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

Wilfred Jacob Habel[1]

Male 1914 - 1999  (85 years)


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

  • Name Wilfred Jacob Habel 
    Born 1914  Tavistock, East Zorra Twp., Oxford County, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Male 
    Residence 1921  33 Chapel St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Residence 1921  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Lutheran 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-322305 
    Died 5 Dec 1999 
    Buried New Dundee Union Cemetery, New Dundee, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I322305  Generations
    Last Modified 6 Apr 2024 

    Father John Habel,   b. 1884, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Feb 1966  (Age 82 years) 
    Mother Luella,   b. 1887, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Nov 1976  (Age 89 years) 
    Family ID F243810  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Reta Luella Wagner,   b. 28 Aug 2016, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Nov 1993, RR2, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married 22 Dec 1934  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Children 
     1. John Habel
     2. Jeanne Habel
     3. Connie Habel
     4. Winnefred Habel
     5. Gerald Habel,   b. 24 Apr 1944,   d. 11 Aug 2016  (Age 72 years)
    Last Modified 7 Apr 2024 
    Family ID F51683  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Tragedies Among Pioneers Are Told in Old Headstones

      By Record Staff Writer

      HAYSVILLE-The story of this district's early settlers is inscribed in weather-beaten marble near here. But there are few readers.

      The stone tablets are the gravestones in an old, abandoned cemetery in a corner of Wilfred J. Habel's farm.

      Most of the stones have tumbled or are tilted. On many the carefully chiselled lettering is barely legible. The ground is honey-combed with groundhog holes and knee deep in weeds.

      The stones tell tales of long for gotten tragedies whole families of small children that died within a short time of each other mothers who died very young.

      One stone proclaims proudly that the deceased was born in Scotland. Nearby is another that

      wants all viewers to realize that beneath it lies an Irishman. A third stone declares in still larger letters that this man was born right here in Canada.

      The names are a directory of this district's pioneers. There are Somervilles, Gilmours, Hayes, Livergoods. Other names include Guthrie, Melrose, Johnston, Laird Battler, Anderson, Woods.

      Mr. Habel's 200-acre farm was purchased from the Canada Company by Samuel Johnston in 1840 for 10 Guineas ($29.40). The present owner bought it from Fred Walker in 1954.

      First mention of the cemetery is in a mortgage made out in 1874. It specifies that a half-acre of the farm is dedicated for use as a burial ground, for use of people of any denomination except Catholics.

      Samuel Johnston's brother, owner of the adjoing farm, gave a similar half-acre, so the cemetery comprises an acre in all.

      It was a cemetery long before 1874, the stones indicate. A James Nixon, born 1799, was buried there in 1848.

      Samuel himself, and others of his family, are buried there.

      No one is quite sure who owns the cemetery now, Mr. Habel said. And except for some township spraying with chemicals to kill the brush, no one looks after it.

      He would like to see descendents of these pioneers, or people with similar names, organize a drive to renovate the old burial place. It could be a beauty spot. Those long-forgotten settlers deserve to have their memory preserved and their last resting place protected, he believes.

      Kitchener-Waterloo Record Thu, Jul 30, 1959 Page 3

  • Sources 
    1. [S2556] News - ON, Waterloo, Ayr - Ayr News (1897- ), Obituary of Reta Wagner - Habel - 17 Nov 1933, pg 14.

    2. [S2264] Census - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - 1921, Sub Dist. 30 Page 13.

    3. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration.
      Wilfred Jacob Habel
      Gender:Male
      Age:20
      Birth Year:abt 1914
      Birth Place:Tavistock, Ontario
      Residence:33 Chapel St., Kitchener
      Marriage Date:22 Dec 1934
      Marriage Place:Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
      Father:John Habel
      Mother:Luella Habel
      Spouse:Reta Luella Wagner
      18 b. Waterloo, Ontario
      d/o Charles Wagner & Laura Prong

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 1914 - Tavistock, East Zorra Twp., Oxford County, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1921 - 33 Chapel St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Lutheran - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 22 Dec 1934 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - New Dundee Union Cemetery, New Dundee, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth