Thomas Pearce^[1]

1832 - 1915  (83 years)

• Photos

  Thomas Pearce From the KPL Digital Collection

  
  

• Name	Thomas Pearce
  Born	15 Aug 1832	, Ireland   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  Gender	Male
  Immigration	1850	, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  Immigration	1857	, Ireland   [2]
  Occupation	1871	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Teacher
  Residence	1871	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Church of England
  Occupation	1881	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	School Inspector
  Residence	1881	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Church of England
  Occupation	1891	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Public School Inspector
  Residence	1891	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Anglican
  Occupation	1901	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	public school inspector
  Occupation	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Inspector, Public School
  Residence	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Anglican
  Died	27 Nov 1915	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region	Bef 2012	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	educator
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-92555
  Person ID	I92555	Generations
  Last Modified	12 May 2024

  
  

  Family	Clarissa Margaret "Clara" Brown,   b. 29 Dec 1847, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	26 Jul 1866  [1]
  Children	1. Lena Henry Pearce,   b. 1851, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Elizabeth Pearce,   b. 1866, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   3. Bessie Pearce,   b. 1867, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   4. Lena Pearce,   b. 1868, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   5. Harrie L. Pearce,   b. 20 Jan 1871, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	13 May 2024
  Family ID	F24032	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  An excellent paper in the Society's 1914 report was contributed by the veteran School Inspector, Thomas Pearce, whose death has now occurred, within a week; on last Saturday afternoon, Nov. 27th. A year ago Mr. Pearce was in fairly robust health. A fall, in his house, appears to have been the beginning of a breakdown of vital energies. His biography, notes for which were, after much urging, contributed by him self, appears in the Society's 1914 report. Mr. Pearce was a highly esteemed member of this Society, in which he took keen interest. He retained vigor and tranquilty of mind to the end. Shortly before his death he expressed himself, to an old-time pupil, visiting him, as satisfied with his life's work, which had greatly interested him, and as ready to pass beyond earthly things, now that his work was done. In the educational history of Waterloo County the name of Thomas Pearce will remain among the few of highest distinction. Third Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society, pg 12 _____________________ In 1832 in Shillelagh, County Wicklow, Ireland, Thomas Pearce came to Canada at the age of twenty-three. He attended the Toronto Normal School and then found employment as first assistant at Central School, later named Suddaby School, in Berlin, Ontario. In 1864 he became principal of the school and in 1871 he was appointed School Inspector for the County of Waterloo, a position he held until 1912. Pearce was the first chairman of the Berlin Free Library Board. Kitchener Public Library Digital Collection __________________ THOMAS PEARCE. A farm house in the valley in the townland of Coollattin, Barony of Shillelagh, in mountainous County Wicklow, Ireland, was the birth place of Thomas Pearce. His home was not far from the meeting of the waters in the "Vale of Avoca," immortalized by the poet Thomas Moore in his Irish Melodies. His parents, William and Eliza Pearce (nee Kerr), of Yorkshire and Lowland Scotch parentage respectively, held the farm by a life lease from Earl Fitzwilliam, a Yorkshire nobleman. They had a family of nine children, Thomas, born on the 15th August, 1832, was the third son. He attended a private school in the village of Shillelagh until he was sixteen years of age; Mr. John Connor, principal of the school, (father of Mr. J. W. Connor, B.A., for many years Head Master of Berlin High School) was his last teacher. After leaving school, his two elder brothers having gone into business in Dublin, he assisted his father in the management of the farm for a few years, his special branch being the care of a flower and vegetable garden. At the age of 23 he decided on a trip to Canada to visit some relatives, see the country and return. Accordingly, he arrived in Montreal in May, 1857, spent a few weeks in the city and then proceeded to Brockville and vicinity, where he put in some months very pleasantly among his relations. By this time he had become deeply interested in the new country, its people, and everything he saw, with the result that he hesitated about returning to the "Old Sod." Before coming to a decision, however, he wrote to Mr. Connor, his former teacher, who had come to Canada a few years before and was at this time principal of a school in or near St. Catharines, and asked his advice as to remaining in the country and what occupation he would suggest. Mr. Connor promptly replied, advised the young man to remain, at least for a time, and, as he knew something of his former pupil's ability and scholarship, hinted that he might try teaching school, but emphasized that before teaching, if he should adopt that calling, a course at Toronto Normal was most desirable. After due deliberation Mr. Pearce decided to remain in Canada and to at once take steps to qualify as a teacher. With this in view he spent a session at the Toronto Normal School, passed the necessary examinations and obtained his certificate in October, 1858. Early in the same month the Berlin School Board made application to Dr. John Herbert Sangster, Mathematical Master at the Normal, for a teacher. Dr. Sangster recommended Mr. Pearce. A few days later he received notice from the Berlin Board that he was appointed first assistant in the Central School. He arrived in Berlin from Toronto on October 26, and entered upon his active duties on November 1st, quite proud to learn that he was the first Normal trained teacher, not only in Berlin, but for several miles around. In 1864, April 27th, Mr. Pearce was appointed principal of Central School. This position he held for seven years, when, on July 1st, 1871, he was appointed School Inspector for the County of Waterloo. With Mr. Israel D. Bowman he took an active part in bringing about the change of the Mechanics Institute Library to the Berlin Free Library, in 1884. He was the first chairman of the Free Library Board. He was a member of the Central 'Committee of Examiners for Ontario for several years, being appointed in October, 1889, by the Hon. G. W. Ross, Minister of Education. He travelled considerably in Canada and the United States, and in 1878, the year of the second Paris Exposition, visited his old home and other places in the United Kingdom, as also the Continent of Europe. In 1912, on the last day of the year, Mr. Pearce retired from the Inspectorship, thus closing a unique record of fifty-four years of continuous service in the cause of education in Waterloo County; thirteen years as teacher in the Berlin Central School, six years assistant and seven years principal, and forty-one years in the wider service of the county as inspector; truly a useful and a remarkable career. Always by preference an outdoor man, he now spends his leisure with success and keen enjoyment, in cultivation, especially of trees and shrubs, at a small country place, overlooking the valley of the Grand River near Berlin. Second Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society _____________________ Frederick Street, East Side. On the corner Millar's store and at its rear a warehouse belonging to it, a two story building with gable toward Frederick Street. A vacant lot, site of the present Market Building, surrounded by a six foot hoard fence, customary in those days to keep out cattle, which had the freedom of the streets. A one and one-half story frame building with porch in front occupied by Mr. Yeck who died of being bled by a layman when he was Dr. Scott's patient. A man Geiger married the widow and lived in the building. A small frame building occupied by Geo. Schmidt. A small frame building occupied by Wm. Stein. A two story frame building with a small portico painted white over the front door, the house occupied by Thomas Pierce, then Principal of the Central School and later by Herman Rathman. On the corner, now occupied by Dr. Honsberger's residence, a two story brick building for some time the residence of Sheriff Davidson. Before that, 1840-1860, Jacob Kramer occupied the building as a tavern. Kramer was known as Strumpf Weber (stocking weaver) from a former occupation in a shop on Oueen Street S. Weber Street. On the corner a large brick building erected by Christian Enslin about 1855 with veranda along the entire Frederick Street front and on it a narrow gallery at the second floor. The building is still in use for stores with the veranda removed. At one time it was occupied as a tavern. A one and one-half story frame building lengthwise with Frederick St. On the easterly corner of what is now Spetz St., a two story brick building, set back somewhat from the street, the house of Peter Rebscher. It had a large sign, "Peter Rebscher Brewer"; in the rear was the brewery, a two story frame building, and a large barn. A later brewer was Jacob Summer and after him, in 1862, Joseph Spetz had the house and brewery until he died. A vacant lot belonging to John Roth and later to Simon Roy who used it as a nursery for shrubs and rare trees. The old Central School and grounds, the school now remodelled and greatly enlarged to the present handsome Suddaby School. The Central School building had a belfry on top with at first a small bell and later a larger one. Jacob Stroh rang this bell as long as he attended the Central School, later W. H. Breithaupt had this charge for a time. A frame building occupied by Yost Kimmel, a carpenter. 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

  [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 2 Aug 1866. Married 26 Jul 1866 By Dr. Ormiston, Hamilton, Thomas Pearce of Berlin, teacher at Berlin Central School, married Clarissa Margaret Brown of Whitby. [S137] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1901, a-2 pg 4. [S158] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1881, Div. 2 Pg. 42. [S229] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1871, Div. 1, Pg. 68. [S340] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1911, Div. 34 Page 2. [S1592] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1891, Section 2 Page 31. [S220] Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Waterloo Region Hall of Fame.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 15 Aug 1832 - , Ireland Immigration - 1850 - , Ontario, Canada Immigration - 1857 - , Ireland Occupation - Teacher - 1871 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Church of England - 1871 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - School Inspector - 1881 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Church of England - 1881 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Public School Inspector - 1891 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Anglican - 1891 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - public school inspector - 1901 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Inspector, Public School - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Anglican - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 27 Nov 1915 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region - educator - Bef 2012 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth