Mayor George Diebel^[1]

1850 - 1922  (72 years)

• Name	George Diebel
  Prefix	Mayor
  Born	3 Feb 1850	Lisbon, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	1851	Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Lutheran
  Occupation	1891	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Merchant
  Residence	1891	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Methodist
  Elected Office	1899	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Mayor - Waterloo
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70311191
  Interesting	polictics, mental health
  Misfortune	suicide
  Occupation	1901	Waterloo, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	General Merchant
  Occupation	1911	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Postmaster, Post Office
  Residence	1911	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Methodist
  Eby ID Number	00120-7492.1
  Died	15 Nov 1922	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  Buried	Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  Person ID	I20715	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Simon Diebel,   b. CALC 30 Oct 1823, , Hessen, Germany ,   d. 22 Jul 1893  (Age ~ 69 years)
  Mother	Barbara Albrecht,   b. 1831, , Germany ,   d. 1918  (Age 87 years)
  Family ID	F30969	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Nancie Strome,   b. 3 Oct 1849, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 25 Apr 1936  (Age 86 years)
  Married	Sep 1874  [5]
  Children	1. Sylvia Florence Diebel,   b. 27 Dec 1875, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 15 Jul 1904, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 28 years)   2. Emma Diebel,   b. 4 Apr 1878, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 24 Dec 1905, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 27 years)
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F5124	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Mayor George Diebel

  
  

• Notes

  Postmaster George Diebel Found Dead In Waterloo Post Office On Wednesday A Prominent and Influential Citizen Waterloo to-day mourns the loss of one of its outstanding and prominent citizens in the tragically sudden death of Mr. George Diebel, postmaster of the town for the past seventeen years. The news of his demise cast a gloom over the town as he commanded the highest respect and regard of its citizens. His ever cordial and hearty greeting and his genial personality made him an ever welcome associate in the various organizations with which he was actively identified and his death came as a grievous shock to his wide circle of friends through- out the Twin City and County. The circumstances surrounding his death indicate an attack of temporary insanity as he was always the most cheerful of citizens with no accountable anxiety to cause him to end his life. Mr. Diebel went to the post office shortly before eight o'clock on Wednesday morning as was his custom and appeared to be his usual cheerful self. Mr. John Stellar, a mail carrier, stated that a few minutes before he had greeted him cheerfully as Mr. Stellar was about to leave on his route even passing a joke with him as he left. The first intimation that anything was amiss was when the caretaker at the post office. Mr. Geo. Suggitt, found his chair missing in the room on the second floor on his return at 8.10 o'clock from the station where be secured the mail from the Elmira train. He went to a couple of rooms and finally to the lavatory in search of it where he was shocked to see the body of Mr. Diebel hanging from the cross bar of the lavatory, the body being still warm. Efforts to revive him.however, proved futile The body was later removed to his home. Born in County The late Mr. Diebel was born in Waterloo County 72 years ago and early entered mercantile life, carrying on a general store business in New Dundee for five years with the late J. G. Wing. Afterwards he entered into partnership with Mr. Cyrus Bricker and conducted a business in Plattsville for seven years when they sold out and moved to Waterloo. On the death of the late Cyrus Bricker, Mr. S. B. Bricker became a member of the firm. The business was carried on under the name of Bricker and Diebel until Mr. Diebel became postmaster when the latter withdrew from the firm. Postmaster Since 1905 On the death of the late Chris. Kumpf in 1905 Mr. Geo. Diebel was appointed to the vacancy receiving his appointment in February of that year. The appointment has proven a popular one, Mr. Diebel being generally esteemed by the patrons of the post office, being invariably pleasant and obliging and ever ready to serve their interests as he also was while engaged in the general store business previously. He had every qualification for the office being trained in business habits, affable in manner and a man of strict integrity. He filled the position worthily and his administration of the office has given general satisfaction. Active Municipally The late Mr. Diebel has always been one of Waterloo's most public spirited citizens during a residence of nearly fifty years here and has taken a deep and active interest in municipal affairs. After serving in the town council for a number of years he was elected Mayor of Waterloo for three terms, 1898, 1899 and 1900. During his mayoralty the waterworks system was taken over and a new plant installed, a question in which he took a very deep interest. After retiring from the Council he was elected a water commissioner filling the position of chair- man for a number of years and doing his utmost to make a success- of the plant under municipal ownership. It was a satisfaction for him to see it develop into the splendidly efficient plant it is to-day. Supporter of Hospital Mr. Diebel gave generously of his time and money in support of the Kitchener-Waterloo hospital. He was the oldest member of the Hospital Board becoming a member of it in 1896 and has since been a member continuously. He has been its vice president since 1912 or for a period of twelve years. He was present at the annual meeting of the Board on Tuesday evening at which he was re-elected a trustee. He took an active part in the discussions which arose and appeared to be in his usual health. He has always been one of its strongest supporters and when the matter of the deficit of $18,000 was referred to be earnestly urged that the two municipalities of Kitchener and Waterloo come to the aid of the institution and wipe it out. He was for a number of years chairman of the property committee of the hospital spending much of his time in the interests of the institution, being a most useful and valued member. Unbeknown to many he was a very liberal giver to the hospital funds. President of Waterloo Mutual Mr. Diebel's activities also embraced the business of insurance and at the time of his death he was President of the Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Company of which he has been a director since 1893 or for nearly 30 years. He was elected vice-president in 1908 succeeding to the presidency on the death of the late William Snider in 1915. He had the satisfaction of seeing that company gradually strengthen its position until to-day it is one of the leaders among the Fire Insurance companies of Canada. In connection with his activities here as elsewhere he was assiduous end indefatigable in, the performance of his duties. Mr. Diebel was also an active member of the Board of Trade and of the Royal Arcanum and C.O.F. lodges. In politics the late Mr. Diebel was a Liberal, being for a time one of the vice-presidents for Waterloo. Mr. Diebel was a regular and faithful attendant at the Waterloo Methodist church and was a member of the official board of the church for many years. His wife survives him together with one grandchild. The funeral will be held on Friday afternoon at two o'clock from the residence, 176 King St., Waterloo, to Mount Hope cemetery. The Chronicle Telegraph 16 Nov 1922, p. 4

  
  

• 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..., 532. [S135] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1901, Waterloo (Town/Ville) d-3 Page 12. [S135] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1901, Waterloo (Town/Ville) D-3 Page 12. [S366] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1911, Div. 43 Pg. 8. [S1573] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1891, Section 3 Page 53. [S134] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1851, Sect. 5 Page 199. [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70311191.

  
  

• Event Map

  Residence - Lutheran - 1851 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Merchant - 1891 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1891 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Mayor - Waterloo - 1899 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - General Merchant - 1901 - Waterloo, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Postmaster, Post Office - 1911 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1911 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 15 Nov 1922 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth