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

Jacob Benner

Male 1808 - 1890  (81 years)


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

  • Name Jacob Benner 
    Born 25 Aug 1808  , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    Gender Male 
    Interesting story, mill 
    Land Bef 1831  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Land 1831  Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 120, Waterloo County, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Occupation 1861  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Farmer 
    Residence 1861  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Universalist 
    Occupation 1871  Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [8
    blacksmith 
    Occupation 1871  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Blacksmith 
    Residence 1871  Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    U. Brethren 
    Eby ID Number 00141-8460 
    Died 17 Mar 1890  West Montrose, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 9
    Buried West Montrose United Cemetery, West Montrose, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Person ID I12281  Generations
    Last Modified 25 Apr 2024 

    Father Philip Benner,   b. Jun 1780, , Baden, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Oct 1870, West Montrose, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 90 years) 
    Mother Mary,   b. Abt 1781, Of, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 1861  (Age ~ 79 years) 
    Family ID F3412  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Annie "Nancy" Bear,   b. 29 Apr 1807, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Aug 1867, West Montrose, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 60 years) 
    Married 13 Mar 1830  [1
    Children 
     1. Maria Benner,   b. 25 Dec 1830, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Dec 1910, Saugeen Twp., Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 80 years)
     2. Catharine Benner,   b. 9 Jun 1832, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Jun 1903, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years)
     3. John Baer Benner,   b. 10 Feb 1834, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Jan 1916, Derby Township, Grey Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 81 years)
     4. William Benner,   b. 17 Apr 1836, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. Victoria Benner,   b. 18 Jun 1838, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     6. Joseph B. Benner,   b. 30 Mar 1842, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 26 Apr 2024 
    Family ID F3413  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Children 
     1. Joseph B. Benner,   b. 30 Mar 1842, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 26 Apr 2024 
    Family ID F43128  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Jacob Benner, "was born August 25th, 1808. In 1825 he came to Canada and settled in Berlin where he was engaged in blacksmithing (His old shop stood where now is built the Central Hotel) until 1839 when he went to West Montrose where he erected a saw mill and woollen mills, and also was proprietor of a beautiful farm. He was doing quite an extensive business for many years. He was married to Nancy Bear, March 13th, 1830. She was born April 29th, 1808, and died August 22nd, 1867. He died March 17th, 1890. To them were born six children"

      Eby, Ezra E. (1895). 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: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character. Berlin [Kitchener, Ont.]: [s.n.].

      _____________________

      German

      To be German is my pleasure,
      For I'm German to the core;
      Those who fill the German measure,
      Are the ones whom I adore.

      German I shall be forever,
      Since a German I was born.
      Reading, writing German ever,
      Shall my heart and hand adorn.

      German customs, German manners,
      German prayer and sermon too,
      Wave o'er German ways their banners,
      Since in them they're ever new.

      German press and German learning,
      Held aloft the German name.
      Who can cease his German yearning,
      Forever it exerts its claim.

      German drink and fare I favor,
      German dress is unsurpassed:
      It's the German way I long for,
      From the first until the last.

      What is German, let us cherish,
      We whose German blood runs true,
      So that German here may flourish,
      And from age to youth renew.

      May then German seeds be growing,
      In our North America;
      Might its joys to us be flowing,
      Here in Upper Canada.

      Herbert Karl Kalbfleisch, The History of the Pioneer German Language Press of Ontario, 1835-1918, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press), pp.117-118

      ________________________

      As we go farther up the river road we pass the 'Big Ridge, There the roadway has been cut through a gravel hill and then we come to a cross road, where, on the south east corner, Jacob Zuber has lived so long that it is now called Zuber's Corners. The road to the west, winding down the hill, passes the West Montrose school house and on through one of the prettiest woodland roads in this locality, crosses the river to the village of West Montrose. The bridge which here crosses the Grand River was long called Benner's Bridge, after Jacob Benner, who for a number of years had a store, a saw mill and a woollen mill at that place.

      The Early History of Elora, Ontario, and Vicinity by John R. Connon

      ______________________

      King Street Kitchener

      Benton to Eby Etreet.-Successive occupation was as follows: From Benton Street easterward, before 1855, a one-story brick building with gable facing King Street was erected at the corner and used by Jacob Benner as blacksmith shop. Later Benner moved to West Montrose and the next occupant was Valentine Gildner and after him his son John Gildner. This blacksmith shop continued until comparatively recent years. A frame building painted white, with veranda in front, was Gildner s residence..

      Vacant lot.

      A tinsmith shop owned by Mr. Lehnen. This had a nice front with two good-sized glass windows on either side of the door.

      A dwelling house built by Henry Rothaermel 1848-9. He was a carpenter and later was market clerk and tax collector.

      A lane.

      A one and one-half story building, with gable facing King Street and a verandah extending over the sidewalk, occupied by a Mr. Coleman 1855-1860. Adjoining it was a warehouse. 1 he store passed to Coleman's son and then to John Kegel. Later John George Schmidt, shoemaker, occupied the building.

      . A lane.

      A double, frame building about 50 feet along King St.; the east half used as a dwelling had a veranda; the west half was occupied by Charles Koehn, shoemaker.

      Open space.

      Dwelling of Gabriel Bowman, carpenter, who built the house.

      A one and one-half story building occupied by Balzar Allendorf, a coverlet weaver, about 1840. Allendorf later moved to New Hamburg. There was a veranda at the front of the house and under it a well. Cattle ran at large in the streets at this time and one Sunday afternoon a steer got on the veranda floor, which was partly rotted, broke through, fell into the well and had to be pulled out by means of a windlass. The building was torn down later.
      frame building ocupied by Henry Sippel, former employee of Allendorf, as a weaver's shop.

      In 1855 there was a frame building one and one-half story high along Kmg Street divided into two parts, one part a dwelling and the other part a hat shop, owned by John Kidder, who made felt hats and old-fashioned bonnets. The shop was a few steps above the sidewalk level.

      A dwelling.

      A one and one-half story frame building lengthwise with King street occupied by a widow, Mrs. Caroline Lehnen.

      A driveway.

      A two story brick building with gable toward King Street, occupied by J. J. Lehnen, son of the widow Lehnen, as a copper and tinsmith shop and a store. Lehnen made his own tinware. Later Jacob Doebler occupied this building as a bakery.

      A one and one-half story frame building with gable toward King Street occupied by George Yantz, a cabinet maker. He had a tavern in this same building for a time, and lived there.

      In the early years a garden.

      A small shop with sloping roof used by Christian Enslin as a book store and book-bindery, the first book-bindery in Berlin Enslm arrived in Berlin about 1830. Jacob Stroh remembers going with his father to the store to buy school supplies. Enslin later was editor, for Henry Eby, the publisher, of the Deutsche Canadier which began publication in 1840.

      Enslin's House, one-half story, frame, standing lengthwise with King Street and having a veranda over the door, was on the site of Dr. Hetts present office and house. At the rear there was an orchard.

      About 60 feet back of King Street there was a house built by Henry Eby. Shubel Randall, brother of George Randall, lived in it later. In 1860 the building was destroyed by fire and a servant girl Dina Hertz, perished in the flames. The walls remaining standing, the house was re-built, and is still in use.

      A brick building, abutting on King Street with gable facing the street, was Henry Eby's printing office. The main floor was she or seven feet above the sidewalk level. In 1860 this building was changed to a church and was the first Anglican Church in Berlin.

      A frame building, one end of which was used by Henry Bowman as a general store; he lived in the other end. This was known as the Bowman building. Later William Stein had a tailor shop in it and after him William Thoms used it as a shoe repair shop.

      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 
    1. [S10] Book - Vol II 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..., 704.

    2. [S130] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1881, Div. 4 Page 16.

    3. [S349] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - West Montrose United CC#4596 Internet Link.
      In Memory of / JACOB BENNER / Who Died / March 17, 1890 / Aged 83 Years / "I shall go to Him, But He shall not return to me. / Text:2.Sam.XII:23 /

    4. [S144] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1871, div 3.
      Jacob lived in Wellesley Township with his son Joseph.

    5. [S144] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1871, Div. 3, Pg. 59.

    6. [S915] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1861, Township of Woolwich 1861 Div. 6 Page 55.

    7. [S1322] Land - Founding Families of Waterloo Township 1800-1830, 11.

    8. [S144] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1871, div 3.

    9. [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..., 188.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 25 Aug 1808 - , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsLand - Bef 1831 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsLand - 1831 - Waterloo Township - German Company Tract Lot 120, Waterloo County, Ontario Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1861 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Universalist - 1861 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - blacksmith - 1871 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Blacksmith - 1871 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - U. Brethren - 1871 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 17 Mar 1890 - West Montrose, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - West Montrose United Cemetery, West Montrose, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth