Isaac Z. Wenger^[1]

1812 - 1890  (78 years)

• Name	Isaac Z. Wenger
  Born	18 Feb 1812	, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	Bridge between Berlin & Preston   [1]
  	Toll Collector
  Residence	1839	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  Occupation	1852	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Tailor
  Occupation	1861	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Tailor
  Residence	1861	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Protestant
  Occupation	1890	Preston, Ontario & Elmira, Ontario   [1]
  	Store Owner
  Eby ID Number	00128-7971
  Died	6 Mar 1890	Ayton, Normanby Twp., Grey Co., Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 4, 7]
  Buried	Ayton Union Cemetery, Ayton, Grey Co., Ontario   [7]
  Person ID	I14223	Generations
  Last Modified	25 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Joseph Wenger,   b. Abt 1775, , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 1824, , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania  (Age ~ 49 years)
  Mother	Elizabeth Zimmerman,   b. 21 Nov 1778, Of, Pennsylvania ,   d. 23 Mar 1840, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 61 years)
  Family ID	F3866	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary S. Bowman,   b. 16 Jul 1818, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 4 Oct 1899, Ayton, Normanby Twp., Grey Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 81 years)
  Married	26 Mar 1839	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 4, 8]
  Children	1. Joseph Wenger,   b. 22 Dec 1839, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 12 Jun 1842, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 2 years)   2. Jonathan Wenger,   b. 19 Oct 1841, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 17 Apr 1843, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 1 years)   3. Noah Wenger,   b. 27 Oct 1844, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 24 Feb 1904, , Ontario, Canada  (Age 59 years)   4. Aaron B. Wenger,   b. 27 Aug 1848, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 14 Feb 1917, , Ontario, Canada  (Age 68 years)   5. Amos Wenger,   b. 17 Jul 1851, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 27 Jun 1882, Ayton, Normanby Twp., Grey Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 30 years)
  Last Modified	26 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F2189	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Isaac Wenger, "was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, February 18th, 1812. In 1825, when in his thirteenth year, he came to Canada with his mother who settled in Waterloo County, Ontario, where Mr. Wenger was raised. On March 26th, 1839, he was married to Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Polly (Schneider) Bowman, (See No. 208) who was born July 16th, 1818. Some time after his marriage he moved to Elmira where he was engaged in the mercantile business for some years. Some twenty years ago he sold out his business in Elmira and moved to Ayton, Grey County, where he was engaged in the mercantile and milling business, doing an extensive trade up to the time of his death which took place March 6th, 1890. Mr. Wenger was an energetic and a thorough man of business and was widely known in this and Grey Counties where he was held in high esteem by all classes. His business career was unblemished. Their family consisted of five sons" 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.]. _____________ 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 ______________________ He had a store with Samuel S. Weber in Prester and later in Elmira.

  
  

• Sources

  [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 13 Mar 1890. Mar 6, 1890 Isaak Wenger died in Ayton at age of 78 years & 16 days. The deceased had lived in this county for a long time. He was toll-collector at the bridge over the Grand River on the road between Berlin & Preston & then had a store with Samuel S. Weber in Preston & later, in Elmira, from the latter place, he moved to Ayton. [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..., 622. [S270] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1852, Pg 22. [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..., 100. [S144] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1871, Div. 3, Pg. 90. [S915] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1861, Township of Woolwich 1861 Div. 4 Page 34. [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/110004735/isaac-z-wenger. [S9] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Canada Museum und Allgemeine Zeitung (1835-1840), 30 Mar 1839:14. last Tuesday Benjamin Eby, teacher, m. Isaac Wenger, Woolwich Tp, to Maria Bauman, daughter of Jonathan B Bauman of Waterloo Tp.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 18 Feb 1812 - , Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Occupation - Toll Collector - - Bridge between Berlin & Preston Residence - 1839 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 26 Mar 1839 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Tailor - 1852 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Tailor - 1861 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Protestant - 1861 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Store Owner - 1890 - Preston, Ontario & Elmira, Ontario Died - 6 Mar 1890 - Ayton, Normanby Twp., Grey Co., Ontario, Canada Buried - - Ayton Union Cemetery, Ayton, Grey Co., Ontario  = Link to Google Earth