Benjamin Burkholder^{[1, 2, 3]}

1814 - 1898  (83 years)

• Name	Benjamin Burkholder
  Born	26 Mar 1814	, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania   [1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
  Gender	Male
  Business	1835	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Morgenstern newspaper
  Occupation	1852	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	teacher
  	Lived with Daniel Stauffer.
  Residence	1860	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  Occupation	1861	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [10]
  	Teacher
  Occupation	1861	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  	Teacher
  Residence	1861	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [10]
  	Mennonite
  Residence	1861	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  	Mennonite
  Historic Building	Abt 1863	883 Doon Village Rd., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	883 Doon Village Road is a good representation of Georgian style in the Region of Waterloo. Typical of Georgian style, the building is two storeys high with a symmetrical three-bay facade. The facade also demonstrates Georgian architecture with its centrally located door with surrounding transom and sidelights, as well as its six over six windows with shutters. In addition to the windows on the facade, there are small square attic windows and two chimneys at either end of the gable roof.
  Interesting	news, story, slavery
  Residence	1881	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Evangelical Nethodist
  Occupation	1891	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [11]
  	Teacher
  		Waterloo-LogSchool-00002.jpg
  Residence	1891	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [11]
  	Methodist
  Eby ID Number	00020-1531
  Died	5 Jan 1898	Strasburg (Kitchener) Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8, 12]
  Buried	First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [12]
  Person ID	I16568	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Christian Burkholder,   b. 3 Feb 1783, , Pennsylvania, USA ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Elizabeth Bauman,   b. 27 Aug 1788, , Berks Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 8 Sep 1862, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 74 years)
  Family ID	F2022	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Barbara Kinzie,   b. 2 May 1830, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 19 Oct 1866, Near Doon, Waterloo Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 36 years)
  Married	15 Aug 1860	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 5, 13, 14]
  Children	1. Asa Burkholder,   b. 2 Jul 1861, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 13 Sep 1862, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 1 years)   2. Adin Burkholder,   b. 1 May 1863, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   3. Sarah Burkholder,   b. 29 May 1866, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 6 Nov 1866, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 0 years)
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F4370	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Benjamin Burkholder Image from: 100 Years of Progress in Waterloo County Canada Semi-Centennial Souvenir 1856-1906
  		Benjamin Burkholder Waterloo County Chronicle (186303), 27 Jan 1898, p. 4

  
  

• Notes

  Benjamin Burkholder, "the second son of Christian Burkholder, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, March 26th, 1814. When four years of age his parents moved to Waterloo County and settled on a farm a little north of the town of Waterloo, now in possession of C. Huether. Here he was raised. In 1835 he issued the first paper for the county. It was called 'The Morning Star' and was published at his father's residence. He was both editor and printer of the same. In later years he commenced to teach in our public schools and taught for more than thirty years. He was married to Barbara, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Moxley) Kinsie, August 15th, 1860. She was born May 2nd, 1830, and died November 6th, 1866. They resided near Doon, on the place now in possession of Thomas Sherrington. At present he resides in Strasburg, Ontario, and is quite well and active yet for a man of his age. They had a family of three 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.]. __________________ Benjamin Burkholder and Elias Eby were among the first teachers who received their licenses to teach, from the commissioners at Freeport in 1843, the commissioners being Dr. Fulsom, James Phin, William Tilt, Jacob Lutz, and a Church of England clergyman from Guelph, who presided. Waterloo's second school was built of stone, in 1842, and was in use for about twenty years. It stood on the central school grounds, about midway between the present brick school and King Street. This was known as School Section No. 10, Waterloo Township. When Waterloo was incorporated as a village in 1857, it automatically became a village school. An old account book of School Section No. 10, begins with an entry dated January 1, 1843, Benjamin Burkholder, Teacher. "To about a year's teaching during the past year (1842), and the latter part of 1841 - $171.44." As the teacher, in the old days, was an agriculturist also, he did not depend on teaching for a living, but did farm work in the summer, most of his teaching being done in the fall and winter months. Sixteenth Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society, 1928, A Historical Sketch of the Town of Waterloo, Ontario, Clayton W. Wells, L.D.S., D. D. S. __________________________ Benjamin Burkholder, the old school-master, died on Wednesday in Strassburg at the at of 83 years, 9 months and 10 days. He was born March 26, 1814 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and came to Canada with his parents at the age of 4 years and settled on a farm north of Waterloo town. In 1835, he published the first newspaper in Waterloo county, the "Morgenstern", which, after several years, was amalgamated with the "Museum", founded in the meantime in Berlin. After giving up the press, he devoted himself to teaching and taught for approximately 30 years. His wife, Barbara, nee Kinzie, died 31 years ago. He had 3 children. - Translated by: Patricia J. Kauk Berliner Journal 5 Nov 1903 pg 4 col 5 ________________________ Severing Doon landmark 'another mistake,' residents warn Designated heritage property unique in its totality, say those in opposition Kitchener's committee of adjustment has deferred a severance application for a designated heritage property at 883 Doon Village Rd. that predates our country's act of Confederation. The property includes a two-storey brick house, circa 1863, that was originally owned by Benjamin Burkholder, one of the first four people to receive a teaching certificate in Waterloo County back in 1843. The home is said to be a good example of Georgian-style architecture, with a symmetrical three-bay façade, a centrally located door with surrounding transom and sidelights, "six over six" paned windows with shutters, two chimneys and a gable roof. At issue, however, is the interpretation of a consultant's heritage impact assessment that determined views of the 1.3-acre property from Bechtel Drive aren't historic, as they were only made available when the surrounding subdivision was built back in the 1980s. Plans include moving a former coach house on the site to make way for four new development lots fronting onto Bechtel Drive. The old home and coach house would remain, with access maintained off Doon Valley Road as it's always been. Yet, local residents and heritage advocates who appeared as delegates at the Feb. 20 committee meeting emphasized that the property, situated across the street from the Doon Retirement Village, was designated under Part 4 of the Ontario Heritage Act back in 1984. One of its former owners, Tim Keller, made a severance inquiry back in 2007. He was told, in writing, that his proposal wouldn't be supported, partly because of the negative impact it would have on views of the heritage property. Coun. Yvonne Fernandes said that fact could present legal implications for the city if it were to approve the severance application. Third-party analysis by one heritage expert determined the entire site falls under the provincial heritage designation, not just the house, she noted. Juliane von Westerholt, a senior city planner and co-ordinator for the committee of adjustment, said the heritage designation bylaw references the entire property, but elaborates on the cultural heritage value in the statement of significance and the list of heritage attributes. "Under the current bylaw, only the main house is identified as a heritage attribute," she said. von Westerholt said staff required the heritage impact assessment under the Planning Act. It identified other heritage attributes, including the accessory building (referred to as the coach house or the hog and hen house). A number of heritage-related conditions are outlined in staff recommendations, including revising the heritage designation bylaw to include additional heritage attributes, as well as the requirement to relocate the accessory building to the same lot, so that it remains visually connected to the main house. But, not everyone agrees with the move. "If the owners are allowed to go ahead with this severance, they will alter the grandness of the site, probably take down numerous old and majestic trees, create more traffic and deny schoolchildren walking by an appreciation of the beautiful agricultural scene, a link to our early history and rural roots in Waterloo County," said Irene Hoffman, a Bechtel Drive resident who lives directly across from the historic property. "If this whole property is not kept intact, then a cultural heritage design will be turned into an ordinary suburban lot," she said. Irene's husband, Ross, said a past planning/surveying "mistake" resulted in the demolition of a heritage barn which stood on the southwest corner of the property until 1978. "Let's not make another mistake that will conceal, behind a row of houses, the coach house that is currently a trademark in our Doon Pioneer Park community," Ross Hoffman told the committee. He argued that the east view of the homestead would have been seen for more than 100 years by eastbound travellers going from the village of Strasburg to the village of Doon. "At that time, this view - unobstructed by houses or industrial buildings - could have been seen from more than one kilometre away and would have been enjoyed for several minutes by travellers who would have only gotten a passing view of the front facade of the house." Even though Kelli Kuzyk doesn't live in the immediate area, she was disturbed to hear of the application. She had always been under the impression that the property was fully protected under the heritage act. "The heritage designation was very clear that it covered the house and the hen house, also fondly known as the coach house, along with the property itself and its mature trees and pleasant landscape, depicting life as it was in the 1860s and beyond," she said. "This property, which measures about one acre in size, was severed off from the original farm of about 25 acres by a developer many years ago, with the intent that someone would buy the house and lot to preserve the look and feel of the cultural heritage depicted from its roots." Kuzyk believes the current owners, who purchased the property in 2012, knew that it was designated heritage and there would be strict rules around what they could/couldn't do with the property. "This application to sever the property appears to be a way to cash in on a property on the backs of the previous owners, all of whom respected the rules and decisions of the heritage committee and the city. "Not asking for input from the public ahead of time is also a travesty, as we all consider this property a piece of our own Doon neighbourhood," she added. According to the Hoffmans, local residents were only recently informed in a letter the city defines as "a courtesy" because they live within 30 metres of the property. They say the wider community has no idea what's being proposed. The city staff recommendation to approve the severance with numerous conditions was deferred by the committee due to a lack of information, Fernandes said. "I think that what struck me is that all three members were very concerned around the heritage of the site '97 not just the house, but the entire site," she said. The ward councillor plans on meeting with local residents before the committee of adjustment reconsiders the recommendation. "The challenge is that often when the committee of adjustment makes its decision, it often comes to council as a consent item and we don't discuss it any further," she said. Jackson, B. (2018). Severing Doon landmark 'another mistake,' residents warn. KitchenerPost.ca. Retrieved 23 February 2018, from https://www.kitchenerpost.ca/news-story/8146448-severing-doon-landmark-another-mistake-residents-warn/ ___________________ THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE An interesting meeting took place the Saturday before last in the old log cabin in Waterloo Park. This house was, of course, the first schoolhouse in this area and stood originally on the school-house square at the corner of King and Church Streets in Waterloo. It was built in 1820 and served its purpose until 1842, when it was torn down and a 1-storey stone house was constructed on the site. The dismantled log house was erected again in Greenbush and served as a residence for a long time for the coloured man, Mr. Carroll and his family. In the course of this year, the Waterloo Park Commissioners purchased the house, moved it to their park and furnished it again as it was when it was a school-house. At this gathering, in addition to many other ladies and gentlemen, the following (male and female) former pupils attended, took their places on the benches, and were called to order by the 82-year-old teacher, Benjamin Burkholder, who held the scepter, or rather, the switch, from 1831 to 1842 in the old log-house: Joel Guth, 80 years old; Abraham Scherk, Blair, 79; Jakob Bricker, Waterloo, 77; Sarah Burkholder, nee Erb, Bridgeport, 75; Amos Weber, Berlin, 73; John C, Bricker, Hawksville, 71; Maria Erb, nee Quickfall, Norwich 69; David B. Eby, Waterloo, 69; Wendel Baumann, Woolwich, 68; Henry Stauffer, Erbsville, 67; Simon Beatty, Elmira, 67; Jakob Ratz, New Hamburg, 67; Israel Baumann, Berlin, 65; George Elbert, Moorefield, 63; George H. Baumann, Elmira, 63; John Devitt, Waterloo, 62; Richard Quickfall, Bridgeport, 62; Isaak Hoffmann, Waterloo, 61; Robert Barkwell, Peel, 60; Diana McMahon, nee Dekay, Berlin, 60; Thomas Quickfall, Floradale, 60; Benjamin Devitt, Waterloo, 60; Isaak Devitt, Floradale, 58; John Longmann, Peel, 57. In addition, to these, the teacher read the names of 25 pupils from the roll; they were, however, absent. Mr. Burkholder gave an interesting talk about the history of the old school-house, and after him, Rev. J.A. MacLachlan, Rev. J. McNair, Mr. J.E. Baumann, M.P., and Mr. Jakob Ratz spoke about the old days which brought many things out of the past to mind again. School was, as a rule, only in session in winter and the costs were borne by the parents of the children. There were few subjects taught, namely: Reading, Writing and Sums. The children heard little about language, and geography; no child had more than 2 or 3 books. The predominant language was German. The pupils learned to read and write English, but didn't understand a word of it. Among the teachers in the old school-house from 1820-1842, with the exception of Mr. Burkholder, were the following whose names are still recognized: Jephtha DeKay, Joseph Guth, John Herringer, Peter Otto, John Dobbin, Elias Eby, Robert Barber, & Joseph Eby. After those present, on hearing the various speeches felt themselves transported back to the past, the school was closed at four o'clock and the pupils were gathered together in front of the school and photographed as a group. On their return into the school, they found it had been transformed into a dining room with heavily-laden tables, which the old-timers thoroughly enjoyed. After everyone had chatted cordially for a while longer, the gathering broke up. The company will not meet again in complete numbers, nor in such a way. Berliner Journal September 26, 1895 Page 4 Column 4 __________________ The Late Benjamin Burkholder. Beneath a freshly made mound in the old Mennonite graveyard near Berlin, the center of his long and active school life, reposes the inanimate body of the subject of this sketch, one of the most familiar characters identified with public school life in Waterloo county. It is because of failure to receive from the engraver in time the above representation of the features of the departed with which to appropriablely embellish this brief biography and tribute of respect that it appears at this late date. While the grave has forever hidden from mortal view the natural body the noble elements that formed his chief characteristics will, as long as life lasts, linger fresh in the memory of all who intimately knew him for so many years while he lived. It is customary to always speak well of the dead, and it is frequently that much fulsome flattery is indulged in; but I may say in the language of the poet, "Here was a man." For purity of character there was no one of his time to excel him and the features most conspicuous upon the surface were honor, charity and virtue. His aim was invariably to deal honorably with his fellow men. True, he was possessed of human frailties. Who is not? But his faults were of such as to be only detrimental to his own personal welfare. He was generous hearted in the keenest sense of the term, and to express it in the phrase of another, had everyone for whom he had done some act of charity or kindness during his life time brought a blossom to his grave his remains would have been consigned to the clay beneath a wilderness of flowers. His extreme generosity was apt to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous persons, and on this account he who was an entire stranger to dissipation and wilful extravagance was denied many of the comforts of life he had honestly earned during the latter years of his long earthly career. He had retentive memory; his thoughts were pure and his countenance strong and expressive. He was eminently obliging to all with when he came in contact, and very sensible of honors thrust upon him. He readily forgave offences against himself, while none could be more careful to avoid offending others. He seldom courted the society of the wealthy or aristocratic elements, always preferring to mingle with the poor and needy where he thought his works and deeds would prove more effective for good He was a friend of the oppressed, and above all, maintained a most bitter attitude against human slavery. Of this we have eminent proof in his antipathy for the leaders of the Southern Confederacy during the late civil war the United States and caustic articles from his pen on the subject of slavery published as early as 1833 in the Religious Telescope of Circleville, Ohio, with which journal he was then connected. He was an uncompromising advocate of temperance, even refusing to permit intoxicating liquor to pass his lips when offered him as a medicine to relieve physical distress. He was a devoted member of the Evangelical Association and took an active part in Sunday school work up to the time of his becoming unable to leave his room. Deceased was the second son off Christian Burkholder, the latter being of Swiss parentage and a native of Lancaster county, Pa, where he was born February 3, 1783. Benjamin was also a native of the same county and state, being born March 26, 1814. At the age of four years he came to Waterloo, Ont, with his parents who settled on the farm now the property of C. Huether, in 1818. Here he was reared to manhood. His first public venture of note was in 1835 when he issued from the residence of his parent, the Morning Star, the first enterprise of the kind in the county, and of which he was both editor and printer. In 1841 he first began to teach a public school in Waterloo, Ont. He held certificates of qualification from the Board of Public Instruction for the Counties of Waterloo and Wellington and one from the Waterloo Township Commissioners, granted in 1842. His last certificate was from the Waterloo County Board of Examiners on July 27, 1872 He taught school in Waterloo and Berlin and school sections Nos. 1, 2, 4, 10, 12, 20 and 21 of Waterloo Township, and section No. 3 of Woolwich Township. He retired from public school teaching in section No. 2, near Strasburg, the scene of his last days upon earth, on June 11, 1875. Having taught the fall term of thirty consecutive years he became entitled to a place on the list of Superannuated or Worn Out Teachers, and, at the time of h's death was drawing a pension of $170 per annum from the Government. He took the oath of allegiance and became a British subject before Thos. Miller, Clerk of the Peace, on June 10, 1863. He was married to Barbara, daughter of the late John and Elizabeth (Moxley) Kinsey, August 15, 1860. She died October 19, 1866 They had three children, Asa, Adin and Sarah. The former and latter died in infancy. Adin, who was born May 1, 1863, is the only surviving member of the family and is at present an employee of the Michigan Central Railroad Company at Detroit. The father died January 5, 1898, aged 83 years, 9 months and 10 days. The funeral and burial services took place at the old Mennonite meeting house on January 8, 1898, in the presence of a large concourse of people, many of them gray-haired sires who were his pupils during his early school teaching days. Upon his coffin were two beautiful floral wreaths, one from his son Adin and one from the members of Doon Lodge, R. T. of T., of which he was a worthy member at the time of his demise. H. N. Waterloo County Chronicle 27 Jan 1898, p. 4

  
  

• 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..., 378. [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..., 844. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 30 Aug 1860. Married 15 Aug 1860 By Rev. Hodgskin, Benjamin Burkholder was married to Barbara Kinsey, both of Waterloo. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 5 Pg 9. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register. Benjamin Burkholder aged 40 res Waterloo, born Pennsylvania son of Christian and Elizabeth married 13 Aug 1860 to Barbara Kinsey aged 28 res Waterloo born Waterloo daughter of John and Elizabeth (Morley). [S604] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo South - 1871, Div. 3, Pg. 37. [S178] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo South - 1881, Waterloo S. Twp. 1881 Div 3 Page 37. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), Obituary of Benjmain Burkholder - 5 Nov 1903 pg 4 col 5. [S1943] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1861, Div. 10 Page 79. [S1946] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1861 (South Division), Div. 4 Page 30. [S2560] aaaWaterloo Township South 1891, Sect. 1 Page 49. [S47] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - First Mennonite CC#4507 Internet link First Mennonite Cemetery online. [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..., 379. [S20] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Telegraph (title varies: Berlin Telegraph, Berlin Daily Telegraph) (1853-1922), 24 Aug 1860. "Burkholder - Kinsey: On Wednesday the 15th inst., at the residence of the Bride's Mother, by the Rev. T. J. Hodgkin, Mr. Benjamin Burkholder, of the Township of Waterloo, to Barbara, second daughter of the late Mr. John Kinsey, also of Waterloo."

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 26 Mar 1814 - , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Business - Morgenstern newspaper - 1835 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - teacher - 1852 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1860 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 15 Aug 1860 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Teacher - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Teacher - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Historic Building - Abt 1863 - 883 Doon Village Rd., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Evangelical Nethodist - 1881 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Teacher - 1891 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1891 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 5 Jan 1898 - Strasburg (Kitchener) Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth