. 19 Jan 1900, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   8. Arthur Klinck,   b. Jan 1901, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   9. George Alfred Klinck, Jr.,   b. 23 Jul 1903, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 3 Mar 1973, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 69 years)   10. Harold Klinck,   b. 27 Oct 1906, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. May 1965  (Age 58 years)   11. Paul Walter Klinck,   b. 29 Jul 1909, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 15 Aug 1909, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 0 years)
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F3514	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Klinck, George 1862 1944.jpg
  		George Klinck From Enterprising Elmira, An historical, discriptive, and illustrated book of the Village of Elmira, Waterloo County, published by George Klinck 1903
  		George Klinck From Enterprising Elmira, An historical, discriptive, and illustrated book of the Village of Elmira, Waterloo County, published by George Klinck 1903

  
  

• Notes

  From the Waterloo Hall of Fame Website. George Klinck, a native of Elmira, publisher, merchant and educator, had the distinction of being the founder in 1893, producer and editor of the highly regarded weekly newspaper, The Elmira Signet. He was the author of a book Early Days in Elmira. At seventeen he had been apprenticed to the Pequegnat Clock Company in Berlin as a watchmaker. In 1881 he opened a watchmaking and jewellery business of his own in Elmira, and built a chopping mill as a service to farmers. In 1885 he founded the Mechanics' Institute Library for workers; was instrumental in having electric street lights in Elmira in 1886; established St. Paul's Lutheran Parochial School in 1911; organized and played in the Elmira Band; served as reeve of Elmira; was the first chairman of the High School Board, secretary of the Public Library Board and a member of the Trustees and Ratepayers Section of the Ontario Educational Association. _______________________________________ "The Red House On The Hill" Century-Old Home Reveals How Pioneers Lived One of the most fascinating homes in Elmira is "The Red House On The Hill" where the Misses Laurina and Flora Klinck live. This lovely red brick home, situated on high ground near the eastern edge of town, is more than 100 years old - and has been occupied by the Klinck family for 73 of those years. One doesn't even have to enter to sense the character of this home. As you walk up the winding drive, through the rolling 10-acre grounds fronting on Church street east, you suddenly come on some small cement steps. These are where lady and gentlemen visitors, in their high button boots, used to step out of their carriages a century or so ago. The next thing noticed is that the cellar opens to the outdoors. "So you see it may be 100 years old - but it's still split level," says Miss Laurina who has a neat sense of humour. It is the cellar that reveals the historic background of the house, because that was where the entire family of the original owner lived - and the evidence of how they lived and worked are still there. In one room is a huge fireplace with cranes to swing the cooking pots - and from where boiling water was carried to the trough outside for scalding pigs at butchering time. [I'm sure they scalded the pigs after they were dead, to remove the hair !] At the bottom of the great chimney is a small heater - this was used for "schnitzing bees"' that is, drying quantities of apples laid out on iron rods above known as "schnitz trays." Two more rooms recall how mother and father worked. In one room, known as the "back kitchen," is a cement stand for the wash tub, with a place for the water to run away - and next to that a built-in tub where the clothes were rinsed. In what was the "woodshed" are tools which reveal what a versatile man the pioneering home-owner had to be - they include a scythe, bucksaw, mitre box, wooden plane, chopping block, cooper's tools, including a cooper's plane. Still another is the "milk room" - and even the water supply which ran through the cooling troughs is interesting. Miss Laurina can remember that the household water came out of the pipe "thick as a man's thumb" - yet this water from a single spring ran first to the barn, through the barn to the house, to the kitchen into a big tank, downstairs to cool the milk, and out of the house to a goldfish pond, and on to a trough to water the cattle in the fields. The builder of this unique home was an English carpenter named Mr. Grey who lived outside of Elmira. Not too much is known of the first owners except that their name was Kenning and the property was once known as the "Kenning place." They were the family that lived in the cellar, and four rooms above. The next owner was a grandfather of the Klinck family, George Hollinger. He added the four rooms and kitchen which comprise the present attractive home. The number of rooms, as the house now stands is, however, rather indefinite. Depending on how many basement rooms are counted, as well as two small sunrooms since added, the total could be 12 or 14. The next owner was George Klinck, who moved in, in 1890. All of Mr. and Mrs. Klinck's nine children were born in the house. The four members of this distinguished family still living are the Misses Klinck; George of Toronto, teacher, writer and editor of the Modern Language Review, and Harold of Oldcastle, near Windsor, Ontario, former teacher who is now a scientific fruit-farmer as well as president of the Ontario Educational Association. A pleasing feature is the manner in which the master bedroom has been maintained. The original bed, washstand, child's chair and other furniture are kept right where they were when Mr. and Mrs. George Klinck occupied the room. Around the corner is the desk where the illustrious Mr. Klinck - schoolboard chairman, library founder, feed merchant, jeweller and watchmaker, historian and publisher - did his work. The family has vivid memories of their father and a deep appreciation of the impact he had on his community. "He was always on the go," recalls Miss Laurina. To illustrate the point, Miss Flora produced a copy of the first issue of Elmira's weekly newspaper which Mr. Klinck published. At that time, 70 years ago, this many-sided man included a furniture business among his many interests. In the first issue of his newspaper, he advertised a "bedroom suite - bed, bureau and washstand" - at $12. "That $12 bedroom suite is still in use - and still solid," reports Miss Laurina. Of the historic basement, Miss Laurina said: "When you've tidied it up, you know you've done some work." She notes that the coal supply is now kept in what was the dining room of the original family. One of the most picturesque memories the sisters have is of a Klinck grandmother who used to sit at the back kitchen fireplace making apple butter. "But with four boys in the family there were always lots of pants to mend," recalls Miss Laurina. "So she'd sit there, stirring the apple butter - and mending pants." The Elmira Fair Dealer May 15, 1963 ______________ ELMIRA SHOE, FELT AND WOOLEN WORKS Among the manufacturing industries of Elmira the above concern must be reckoned one of the most important, as it gives employment to the largest number of wage-earners and many of them expert and skilled mechanics. It is a part of the old Winger & Weaver Woolen factory. The latter, the first indusdry of note in this town, was established in 1856, by Peter Winger and Samuel Weaver who were prominent among the early settlers in this vicinity. They commenced operations in 1856 and continued to run it until 1873, when Mr. Henry Winger, son of the well known member of the firm, took charge and operated it until 1883, and after that in company with his brother, J. B. Winger, until 1895, at which time they added the felt manufactory. It was then operated by J. B. Winger and Amasa Winger for short one year, when in the spring of 1896, a joint stock company was formed and the plant improved and placed on a more extensive scale. The company is made up of some of the leading and most responsible citzens of the town, viz: Henry Winger, J. B. Winger, Amasa Winger, J. P. Lackhardt, Weber & Erb, M. Weichel, J. S. Weichel, Daniel Ratz, Casper Ziegler, David Snider, Chas. Klinck and son George, Henry Mogk and Isaac Hilborn. Board of Directors: A. H Erb, President; Henry Winger, Daniel Ratz, Casper Ziegler and J. P. Luckhardt, John Peel, Treasurer and general manager. They manufacture both leather and felt goods, and the class of work turned out is equal in style, workmanship, finish and material to that of any other establishment of the kind in Ontario. There is a steady demand for about all the company can manufacture with their present facilities, most of their goods going to the Northwest and the Maritime Provinces. From twenty-five to thirty hands are employed. The factory is equipped with the latest and best improved machinery, and a walk through the building when all hands are at work will convince any person that experienced workmen are employed and that great care is exercised in putting the material together in a way that must produce a popular and durable article. The very latest styles of footwear are turned out. The company still continues the woolen factory and manufactures fine tweeds, flannels blankets and other woolen goods, and are always prepared for custom work. Waterloo County Chronicle 27 Jan 1898, p. 3 ________________ GEORGE KLINCK. It is enterprising young men like the above that give an air of busy life to a community. Mr. Klinck was born in Elmira in 1862. For seventeen years he has been engaged in the watchmaking and jewelry business. He has taken a course of training in the Horological School of Geneva, Switzerland, and has been for several years president of the Canadian Watchmakers' Association with headquarters at Toronto. It will thus be seen that he is as well equipped and qualified for this branch of his business interests as that of any dealer in the country. Mr. Klinck does not stop at the jewelry business, but he is one of Elmira's prominent grain dealers and buyers of farm produce generally and ships a large number of carloads of grain annually, and constantly caters to the demands of farmers for all kinds of feed He has lately added power that will enable him to furnish, on short notice, chopped grain, etc, which will be a great convenience to the farmers in this section. He is also adding machinery for bicycle repairing, a feature that will be welcomed by patrons of the bike. While Mr. Klinck is engaged in all these branches of his business, he still finds time to edit the "Signet," a bright little newspaper, which, I understand, is being well patronized. It was established in 1893. It is the newspapers that give prominence to a town, and in this particular the publisher of the "Signet" justly deserves extra encouragement. Waterloo County Chronicle 27 Jan 1898, p. 1, 2, 3 _____________ Former Signet Editor George Klinck Passes BORN HERE AND WAS SIXTY TWO YEARS IN BUSINESS IN THIS COMMUNITY Elmira mourns the loss of one of its most prominent citizens in the passing of George Klinek, who passed peacefully away at his residence on Tuesday morning at the age of 82 years. Mr. Klinek had been ill for six months and of recent weeks his held no hope. Finally a long and useful life was closed. George Klinck, the eldest son of the late Karl Klinck and Elizabeth. Hollinger, was born on his father's farm within the town limits of Elmira. part of which farm is at present owned by Earl Jackson, on July. 7th, 1862. He attended the Elmira Public School, and at the age of 16 years, was apprenticed to the late Arthur Pequegnat of Berlin (now Kitchener) to learn the watchmaking trade.. After completing three years' apprenticeship, he returned to Elmira in 1881, and opened a Watch Repair Shop in the block now occupied by Dreisinger's Furniture Store, later. adding a stock of Watches and Jewelery, and moving the store to the block now occupied by Klinck Co., Ltd., and the Elmira Signet. In 1887 he journeyed to Switzerland, where he took a post-graduate course in Watchmaking at the Geneva Watchmaking School. Returning to Elmira, he again took charge of his business, and assisted by his brother, the late Charles N. Klinck, as optician, he carried on this business until 15 years ago, when he sold out the stock. He was the first examiner at the Canadian Horological Institute, Toronto, and the first President of the Canadian Jewellers' Association. ...ness and interest in the progress of the farming community and did much to enable the farmers to secure good seed and feed, which enabled them to carry on their work with greater success. Being endowed with a brilliant and versatile mind, an energetic and public-spirited disposition and a sound body, he gave much of his talents and time to the welfare of the community. As a young man, he was interested in securing the best to be had in literature and the arts, and along with the late David Bean, A. Werner, J. A. Harper, Henry Delion and others was successful in organizing; in 1887, the Elmira Mechanics' institute, which later became the Elmira Public Library. As a member of the Elmira Board of Trade and of the Town Council, he was actively interested in securing new industries, the C.N.R. and C.P.R. railways, hydro and other public utilities and improvements for the town. He also served as Elmira's representative on the County Council for several years: was an active member of the Children's Aid Society and the Elmira Horticultural Society, and, until his last illness, a member of the Red Cross Society. He was a life member of the Upper Canada Bible Society, and a member of the Waterloo County Historical Society. With the welfare of children always at heart, he was instrumental in furthering the opportunities for education in Elmira. At the annual meeting of the ratepayers of the Elmira Public School held Dec. 31, 1918, a motion, moved by Geo. Klinck, seconded by Israel Groff, "that this meeting urge the trustees of this section to start a Continuation School," was carried. In Sept. 1915, the Elmira Continuation School was opened, and in 1922, it was changed to a High School. In 1923, a Night School, which was continued every winter until 1931, was established. Mr. Klinek acted as a member of the Elmira Continuation School and the Elmira High School for 15 years, and was ever on the lookout for improvements of teachers and equipment. A staunch Lutheran in religion, he was a member of St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church, where he served for a long time as a Sunday School teacher, member of the School Board, and for over 25 years was secretary of the congregation. Up to the time of his death, he was a member of the...

  
  

• 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..., 529. [S161] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1901, Elmira (Village) B Page 21. [S161] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1901, Elmira (Village) B. Page 21. [S98] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - Elmira Union CC#4578 Internet Link. In Memory Of / George Klinck / 1862 - 1944 / Mary E. Devitt / Beloved Wife Of / George Klinck / 1866 - 1926 [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration. 011881-91 - George KLINCK, 29, jeweler, Elmira, same, s/o Chas. & Elizabeth KLINOK, married Mary Elizabeth DEVITT, 25, Woolwich, Floradale, d/o Issac & Mary DEVITT, witn: Arnold JANSEN, Elmira, Ella DEVITT, Woolwich Twp., William DEVITT, Woolwich & Catharine KLINCK, Elmira, 30 Sept. 1891 at Elmira [S130] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1881, Division 2 Page Number 70 Household Number 320. [S130] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1881, Div. 2 Page 70. [S176] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1911, Div. 49 Pg. 22. [S144] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1871, Div. 3, Pg. 75. [S2592] aaaaElmira 1891, Sect. 1 Page 1. [S77] News - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - Elmira Signet (1893-1982), Obituary of Mrs. Chas. Klinck - 6 Jan 1921. [S220] Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Waterloo Region Hall of Fame. [S14] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Chronicle (1856-1860), 10 Jan 1860. By the Rev. F. W. Bindeman at Berlin on the 3rd inst., Charles Klink, to Elisabeth Hollinger, of Woolwich Township [S6] Church Records - ON, Waterloo - Bindeman, F. W. - Card Index Kitchener Public Library. Charles Klinck, 24, res. Woolwich b. Germany s/o Nicholas Klinck & Philippine Christmann married 3 Jan 1860 to Elisabeth Hollinger, 19, res. Woolwich, b. Canada, d/o George Hollinger & Margareth Brechbill, wit: Ludwig Hllinger of Woolwich [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register. Charles Klink Birth Place: Germany Residence: Woolwich Township Age: 24 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836 Father Name: Nich. Mother Name: Philipina Christman Spouse Name: Elisabeth Hollinger Spouse's Age: 19 Spouse Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841 Spouse Birth Place: Ontario Spouse residence: Woolwich Township Spouse Father Name: George Spouse Mother Name: Mary M. Breckbiel Marriage Date: 3 Jan 1860 Marriage County: Waterloo [S915] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1861, Township of Woolwich 1861 Div. 4 Page 32.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 7 Jul 1862 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Lutheran - 1871 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Watch Maker - 1881 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - watch maker - 1881 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Jeweller - 1891 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Lutheran - 1891 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 30 Sep 1891 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Machinist - 1901 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - merchant - 1901 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - jeweller, watch maker, publisher of the Elmira Signet - 1903 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1903 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Lutheran - 1911 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1921 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 12 Dec 1944 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region - publisher, merchant, educator - Bef 2012 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Organization - - Elmira Public Library, Elmira, Waterloo, Ontario Buried - - Elmira Union Cemetery, Elmira, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth