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

John S. Roat[1]

Male 1797 - 1854  (57 years)


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

  • Name John S. Roat 
    Born 4 Feb 1797  , Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3
    Land Bef 1831  Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 003, Waterloo County, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Christened 1847  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Gender Male 
    Residence 1847  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Occupation 1851  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    saddler 
    Occupation 1852  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    saddle and harness maker 
    Eby ID Number 00094-5322 
    Died 3 Aug 1854  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 8, 9
    Person ID I2157  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Father Henry Roat,   b. Abt 1767, Of, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Family ID F691  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Sarah "Sallie" Sauers,   b. 5 Sep 1805, , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Oct 1895, Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 90 years) 
    Married 3 Aug 1824  Ephrata, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 10
    Children 
     1. Isaac Roat,   b. Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     2. Elhannon Roat,   b. Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. Abraham Roat,   b. 16 Aug 1825, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. Israel Roat,   b. 23 Jan 1827, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. Jacob Roat,   b. 9 Nov 1829, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     6. Catharine Roat,   b. 16 Aug 1830, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1895  (Age 64 years)
     7. Lydia Roat,   b. 11 Dec 1831, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1835  (Age > 5 years)
     8. John Roat,   b. 29 Nov 1833, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Mar 1888, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 54 years)
     9. Harriet Roat,   b. 20 Aug 1835, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Feb 1853, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 17 years)
     10. Sarah Roat,   b. 25 Jan 1840, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Apr 1905, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 65 years)
     11. Mary "Polly" Roat,   b. 11 Sep 1840, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Jun 1926, Stratford, Perth Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years)
     12. Heinz "Henry" Roat,   b. 10 Sep 1843, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     13. Edwin Roat,   b. 3 Jul 1847, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Nov 1915, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 68 years)
     14. Hannah Roat,   b. 1 Jan 1849, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F421  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • John Roat, "was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about the year 1802. He was the son of Henry Roat whose parents emigrated to Pennsylvania from the Palatinate about the year 1763. While yet a boy he learned the trade of harness making and soon became a renowned expert at his trade. When quite a young man he made up his mind to leave his native state and seek his home elsewhere. Shortly thereafter he bid adieu to his parental home and travelled northward. He came to Canada and finally settled in Berlin, Ontario, where he soon set to work at his trade. His shop was situated a little to the east of the Market Hotel. Here he carried his business until the time of his death which took place in August, 1854. In 1830 he was married to Sarah, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Horst) Sauer. She was born September 5th, 1805, and is still living with one of her children. To them was born a family of eleven children of whom the three eldest, namely: Isaac, Elhannon and Lydia died in infancy.


      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.].

      ____________________

      A-1-43 John S. Roat: Letters of Administration to the Estate of John S. Roat, formerly of Berlin, dec'd, granted the 29 August, 1854 to his widow Sarah, after giving proof that the said John S. Roat died on or about the 3rd August, intestate, and on her giving Bond with two sureties, viz:Joseph E. Schneider, of the same Berlin, Yeoman, and John Scott, of the same place, Esquire, herself as well as Each of her sureties into the sum of £2500/- for her faithful Administration of the said Estate. The inventory rendered amounting to £1526/14/9

      Granted 29 August 1854
      Inventory £1526/14/9

      Surrogate Court Records Copybook Register A 1853-1871 transcript to 1863. Frances Hoffman transcriber.

      ___________________________

      King Street , North Side

      Frederick Street.

      Bishop Benjamin Eby's farm came to the corner of King and Frederick Streets. Next to Frederick Street, Frederick and William Miller erected a frame building and used it as a general store. After the grading operations spoken of this building had to undergo the same process as the St. Nicholas Hotel. It was considered a fine building in its day with large windows on each side of the centre door. Henry Stroh finally bought the building and tore it down in 1868. Jacob Stroh has some of the window sash, shutters, stairway, etc., still in his possession. Later the building was occupied by Jacob Eckstein cigar maker and tobacco dealer. Mrs. Warren with a family lived on the second story for a number of years.

      Vacant lot. Next a large brick building with double deck porch along the front, the Queen's Arms Hotel, built about 1840 and continued as a hotel until about 1860. A Mr. Butchard was the first landlord and later Levi Weber. From this hotel the first omnibus met the trains at the G.T.R. station in Berlin in 1856. Before that day it was a stopping place of stage coaches operating from Hamilton and Galt to Berlin and beyond. The old Queen's Arms long vacant and practically ruined as a building was sold finally and made room for the Market Building and Town Hall in 1869.*

      Next we come to the John Roos house. This also had a double-deck veranda with heavy posts as was the style 1840-50. The building was later turned into a hotel known as the Market Hotel and kept by Casper Heller.

      A lot with a log cabin in the rear, occupied by Jacob Sauer, who had come from Pennsylvania, father of Mrs. John Roat.

      * See 1922 Annual Report W. H. S., p. 210.

      A harness shop occupied by John Roat, then by his son John and later by John Haugh, a son-in-law of John Roat.

      A garden. A dwelling, 4 or 5 feet lower than the street which had been filled up, where lived the Susand family. Mrs. Susand had a reputation with juveniles for tarts and molasses taffy sold in lc. bars. Her children were in the habit of selling these wares to passengers at the G.T.R. station. After her husband's death about 1860, widow Susand moved her shop to Foundry Street North, and there continued until she died. Susand was an ex-slave. In 1857 at a nomination meeting for Council, he was nominated and stood a good chance of being elected, as a joke. However, the more thoughtful element among the voters prevailed.

      A two story, frame building, lengthwise with King Street, built in the '30's. After street grading this had to be raised so that what had before been the ground floor became the cellar or basement.

      A house occupied by Wm. Hawke,-known as Bill Hawke- a mason. A stout, easy-going man. His wife was in the habit of standing in the door way, with white lace cap, smoking a clay pipe. The east end of this building was occupied by Winters, a hatter, the first hat maker in Berlin. He made the old style, broad brim, Mennonite hats in fashion up to about 1845. At the corner of Scott stood a brick building of good size with gable toward King Street, used to stable the first fire teams for a number of years. Later John Wagner had a waggon shop above and George Ward a blacksmith shop underneath. Scott Street was, however, not opened until many years later.

      A one and one-half story building rough cast, gable facing King St., occupied by H. W. Peterson, who began publishing the "Canada Museum", in 1835 and so continued until 1840 when he went to Guelph as first Registrar of the County of Wellington. This was the first newspaper published in Waterloo County.

      Jacob Hailer's house, a one and one-half story, frame building with porch along the front partly enclosed by lattice work. In this house was born in 1834, Catherine Hailer, who married Louis Breithaupt. She is said to have been the first child born in Berlin of parents who came from Germany. Hailer's barn was some distance back from the street and next along on the street front was his shop where he manufactured spinning wheels, etc., and chairs which had a large distribution. Hailer was an expert wood turner. He had two foot-power lathes and a number of German assistants from time to time, continuing his shop for about 40 years.
      A two story frame building lengthwise with King Street, erected by Dr. John Scott. He had a drug store with two good-sized windows at the front. On the east gable of the building was a sign, "Med. Hall" in large letters. The sign was legible long after Dr. Scott's death. The doctor pursued his practice on horseback for which he used three horses. He was the first medical practitioner in Berlin, coming in 1834, at the time of the cholera epidemic. For a few years before he was married he boarded at the Gaukel Hotel. His later house, after the one described, is still standing on Weber Street at the rear of the Kitchener Public Library.

      The old Scott house on King Street was later occupied by Franz Martin who kept a saloon. Martin had a musical family, with the zither as their principal instrument, which all the children could play.

      A one and one-half story, frame building, painted, occupied by Anslm Wagner, a potter.

      A brick building 1 ½ story lengthwise with King Street, the west end of which was John Eby's drug store, the rest of the building being his dwelling. This was the first regular drug store in Berlin.

      A brick building with a frame extension in the rear used by David Eby as a pump shop. Part of the brick building is still standing, the rest having been cut olT for the opening of Eby Street North.

      A one story hip roof brick cottage occupied by Geo. Eby, a Notary, who came to Canada in 1804. He died in this house. A considerable fish story is told of how he followed a sturgeon in the Conestoga River, part of Grand River, and finally speared it.

      A one and one-half story building, probably rough cast, occupied by Hy. Wurm, a carpenter employed at the Simpson factory.

      A two story brick building painted red occupied by Henry S. Huber.'

      A handsome brick building, two story, with veranda along the front and ground floor considerably above the street level, with broad steps, the width of the building, leading to it, was built in 1850. Some time later it was occupied by Casper Heller and known as the Royal Exchange hotel. Following the old custom its swinging sign had "Last Chance" on the side toward the village and "First Chance" outward, referring to liquid refreshments. Heller kept a good hotel and had also a large shed and ham next east of the hotel.

      On the corner a steam grist mill was erected, about 1860. Louis Seyler, a German, was the miller. The custom was for farmers to bring in their wheat to have it ground, getting in return flour, bran and middlings, the miller retaining his toll. Later Lehnen & Shelly operated this mill.

      REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder.

      Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

  • 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..., 221.

    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..., 187.

    3. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 4 Pg 4.
      John S. ROAT Saddler&Harness USA 55 SW b. 4-Feb M Y
      Sarah ROAT USA 47 SW b. 5-Sep F Y
      John ROAT Saddler Canada 19 SW b. 27-Nov M
      Heriat ROAT Canada 17 SW b. 20-Aug F Sarah ROAT
      Canada 12 SW b. 25-Jan F Poly ROAT Canada 9 SW b. 8-Sep F
      Henry ROAT Canada 8 SW b. 10-Sep M
      Edwin ROAT Canada 6 SW b. 3-Jul M
      Hana ROAT Canada 3 SW b. 1-Jan F
      John WISSLER Saddler USA 18 Baptist b. 8-Aug M
      Jacob SOURES Gentleman USA 77 Lutheran b. 6-Mar M W

    4. [S1322] Land - Founding Families of Waterloo Township 1800-1830, 43.

    5. [S2] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian), pg 3.
      by Pastor John Harbin

    6. [S2070] Directory - Ontario Directory for 1851.

    7. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 4 Pg 4.

    8. [S229] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1871, Div. 1, Pg. 64.

    9. [S1737] Probate - Wills of Waterloo Register A 1853-1871, Letters of Administration of John S. Roat 29 Aug 1854 A-1-43.

    10. [S2508] Ancestry Public Member Trees.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 4 Feb 1797 - , Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 3 Aug 1824 - Ephrata, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChristened - 1847 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1847 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - saddler - 1851 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - saddle and harness maker - 1852 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 3 Aug 1854 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth