William Hendry^{[1, 2, 3]}

1834 - 1918  (83 years)

• Name	William Hendry
  Born	2 Mar 1834	Aberdeen, , Aberdeen, Scotland   [4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
  Gender	Male
  Immigration	1836	, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Occupation	1861	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Merchant
  Occupation	1871	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [10]
  	Accountant
  Residence	1871	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [10]
  	Protestant
  Occupation	1881	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Life Insurance
  Residence	1881	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	[Member of New Jersulem Religion]
  Occupation	1891	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  	Life Insurance Agent
  Occupation	1891	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  	Swedenborgian
  Residence	1897	637 King St. W., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	William Hendry's house called Forebank
  		Residence of William Hendry "Forebank" Kitchener, Ontario 1897
  		From: Berlin Today 1806-1906
  Occupation	1901	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Actuary
  Occupation	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Actuary, Mutual Life
  Residence	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	[Member of New Jersulem Religion]
  Died	1918
  Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region	Bef 2012	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [11]
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-39410
  Buried	Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Person ID	I39410	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Father	Alexander Hendry,   b. 14 Aug 1791, , Scotland ,   d. 1 Mar 1838, , Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 46 years)
  Mother	Ann Milne,   b. Abt 1792, , Scotland ,   d. , Ontario, Canada
  Married	2 Jun 1817	Aberdeen, , Aberdeen, Scotland   [12]
  Family ID	F12779	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Sarah Washburn,   b. 15 Aug 1835, Conestogo, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 29 Nov 1898, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 63 years)
  Married	Nov 1854	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  Children	1. Agnes Eleanor "Birdie" Hendry,   b. Aug 39, Conestogo, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1948  (Age ~ 190 years)   2. Alexander Franklin Hendry,   b. 25 Oct 1855, Salem, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   3. Anna May Hendry,   b. 28 Dec 1865, Neustadt, Normanby Twp., Grey Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1948  (Age 82 years)   4. Wilhelmina Maude "Maude" Hendry,   b. 7 May 1872, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1942  (Age 69 years)
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F10296	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		William Hendry photo at Doon Heritage Crossroads
  		William Hendry

  
  

• Notes

  WILLIAM HENDRY William Hendry was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on March 2nd., 1834, and when a child, not quite two years of age, came to Canada with his parents. The family at first occupied land near Winterbourne where the father was killed during the second year, by being crushed under a tree he was felling. The mother with her two sons then moved to the vicinity of Fergus where William went to school. Charles, the older brother started a general store in Conestogo, where William began as a boy, having his sleeping place under the counter, as was the custom for sub-assistants. In Lovell's 1857-58 Canada Directory C. and W. Hendry are given as general merchants in Conestogo. Later William Hendry began business for himself in Neustadt, Grey County, where finally he had a store, a flaxmill and a farm. In 1870, just after the company had been fully organized, he was offered and accepted the post of manager of the second company of its kind begun in Canada, the Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Company, now the Mutual Life Assurance Company of Canada, and here he found his real life work. It was owing to his foresight that the newly launched vessel was steered past the rocks of the assessment system and began the long and prosperous voyage as an old-time legal reserve, purely mutual life insurance company. Unbounded enthusiasm, high intelligence and untiring energy ultimately had its reward and upon his retirement from the management of the company after twenty-seven years of strenuous effort, he had the satisfaction of seeing the institution of which he was the chief architect rise to stately proportions. Impaired health compelled his retirement in 1897, but enabled him to find recreation in gardening, to which he was devoted, and among his books. Mr. Hendry was a faithful member of the New Jerusalem church. His interests were wide and he was keenly alive to the advancement of things Canadian as well as the affairs of his home town, of whose council he was at one time a member. In 1855, when twenty-one years of age, William Hendry married Sarah Washburn, at the old Spring Valley farm near Berlin. Mrs. Hendry died in 1898. Three daughters survive. One son predeceased him last May. Fifth Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society 1917 _______________________________ Hendry, William, of the town of Berlin, in the County of Waterloo, manager of the Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Company, was born in the City of Aberdeen, Scotland, on the 2nd day of March, 1834, and baptized in the Presbyterian Church, by the late Rev. Dr. Kidd, of Aberdeen. His father, Alexander Henry, was a cabinet maker, and his mother's maiden name was Ann Milne. They, with their children, two sons and one daughter, emigrated to Canada in the year 1836, and settled, in the then back woods, on a farm between Fergus and Elora. Here a small clearing was made, and a comfortable log dwelling erected. On the 1st of March, 1838, the day before the subject of this memoir was four years old, his father was killed when felling a tree, and the lamentable occurrence resulted in the breaking up of the home and dispelling its prospects. The boy's mother, who was possessed of strong will power, braved the almost insurmountable difficulties of her lot. and succeeded in obtaining for her son, William, as full a common school education as could be obtained at that time. The lad was placed under the tutorship of Mr. James McQueen, who still survives, and who has rarely been excelled in the country as a teacher. Her efforts were also untiring in inculcating the principles of the moral law, the Bible being her text-book and dearest companion. She enjoined regular attendance at Sabbath school, under the superintendence of the Rev. George Melville Smillie, who is yet pastor of Melville Church, Fergus. After leaving home, however, and as his years of reason were attained, the Presbyterian doctrines which he was taught appeared so contrary to those taught by our Saviour, to his idea of the divine attributes, and to reason, as he saw it, that young Hendry gradually rejected the doctrines of his youth, preferring those of the sacred Scripture as he found and understood them, and until he was thirty-five years old he found no sectarian doctrines which he could accept. The theological and other writings of Swedenborg had been for some time his reading and study, and after very full reflection he found in them complete and satisfactory tenets of doctrine. These he warmly embraced as to doctrine and life, and the New Jerusalem Church has no more earnest worker among her members than he now is, his motto, as that of his church, being, "All religion has relation to life, and the life of religion is to do good." His wife, who had been brought up a Methodist, also joined him in the reception of the new church doctrines. In his fifteenth year our subject left home and engaged in mercantile business as salesman, and soon thereafter as bookkeeper, in the mercantile and milling firm of C. Hendry & Co., of Conestogo, in the County of Waterloo, the senior member being his brother, who is ten years older and this connection resulted in a business partnership under the firm of C. & W. Hendry, which existed for some years. In 1864 an opportunity offered itself to engage in the growth and scutching of flax in the County of Grey, which Mr. Hendry accepted in partnership with Mr. W. D. Perine, who, with his brothers, were extensively engaged in that business in the County of Waterloo. This venture was unprofitable, owing to the destruction by fire of his whole mill property and the year's crop, which was manufactured and ready for shipment. About this time the Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Company was organized at Waterloo, with I. E. Bowman, president; C. M. Taylor, vice-president; and Moses Springer as secretary and general agent. A manager was deemed necessary by the directors, and that position was offered to Mr. Hendry in August, 1870, and accepted, first on trial, and then permanently, after the principles and details of the business had been acquired. Mr. Hendry now felt the weight of a heavy responsibility ; a great future appeared open to the Ontario, to be secured only by perseverance, skill and integrity ; the business of life assurance was being done almost exclusively by foreign companies, causing an immense annual financial drain on this country, and it required great labour and time to overcome the many prejudices which then existed. The Ontario is now, however, a creditable Canadian institution, and enjoying the fullest measure of public confidence. In November, 1854, William Hendry married Sarah Washburn, of the town of Berlin, and the family consists of one son, three daughters and two grandsons, uo deaths having occurred. Mr. Hendry was clerk of the seventh Division Court of the County of Waterloo from 185C to 1864, during which term he was appointed a justice of the peace, and still enjoys thai communion. In 1871 he joined the Masonic fraternity in Grand River Lodge, No. 151, at Berlin, passed through the various official positions, and served two years as W. M., taking a warm interest in the welfare of the craft, till the fall of 1877, when congestion of the brain and a form of spasmodic tetanus interfered with his speech, since which time he has become a member of Grand River Chapter, No. 70, of Berlin. A cyclopedia of Canadian biography: being chiefly men of the time. Geo. MacLean Rose editor, 1886 Rose Publishing Company __________________________ Conestogo Oatmeal Mill Or passing through the thriving Village of Conestogo lately, we spent some time in inspecting the Oatmeal Mill newly erected in that place by William Hendry, Esq., We were agreeably surprised on entering the building, to find it so commodious, being 70 x 40 feet, and three stories high, exclusive of the basement. This apartment of the mill contains the motive power, duster, fan, &c. This arrangement affords very great capacity for storing grain. Here we were greatly pleased with the taste and skill displayed by Mr. Hendry as there seemed to be a place for everything, and we have reason to believe that when the mill is in full blast---as we suppose it is ere this--- everything will be found in its place, which is so necessary to ensure success in any business. The machinery of the mill is of the best description, consisting of all the latest improvements, and fitted up by first rate workmen. Mr. Hendry seems to have been actuated by one object, namely the erection of a first class Mill and to accomplish this end he has spared neither time nor expense; but he has the satisfaction of knowing that he has one of the best mills of its kind in the Province, and where as good an article of meal will be manufactured as can be found anywhere---. Amongst the latest improvements in the machinery, he has introduced a filter for thoroughly cleaning the oats before they are shelled. This of itself must make a great difference in the quality of the article manufactured, as oats in Canada, are a general thing, badly cleaned. The machinery is also so arranged that all the black dust and shells are expelled from the [line illegible] the main stories fee from dust and dirt, which will secure a pure and sweet article of Oatmeal. Mr. Hendry, has, through Mr. J. Gartshore of Dundas, procured his shelling stones at considerable expense from "Derry Quarry" Ireland, and they are pronounced by that gentleman to be of the very best quality. The Mill is propelled by an excellent water privelege, which is supplied by a never failing spring, having a fall of about twenty feet, and will be able to grintl'from five to six hundred bushels of oats per day. The enterprising spirit thus displayed by Mr. Hendry is deserving of all praise, and we trust his efforts to produce a first class article of Oatmeal will be handsomely rewarded, as we have no doubt they will. It will be of great benefit to the flourishing Village of Conestogo to have such an establishment in full blast, as it will afford a market for the sale of oats,• that has not heretofore existed in any part of the County. Conestogo seems to be looking up. There is now besides an oatmeal mill, a grist mill and distillery, owned by Henry Snider, Esq., and Mr. J. B. Snyder, late of Winterbourne, has removed there, where he has erected a fine new brock store, which is stocked with a large assortment of seasonable goods. Mr. Chas. Hendry---late C & W Hendry---still continues to drive a splendid business at the old stand. Such enterprise deserves to be liberally supported, and we have no doubt it will." The Berlin Telegraph 13 Dec 1861 ______________ We come to a log cabin, moved there, occupied by a negro, Levi Carroll [1804-1897], a one-legged ex-slave from the Southern States. He lived there for a number of years. This building had been erected in Waterloo in 1820 and was Waterloo's first school house. Carroll owned several acres between his dwelling and Agnes Street. His land, which he did not plough but cultivated with a long handled hoe only, was planted with corn from year to year and looked something like a plantation field in the south. Descendants of his lived in the log cabin after his death. Later, this building was moved to the Waterloo Park and in its place a concrete two-story building with a hip roof was erected by Dr. Schnarr [Robert Schnarr], his house and surgery. Wellington Street easterly, there was an open space until about 1880, when Mr. William Hendry of the Mutual Life Assurance Company erected a residence for himself on the corner and retained a good-sized lot around it. He was a noted horticulturist and grew rare shrubs and flowers. Between the Hendry house and the Grand Trunk Railway tracks were no buildings for many years. The Grand Trunk westerly extension from Guelph was completed through Berlin in 1856.* Next to the G.T.R. track on the southerly side was the Preston and Berlin Railway station located on part of the present site of the Canadian Goodrich plant. Later the building was used for a smithy. 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

  [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration. Alexander Franklin Hendry Born: Canada Age: 21 Father: William Hendry Mother: Sarah Hendry Born: abt 1855 Spouse: Mary Dellinger Age: 19 born: Canada Father: George Dellinger Mother: Margaret Dellinger married 20 Nov 1876 [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 12203-83. Abihu Adam Ruby, 27, occ. Moulder, b. Canada, res. Galt, son of Adam J. Ruby and Cecilia Harbin, married Agnes Eleanor Hendry, 26, b. Canada, res. Berlin, daughter of William Hendry and Sarah Washburn, Witnessed by Christian Ruby and Anna May Hendry, both of Berlin, 12 Nov 1883 at Berlin [S3002] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 012362-94. Charles Ruby, 27, occ. Accountant, b. Canada, res. Waterloo, son of Adam Jacob and Celia Elizabeth married Anne May Hendry, 28, b. Canada, res. Berlin, daughter of William Hendry and Sarah Washburn, Witn: Alex Ruby of Toronto and Maude Hendry of Berlin, 30 November 1894 in Berlin [S137] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1901, Berlin (Town/Ville) A-12 Page 4. [S158] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1881, Div. 2 Pg. 75. [S340] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1911, Div. 37 Page 2. [S745] Book - A Cyclopedia of Canadian Biography being chiefly men of the time Vol. 1, Biography of William Hendry. [S915] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1861, Township of Woolwich 1861 Div. 1 Page 7. [S1592] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1891, Section 1 Page 52. [S2658] aaaaWaterloo Village 1871, Sect. 1 Page 20. [S220] Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Waterloo Region Hall of Fame. [S27] International Genealogical Index - Extracted Church Records, 0991199 Parish registers, 1560-1855 Church of Scotland (Aberdeen).

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 2 Mar 1834 - Aberdeen, , Aberdeen, Scotland Immigration - 1836 - , Ontario, Canada Married - Nov 1854 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Merchant - 1861 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Accountant - 1871 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Protestant - 1871 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Life Insurance - 1881 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - [Member of New Jersulem Religion] - 1881 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Life Insurance Agent - 1891 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Swedenborgian - 1891 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - William Hendry's house called Forebank - 1897 - 637 King St. W., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Actuary - 1901 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Actuary, Mutual Life - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - [Member of New Jersulem Religion] - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region - Bef 2012 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth