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

Valentine Ratz[1]

Male 1798 - 1870  (72 years)

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

  • Name Valentine Ratz 
    Born 12 Aug 1798 
    Gender Male 
    Birth CALC 19 Aug 1798  , Germany Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    Occupation 1851  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Farmer 
    Residence 1851  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Evangelist 
    Occupation 1861  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Farmer 
    Residence 1861  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Evangelist 
    Died 28 Dec 1870  South Easthope Twp., Perth Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 5, 6
    Occupation 1871  Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Blacksmith 
    Residence 1871  Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Wesleyan Methodist 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-43182 
    Buried Wilmot Centre (Geiger) Cemetery, Wilmot Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Person ID I43182  Generations
    Last Modified 30 Sep 2024 

    Family Anna Gertrute "Gertrude" Lanz,   b. 2 May 1798, , Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Jul 1872, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 74 years) 
    Married
    Valentine and Gertrude (Lanz) Ratz
    Valentine and Gertrude (Lanz) Ratz
    Children 
     1. John Jacob "Jacob" Ratz,   b. 21 Aug 1828, , Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Oct 1919  (Age 91 years)
     2. Henry Ratz,   b. 9 Nov 1830, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Jul 1881  (Age 50 years)
     3. Reeve John Ratz,   b. 7 Dec 1833, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Oct 1889, Elmira Mennonite Cemetery, Elmira, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 55 years)
     4. Maria "Mary" Ratz,   b. 8 Feb 1840, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Mar 1923, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years)
     5. John George "George" Ratz,   b. 22 Jan 1843, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Dec 1932, Powasssan, Parry Sound District, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 89 years)
    Last Modified 1 Oct 2024 
    Family ID F11278  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Valentine and Gertrude (Lanz) Ratz
    Valentine and Gertrude (Lanz) Ratz

  • Notes 
    • ...Valentine Ratz, opened a blacksmith's shop in Waterloo and his mother [wife], Anna Gertrude, contributed to the family income by knitting items of clothing to sell to her neighbours. The first small family sawmill was opened at St. Jacobs, and then a larger mill at Gads Hill which in time was operated by Henry....


      Woman of Waterloo County edited by Ruth Russell

      ___________________________

      Valentine Ratz, the forebear of numerous millers, built a sawmill west of the village on the Conestoga River in 1844. Jacob C. Snider, in 1848, bought a farm on the south side of the Conestoga and after constructing a dam across the river, erected a saw-mill, a flour-mill, and a woollen-mill. Those industries attracted more mechanics and stores. In 1852 the village was named St. Jacobs after Mr. Snider. The "Saint" was added to his first name "for the sake of euphony." He sold the mills to his son Jacob in 1855. From 1856 until 1870 there were five different owners. In December of 1870 E. W. B. Snider purchased the flour-mill and operated it till 1917, when he sold the enterprise to W. W. Snider, who incor-porated the business as the Snider Flour Milling Company. The latter later sold the business to Walter J. Snider of Conestoga, whose heirs still operate it.


      Waterloo Hitorical Society, Annual Volume 1933 pg 20

      ________________________

      It is reported that Valentine was born in Grebenau, Vogelsbergkreis, Hessen, Germany, no source yet

  • Sources 
    1. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register.
      Ludwig Eydt b. Wilmot Township res: Wilmot Township Age: 21 born abt 1837 father: John mother: Christine married Maria Ratz b. Waterloo father: Valentine mother: Garthutte married 18 May 1858 county: Waterloo

    2. [S141] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1851, Div. 3, Pg. 17.

    3. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 5 Jan 1871.
      Valentin Ratz died 28 Dec 1870 in South Easthope, 72 yrs, 4 mths, 9 days.

    4. [S915] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1861, Township of Woolwich 1861 Div. 2 Page 16.

    5. [S190] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1871, Wilmot Twp. 1871 Div. 2 Deaths Page 65.

    6. [S3231] Find A Grave, Valentin Ratz (1798 - 1870) - Find A Grave Memorial. (2017). Findagrave.com. Retrieved 7 October 2017, from https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=156111785.

    7. [S346] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1911, Wilmot Twp. 1871 Div. 2 Deaths Page 65.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - CALC 19 Aug 1798 - , Germany Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1851 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Evangelist - 1851 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1861 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Evangelist - 1861 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 28 Dec 1870 - South Easthope Twp., Perth Co., Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Blacksmith - 1871 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Wesleyan Methodist - 1871 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Wilmot Centre (Geiger) Cemetery, Wilmot Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth