Bertha Mabel Dunham^[1]

1881 - 1957  (75 years)

• Name	Bertha Mabel Dunham
  Born	29 May 1881	Minto Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Female
  Residence	1891	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Methodist
  Occupation	1901	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Public School Teacher
  Occupation	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Librarian Public Library
  Residence	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Methodist
  Occupation	1921	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Librarian, Library
  Residence	1921	362 Frederick St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Residence	1921	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Methodist
  Died	1957  [8]
  Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region	Bef 2012	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  Interesting	education, author, story, honoured, woman
  Name	B. Mabel Dunham
  Name	Mabel Dunham
  Eby ID Number	00031-2766.2
  Buried	First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  Person ID	I22007	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Father	Martin Dunham,   b. 30 Jun 1855, East Gwillimbury, Simcoe Co., Ontario ,   d. 3 Jun 1920, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 64 years)
  Mother	Magdelena "Maggie" Eby,   b. 19 Apr 1851, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 7 Feb 1929, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 77 years)
  Married	10 Jun 1880  [1, 7, 10]
  Family ID	F5329	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Bertha Mabel Dunham
  		Bertha Mabel Dunham https://www.exlibris.ca/doku.php?id=history:biographies:dunham_b

  
  

• Notes

  One of Canada's most noted authors, B. Mabel Dunham, was always conscious of the value of history and enriched Canadian literature with her books: The Trail of the Conestoga; Toward Sodom; The Trail of the King's Men; Grand River and Kristli's Trees. Dunham was born on a farm near Harriston. Her family moved to Berlin when she was six. She was educated at Central (Suddaby) School and Berlin High School, taught in Berlin briefly, and then attended Victoria College, Toronto, and McGill University, Montreal, where she completed a course in Library Science. Dunham was librarian of the Kitchener Public Library from 1908 until her retirement in 1944, the first trained librarian to be in charge of a public library in Ontario. She was a member of the Canadian Club and the University Women's Club, serving as president of both. Dunham was the only woman in the original membership of the Waterloo Historical Society and later served as president. Waterloo Region Hall of Fame _____________________ MISS B. M. DUNHAM RESIGNS FROM KITCHENER LIBRARY It was with regret that the students of Waterloo College learned of the resignation of Miss B. Mabel Dunham from her position as chief librarian of the Kitchener Public Library. For to them, as to others, Miss Dunham had become a vital part of the library, which through her thirty-six years of devoted and efficient service, she has helped to build up to its present rank of sixth in the province of Ontario. Fortunately, Miss Dunham has seen fit to continue as lecturer in Library Science at Waterloo College. She has served in this capacity since 1930 when her class consisted of nineteen students. At that time the course extended over two semesters and thus included twenty-six lectures instead of the present thirteen. The Library Science course for 1944 has an enrollment of 32. Her enthusiastic and thorough teaching of the use of the library has been and is being of great help to students not only at college but during their later lives. Many of her former pupils have personally expressed their gratitude for the value the Library Science course has been to them. Miss Dunham was born on a farm near Harriston. She traces her ancestors through her father to the Loyalists who settled in St. John, N.B. in 1783. Through her mother she is descended from the Mennonites who were early settlers of this district. Her education was received at the public school at Fulton Mills, Central School and the Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate in Kitchener and the University of Toronto. She graduated from the latter in 1908. The College Cord Nov 1944 ______________________ DR. B. MABEL DUNHAM Dr. B. Mabel Dunham was well known in Waterloo County as a school-teacher, librarian, clubwoman, author and historian. Her life-story with its many achievements has been told many times. Library work was her chosen vocation. But perhaps above all she was a historian. When she told stories to the children usually legends were recounted. Her trips were often directed toward research for a book or for an article. Her reading was generally in the field of history. She purchased an excellent collection of rare books on the history of Kitchener, Waterloo County and early Canada for the Kitchener Public Library. And finally, she rendered great and constant service to the Waterloo Historical Society and was always ready to escort strangers around the Museum in Kitchener. Although Mabel Dunham was born in Harriston, Ontario, she lived most of her life in her beloved Waterloo County. To tell the story of her mother's people, the Pennsylvania Dutch in Waterloo County, The Trail of the Conestoga was written. Toward Sodom continued the story. Not to be partial (although I believe she was!) she then told the story of her father's forbears, the United Empire Loyalists, in The Trail of The King's Men.. The officials of her church - Trinity United Church, Kitchener - asked her to write the story of its first hundred years of service. This book, So Great A Heritage, is a wonderful compilation of historical fact, pictures of early church groups and individuals and the whole spirit of a pioneer church movement in Ontario. Grand River was the culmination of all her thinking, research and love for the valley of the Grand. I remember her interest in searching for the actual source of the Grand River in the period when she was planning and writing the book. Her work had its rewards. The degree of D.Litt. was conferred on her by the University of Western Ontario in 1947. The Canadian Association of Children's Libraries presented to her "The Book of the Year for Children" award in 1948 for Kristli's Trees. In 1953, the Council of the City of Kitchener set aside her birthday, May 29th, as Mabel Dunham Day. Dr. B. Mabel Dunham died on June 21, 1957. She will be missed; but her books, articles, her love for this County, her work in the library and in the Historical Society are enduring things. Waterloo Region Annual Volume 1957 By Dorothy Shoemaker ______________________ FOREWORD TO THE TRAIL OF THE CONESTOGA "Miss Mabel Dunham, in her book 'The Trail of the Conestoga', has given an exceptional picture of the early immigration of these people. They came to this country to find it a wilderness, and almost within a generation, by their unceasing labours, they changed the landscape so that well-built and substantial homes found themselves surrounded by cleared land covered with abundant harvests. It is such literature that makes us realize the background of our country's story. We know and appreciate too little the initiative, patience and self-sacrifice which characterized the struggles of our forefathers in laying not only the material but also the political foundations of our country. If we go back to early days, we shall find that the problems which perplex us are no greater than those they successfully solved. In their example we should find alike strength and inspiration." Kingsmere, Que.W. L. Mackenzie King.

  
  

• 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..., 612. [S47] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - First Mennonite CC#4507 Internet link First Mennonite Cemetery online. Dunham / Bertha Mabel / 1881-1957 / God is our refuge and strength [S137] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1901, Berlin (Town/Ville) A-5 Page 17. [S340] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1911, Div.. 20 Page 17. [S655] z Vit - ON - Birth Registration, birth certificate 35394 (1881), Bertha Mabel Dunham. Bertha Mabel Dunham Date of Birth: 29 May 1881 Gender: Female Birth County: Wellington Father's Name: Martin Dunham, residence Lot 78, Conc. C Minto Mother's Name: Magdelena Eby [S2264] Census - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - 1921, Sub Dist. 27 Page 10. [S1592] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1891, Sec. 5 Page 37. [S47] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - First Mennonite CC#4507 Internet link First Mennonite Cemetery online. [S220] Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Waterloo Region Hall of Fame. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), June 17 1880. Martin Dunham of Harriston and Magdalena Eby of Berlin were married by Rev. Gundy. no date given

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 29 May 1881 - Minto Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1891 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Public School Teacher - 1901 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Librarian Public Library - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Librarian, Library - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1921 - 362 Frederick St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region - Bef 2012 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth