John Devitt^[1]

1833 - 1901  (68 years)

• Name	John Devitt
  Born	7 Apr 1833	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206345242
  Residence	1861	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Mennonite
  Occupation	1871	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Farmer
  Residence	1871	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Mennonite
  Occupation	1881	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Farmer
  Occupation	1891	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  	Gentleman
  Residence	1891	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  	Free Thinker
  Occupation	1901	Waterloo, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Warden
  Residence	1901	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Eby ID Number	00030-2324
  Died	9 Dec 1901	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Cause: inflammatory rheumatism and heart complications
  Buried	First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [10]
  Person ID	I16716	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Barnabas Devitt,   b. 25 Mar 1807, , New Jersey ,   d. 20 Jan 1891, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Magdalena Shoemaker,   b. 20 Nov 1811, Frederick Twp., Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 12 Nov 1907, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 95 years)
  Married	1 May 1831	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 11]
  Family ID	F1513	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Waterloo-LogSchool-00002.jpg

  
  

• Notes

  John Devitt, "was born April 7th, 1833. He resides with his mother and is unmarried." John by 1901 was living in Waterloo City and was a lodger living with Enoch Hergott. 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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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.]. ____________ 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 ___________ One of Waterloo's oldest native citizens passed away last evening in the person of Mr. John Devitt, aged 68 years, eight months and 2 days. Deceased was a native of Waterloo, having been here in the year 1833,and was in his usual health up to about six weeks ago, when he was taken to the hospital, where he died Monday night. There survive him four brothers and two sisters, of which Menno Devitt of Devitt & Co., is a brother. The funeral will take place from the City Hotel on Thursday, Dec. 12th at 1.30 p.m. to Mennonite Cemetery, Berlin. The Weekly News-Record 12 Dec 1901, Thu Page 1 ________________ John Devitt will sue the Township. He was hired as watchman at the places quarantined on account of small-pox and was employed 41 days for which he was tendered $50. He, however, claims $1.50 per day and refused the $50 and says he intends sueing the Waterloo Township for what he claims is justly due him. Waterloo Region Record 09 Jul 1901, Tue Page 1

  
  

• Sources

  [S135] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1901, Waterloo (Town/Ville) d-4 Page 1. [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..., 528. [S135] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1901, Waterloo (Town/Ville) D-4 Page 1. [S116] Vit - ON - Death Registration. John Devitt Death Date: 9 Dec 1901 Death Location: Waterloo Born: abt 1833 Birth Location: Waterloo,Ont [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 4 Pg 18. [S302] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1881, Waterloo Village 1881 Div. 1 Page 17. [S1943] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1861, Div. 10 Page 78. [S168] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1871, Div. 3, Pg. 18. [S1573] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1891, Section 4 Page 34. [S47] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - First Mennonite CC#4507 Internet link First Mennonite Cemetery online. (book record: John Devitt, Dec.9, 1901) [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..., 452.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 7 Apr 1833 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Farmer - 1871 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1871 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Farmer - 1881 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Gentleman - 1891 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Free Thinker - 1891 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Warden - 1901 - Waterloo, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1901 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: inflammatory rheumatism and heart complications - 9 Dec 1901 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth