Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.
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John Jacob "Jacob" Ratz[1, 2]

Male 1828 - 1919  (91 years)


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  • Name John Jacob "Jacob" Ratz 
    Immigration 1828  , Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 
    Immigration 1828  , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Born 21 Aug 1828  , Germany Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11] 
    Gender Male 
    Name Jacob Ratz  [12] 
    Occupation 1848  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [13] 
    farmer 
    Residence 1848  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [14] 
    Occupation 1851  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7] 
    Farmer 
    Residence 1851  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7] 
    Lutheran 
    Occupation 1861  Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    Saw Miller 
    Residence 1861  Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    Other M 
    Occupation 1871  Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [8] 
    Farmer & Saw 
    Residence 1871  Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [8] 
    Wesleyan Methodist 
    Occupation 1881  Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    Farmer 
    Occupation 1911  New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Income 
    Residence 1911  New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Evangelical Association 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-75268P 
    Died 23 Oct 1919  [9, 11] 
    Buried Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [9, 11] 
    Person ID I75268  Generations
    Last Modified 12 May 2025 

    Father Valentine Ratz,   b. 12 Aug 1798,   d. 28 Dec 1870, South Easthope Twp., Perth Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years) 
    Mother 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
    Family ID F11278  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Marie Opfer,   b. 23 May 1827, , Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Oct 1905  (Age 78 years) 
    Married 30 May 1848  Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [13] 
    Children 
     1. Hon. Valentine Henry Ratz,   b. 12 Nov 1848, St. Jacobs, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Mar 1924, Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 75 years)
     2. Mary Ann Ratz,   b. 1849, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. Maria "Mary" Ratz,   b. 2 Dec 1850, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Jan 1899  (Age 48 years)
     4. John Ratz,   b. 18 Apr 1853, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Jun 1942  (Age 89 years)
     5. Christina Ratz,   b. 1855, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Feb 1927, Spokane, Spokane, Washington, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years)
     6. Elizabeth Ratz,   b. 27 Feb 1858, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Jun 1942, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 84 years)
     7. Katrina "Catherine" Ratz,   b. 1860, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Feb 1929, Hamilton, Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years)
     8. Daniel Ratz,   b. 1861, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     9. David Ratz,   b. Apr 1862, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1943  (Age ~ 80 years)
     10. Lydia Anna Ratz,   b. 11 May 1867, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Nov 1923  (Age 56 years)
    Last Modified 13 May 2025 
    Family ID F22276  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Esther Malinda Shaw,   b. 10 May 1849, Camden Township, Kent Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Jun 1913, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 64 years) 
    Married 4 Jul 1906  New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 13 May 2025 
    Family ID F176555  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 3 Marie Opfer,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Children 
     1. Christina Ratz,   b. 1855, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Feb 1927, Spokane, Spokane, Washington, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years)
     2. Katrina "Catherine" Ratz,   b. 1860, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Feb 1929, Hamilton, Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years)
    Last Modified 13 May 2025 
    Family ID F281304  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    John Jacob Ratz    		John Jacob Ratz
    Waterloo-LogSchool-00002.jpg    		Waterloo-LogSchool-00002.jpg

  • Notes 
    • THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE

      An interesting meeting took place the Saturday before last in the old log cabin in Waterloo Park.

      This house was, of course, the first schoolhouse in this area and stood originally on the school-house square at the corner of King and Church Streets in Waterloo. It was built in 1820 and served its purpose until 1842, when it was torn down and a 1-storey stone house was constructed on the site. The dismantled log house was erected again in Greenbush and served as a residence for a long time for the coloured man, Mr. Carroll and his family. In the course of this year, the Waterloo Park Commissioners purchased the house, moved it to their park and furnished it again as it was when it was a school-house.

      At this gathering, in addition to many other ladies and gentlemen, the following (male and female) former pupils attended, took their places on the benches, and were called to order by the 82-year-old teacher, Benjamin Burkholder, who held the scepter, or rather, the switch, from 1831 to 1842 in the old log-house: Joel Guth, 80 years old; Abraham Scherk, Blair, 79; Jakob Bricker, Waterloo, 77; Sarah Burkholder, nee Erb, Bridgeport, 75; Amos Weber, Berlin, 73; John C, Bricker, Hawksville, 71; Maria Erb, nee Quickfall, Norwich 69; David B. Eby, Waterloo, 69; Wendel Baumann, Woolwich, 68; Henry Stauffer, Erbsville, 67; Simon Beatty, Elmira, 67; Jakob Ratz, New Hamburg, 67; Israel Baumann, Berlin, 65; George Elbert, Moorefield, 63; George H. Baumann, Elmira, 63; John Devitt, Waterloo, 62; Richard Quickfall, Bridgeport, 62; Isaak Hoffmann, Waterloo, 61; Robert Barkwell, Peel, 60; Diana McMahon, nee Dekay, Berlin, 60; Thomas Quickfall, Floradale, 60; Benjamin Devitt, Waterloo, 60; Isaak Devitt, Floradale, 58; John Longmann, Peel, 57. In addition, to these, the teacher read the names of 25 pupils from the roll; they were, however, absent.

      Mr. Burkholder gave an interesting talk about the history of the old school-house, and after him, Rev. J.A. MacLachlan, Rev. J. McNair, Mr. J.E. Baumann, M.P., and Mr. Jakob Ratz spoke about the old days which brought many things out of the past to mind again. School was, as a rule, only in session in winter and the costs were borne by the parents of the children. There were few subjects taught, namely: Reading, Writing and Sums. The children heard little about language, and geography; no child had more than 2 or 3 books. The predominant language was German. The pupils learned to read and write English, but didn't understand a word of it. Among the teachers in the old school-house from 1820-1842, with the exception of Mr. Burkholder, were the following whose names are still recognized: Jephtha DeKay, Joseph Guth, John Herringer, Peter Otto, John Dobbin, Elias Eby, Robert Barber, & Joseph Eby.

      After those present, on hearing the various speeches felt themselves transported back to the past, the school was closed at four o'clock and the pupils were gathered together in front of the school and photographed as a group. On their return into the school, they found it had been transformed into a dining room with heavily-laden tables, which the old-timers thoroughly enjoyed. After everyone had chatted cordially for a while longer, the gathering broke up. The company will not meet again in complete numbers, nor in such a way.

      Berliner Journal September 26, 1895 Page 4 Column 4

      _________________


      THE RATZ BROS.

      It has always been my custom in writing up the industries of a community to first direct attention to its flouring mills, because from them is derived the staff of life, without which we would find a precarious subsistence. No other industry is of greater importance to the merchants, mechanics and inhabitants in general. In this particular, Elmira has a first-class establishment in the Elmira Roller Mills, owned and operated by the above well known firm. These mills were established in 1867 by a joint stock company. Sometime about the year 1870 they became the property of the late John Ratz, the father of the members of the present firm, in company with his brother Jacob. The latter is now living in New Hamburg, having withdrawn from the firm in 1872. His interest was then purchased by Isaac Wenger, it then being conducted under the firm name of Ratz & Wenger from 1872 to 1875, when Mr. Ratz became sole proprietor and operated the same until 1882, after which he gave his sons an interest in the business. It continued under the firm of Ratz & Sons until 1889, when the senior member of the firm died. The latter was a man honorable and prominent in the estimation of all who knew him, being both charitable and public spirited in every sense of the term. He was one of the first Reeves of the village and one of the main advocates of the railroad project for Elmira, and was prominent among those who rendered substantial encouragement to the movement that gave to the village its first railroad communication. Since his death the mills have been owned and operated by his three sons, Simon H. Daniel and George. They were among the first in the county to adopt the full roller process, and now have a capacity for turning out one hundred barrels of a superior grade of flour per day. A 75 horse power engine supplies the motive power. Their special brands are, viz, "Elmira" and "Sunshine," which are popular products in the market. They have an extensive local trade and a large demand in the maritime Provinces for their output.

      They also buy and pay the highest market price for all the wheat that comes to their doors. In addition to the flouring mills the firm has a sawmill in connection, in which they do a large amount of custom sawing for the farmers of many miles around, besides manufacturing the heading, staves and hoops for their flour barrels. They also manufacture a first-class grade of shingles. Elmira's splendid electric light system is furnished by this firm, their plant having a capacity for producing 500 incandescent lights for that purpose. The brilliant, steady illumination of the town at night is ample proof that they are furnishing a first class article and giving the people good satisfaction. The Ratz Bros were all born within a mile and a half of Elmira and are among her honorable, industrious and enterprising citizens. The amount of money they pay out to the farmers annually is high in the thousands.

      Waterloo County Chronicle 27 Jan 1898, p. 1, 2, 3

  • Sources 
    1. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 011705-82.
      Daniel Ratz, 28, occ. Farmer, b. Perth Co., res. Livingston Co. Michigan, son of Henry and Maria married Christine Ratz, 26, b. Waterloo Co., res. Wilmot Twp, daughter of Jacob and Maria, Witness(s): David Ratz and Eliza Otto Both of New Hamburg, 2 May 1882 in Wilmot Twp.

    2. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 12259-83.
      Henry Eidt, 22, occ. Farmer, b. Wilmot, res. Same, son of Ludwig and Mary, married Katrina Ratz, 21, b. Wilmot, res. North Easthope, daughter of Jacob and Maria, Witnessed by Elizabeth Pletsch and Mary M. Schwarz, both of New Hamburg, 9 Jan 1883 at New Hamburg

    3. [S307] Census - ON, Waterloo, New Hamburg - 1901, New Hamburg (Village) E-2 Page 6.

    4. [S1054] Census - ON, Waterloo, New Hamburg - 1911, p. 19;.

    5. [S307] Census - ON, Waterloo, New Hamburg - 1901, New Hamburg (Village) E-2 Page 6.
      states born on Atlantic Ocean

    6. [S140] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1881, Div. 3 Page 31.

    7. [S141] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1851, Div. 3, Pg. 15.

    8. [S190] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1871, Div. 2 Page 17.

    9. [S153] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - Riverside New Hamburg CC#4564 Internet Link.
      John Jacob Ratz/ born Aug. 1828 died Oct. 1919/ Mary Opfer/ beloved wife of Jacob Ratz/ born May 1827,died Oct. 1905/ Esther M. Shaw/ beloved wife of Jacob Ratz/ 1849-1913/ J. Rat

    10. [S844] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1861, Sect. 6 Page 32.

    11. [S3231] Find A Grave, Cemetery, R., America, N., Municipality, W., Hamburg, N., & Cemetery, R. (1828). John Jacob Ratz (1828-1919) - Find A Grave... Retrieved 4 June 2020, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43111860/john-jacob-ratz.

    12. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration.
      Henry Wing Born: Township Hay Age: 35 Est. Birth: abt 1862 Father: William Wing Mother: Catherine Rothermel married Lydia Ratz Age:: 30 Est. Birth: abt 1867 Born: Township Wilmot Father: Jacob Ratz Mother: Mary Opfer married 2 Jun 1897 Marriage Place: Waterloo, New Hamburg

    13. [S6] Church Records - ON, Waterloo - Bindeman, F. W. - Card Index Kitchener Public Library.
      Jacot Ratz, farmer of Woolwich married 30 May 1848 in Greenbush by banns to Maria Opper of Woolwich, wit: Christ. Koehler labourer of Greenbush & Valentine Ratz yeoman of Woolwich

    14. [S6] Church Records - ON, Waterloo - Bindeman, F. W. - Card Index Kitchener Public Library.
      Valentin Rotz, s/o Jacob & Maria Opper of Woolwich, b. 12 nov 1848 31 Dec 1848, sponsors: Valentin & his wife Gertrude

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsImmigration - 1828 - , Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsImmigration - 1828 - , Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 21 Aug 1828 - , Germany Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - farmer - 1848 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1848 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 30 May 1848 - Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1851 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Lutheran - 1851 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Saw Miller - 1861 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Other M - 1861 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer & Saw - 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 MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1881 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 4 Jul 1906 - New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Income - 1911 - New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Evangelical Association - 1911 - New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 


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