Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Joseph R. Shantz[1, 2, 3, 4]

Male 1795 - 1882  (86 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Joseph R. Shantz 
    Born 24 Jun 1795  Near Pottstown, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
    Gender Male 
    Land Bef 1831  Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 009W, Waterloo County, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [11
    Land 1849  Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 026, Waterloo County, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [11
    Occupation 1852  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [12
    farmer 
    Residence 1861  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [8
    Mennonite 
    Occupation 1871  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [9
    Gentleman 
    Residence 1871  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [10
    Mennonite 
    Residence 1881  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Mennonite 
    Eby ID Number 00110-6849 
    Grave Photograph - Find A Grave Gravestone of Joseph R. Shantz 
    Died 19 Mar 1882  [1, 5
    Buried Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [13
    Person ID I19832  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Father Isaac Shantz,   b. 14 Jan 1748, , Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Oct 1802, Pottstown, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 54 years) 
    Mother Barbara Rife,   b. 12 Sep 1753, , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1820, South Of Berlin, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years) 
    Married 4 May 1774  [14
    Family ID F3031  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Catharine Schneider,   b. 12 Feb 1799, , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Sep 1881, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years) 
    Married 8 Jul 1817  [15, 16
    Children 
     1. Simon S. Shantz,   b. 15 May 1818, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Dec 1893, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 75 years)
     2. Moses Shantz,   b. 22 Aug 1819, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Jan 1897, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years)
     3. Veronica Shantz,   b. 15 Mar 1822, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Sep 1894  (Age 72 years)
     4. Barbara Shantz,   b. 11 Aug 1825, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Oct 1884, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 59 years)
     5. Maria "Mary" Shantz,   b. 17 Jun 1827, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Dec 1885  (Age 58 years)
     6. Joseph S. Shantz,   b. 15 May 1830, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Oct 1886, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 56 years)
     7. Deacon Menno S. Shantz,   b. 16 Apr 1836, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Nov 1917  (Age 81 years)
     8. Susan Schrock,   b. 1841, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F806  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Joseph Shantz, "the youngest son of Isaac and Barbara (Reiff) Shantz, was born near Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, June 24, 1795. In May, 1808, his mother, with her three youngest children, David, Veronica, and Joseph, who was then only thirteen years of age, moved to Canada and arrived in Waterloo County in June. On the 21st or 22nd of the same month she took possession of her bush farm, being composed of part of lot No. 52, German Company's Tract. About six acres were cleared and cleaned and a log house put up, but this house was without roof and floor until their coming. The lumber was purchased in Galt and the first thing the party had to do on their arrival was to put on the board roof and lay the floor, and then the house was ready to move into. By four o'clock in the afternoon everything was put in its proper place and everybody felt happy and well at home except Joseph who stood outside the house and wept bitterly, being sick of the wild and romantic life and wishing himself home at Pottstown again. So much did he weep that his mother came out to speak words of comfort to him, upon which he said, 'O mother, what made you leave our beautiful home and come here where there is nothing but bush and flies? Why had you listen to Christian? (His brother who settled here in 1806 always spoke well of Waterloo) It is not at all as he used to say.' The mother, listening to her son's lamentable tale, said, 'Joseph, now do quit crying and come into the house with me or else I shall have homesick like you and begin to cry.' They both went into the house and that ended 'Homesick'. (This story Mr. Joseph Shantz related to the writer in the year 1869) Here he was raised and on July 8th, 1817, he was married to Catherine, daughter of Joseph and Barbara (Eby) Schneider. She was born February 12, 1799, and died September 15th, 1881. Soon after their marriage they moved on their farm, being composed of west half of lot No. 9, German Company's Tract, now occupied by their son, Moses. Here they resided until 1849 when they moved on the farm being composed of west half of lot No. 26, German Company's Tract, now in possession of his sons, Joseph and Menno. Here he built a dam and erected a sawmill and for quite a number of years did a large business in sawing during the spring months. After his sons, Joseph and Menno, were married, he divided his farm into two and gave each one about half, Joseph retaining the part with the old buildings and the sawmill. Here he died, March 19th, 1882, six months after the decease of his wife. They had a family 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.].

  • Sources 
    1. [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..., 421.

    2. [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..., 600.

    3. [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..., 498.

    4. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 29 Sep 1881.
      15 Sep 1881 Catharina Schantz, wife of Joseph Schantz, Sr., died of old age in Waterloo township at the ripe old age of 82 years, 7 months and 3 days.

    5. [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..., 342.

    6. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 3 Pg 27.
      Joseph SHANTZ Farmer USA 56 Mennonite
      Catherine SHANTZ wife USA 54 Mennonite
      Maria SHANTZ daughter Canada 24 Mennonite
      Joseph SHANTZ son Canada 22 Mennonite
      Menno SHANTZ son Canada 16 Mennonite
      Aron ZEGLER Servant Canada 23 Mennonite
      Susan SCHROCK adopted Canada 10 Mennonite

    7. [S224] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1881, Div 2 Page 45.

    8. [S1943] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1861, Waterloo Township 1861 Div. 13 Page 90.

    9. [S2222] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Township (North) - 1871, Div. 4, Pg. 7.

    10. [S2222] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Township (North) - 1871, Div. 4, Pg. 8.

    11. [S1322] Land - Founding Families of Waterloo Township 1800-1830, 49.

    12. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 3 Pg 27.

    13. [S64] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - Martin's Mennonite CC#4521 Internet Link.

    14. [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..., 374.

    15. [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..., 341.

    16. [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..., 422.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 24 Jun 1795 - Near Pottstown, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsLand - 1849 - Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 026, Waterloo County, Ontario Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - farmer - 1852 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Mennonite - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Gentleman - 1871 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Mennonite - 1871 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Mennonite - 1881 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Martin Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth