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

Deacon Jacob Bechtel[1, 2]

Male 1769 - 1838  (69 years)


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

  • Name Jacob Bechtel 
    Prefix Deacon 
    Born 14 Apr 1769  Of, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 4
    Gender Male 
    Residence Abt 1817  1490 Blair Rd., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Land Bef 1831  Waterloo Township - Beasley's Old Survey Lot 03, Waterloo County, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Land Bef 1831  Waterloo Township - Beasley's Old Survey Lot 03, Waterloo County, Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Eby ID Number 00007-0737 
    Died 22 May 1838  Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 4
    Buried Blair Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Person ID I14557  Generations
    Last Modified 6 Apr 2024 

    Father Abraham Bechtel,   b. 7 Mar 1739, Of, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Oct 1825, Near Blair, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 86 years) 
    Mother Mary Hoch,   b. 22 Feb 1745, Of, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Jul 1831, Near Blair, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 86 years) 
    Family ID F3488  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Elizabeth Gabel,   b. CA 1775, Of, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Children 
     1. Mary Bechtel,   b. 18 Aug 1793, , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Jul 1864, Near Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years)
     2. Elizabeth Bechtel,   b. 24 Nov 1795, , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Feb 1876, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 80 years)
     3. Abraham Bechtel,   b. 19 Oct 1796, , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1884, Elkhart, Elkhart, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 87 years)
     4. Hannah Bechtel,   b. 24 Oct 1799, , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Sep 1874  (Age 74 years)
     5. Henry Bechtel,   b. 5 Jan 1802, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Mar 1866, Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 64 years)
     6. Deacon Jacob G. Bechtel,   b. 26 Dec 1803, , Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Mar 1875, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 71 years)
     7. John G. Bechtel,   b. 18 Sep 1806, Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Aug 1848  (Age 41 years)
     8. Nancy Bechtel,   b. 6 Jun 1808, Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Aug 1855, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 47 years)
     9. Katharine "Catherine" Bechtel,   b. 21 Dec 1810, Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Jun 1845, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 34 years)
     10. Isaac Bechtel,   b. 1813, Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1828  (Age 15 years)
     11. Magdalena Bechtel,   b. 2 Apr 1815, Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Sep 1866, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 51 years)
    Last Modified 7 Apr 2024 
    Family ID F1826  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Beside the many hardships, labors and sufferings in getting here and making themselves homes, quite a few settlers along where Blair is now situated were visited by a fire this spring of 1806.

      On the 6th of May fire was set to a Job [a tract of land with timber slashed down ready to be burned so that the land could be farmed later] of 10 or 15 acres, soon after which a great wind arose, and swept through the new clearings and destroyed fences, houses and barns.

      Abraham Stauffer had his barn burnt.
      Abraham Bechtel had his house and barn burnt.
      Jacob Bechtel's house was saved but his barn and everything else were consumed.
      Nathaniel Dodge who was the last of the settlers along the river, had two barns with all their contents burnt.

      The fire went on making the most fearful destruction of all kinds of valuable timber. Thus those settlers who were probably the most advanced with their new homes were suddenly left without house, food or clothing, and were obliged to go below Dundas through mud, water, swamp and forest for provisions and other necessaries, which were not obtainable from their neighbors.

      MENNONITE IMMIGRATION TO WATERLOO COUNTY - THE MOYER JOURNAL

      Attributed to Samuel S. Moyer 1849 - 1941

  • 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..., 257.

    2. [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..., 105.

    3. [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..., 212.

    4. [S9] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Canada Museum und Allgemeine Zeitung (1835-1840), 28 Jun 1838:28.
      In Waterloo, Jacob Bechtel died at the age of 68y 7m 8d. The deceased was a respected teacher in the Mennonite community, and one of the oldest and most beloved residents of Waterloo. His friends, of which are many, will long hold him in memory. (Funeral details follow) last Friday

    5. [S1322] Land - Founding Families of Waterloo Township 1800-1830, 9.

    6. [S1322] Land - Founding Families of Waterloo Township 1800-1830, 10.

    7. [S34] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Blair CC#4501 Internet Link.
      Jacob Bechtel, Deacon of the Menonist Society, and one of the first settlers in this Twp., Emigrated from Pikeland Township, Chester Co., Pa. in the year 1800. Departed this life June 22, 1838. Aged 68 years 7 months 8 days." as recorded by Reg Good prior to 1990 when the stone was unreadable.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Abt 1817 - 1490 Blair Rd., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 22 May 1838 - Blair (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Blair Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth