Christian Dreisinger^[1]

1872 - 1952  (80 years)

• Photos		Christian Dreisinger
  		Christian Dreisinger from Marion Roes 2010

  
  

• Name	Christian Dreisinger
  Born	30 Jun 1872	St. Jacobs, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  Business	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Bechtel Funeral Service
  		Bechtel Funeral Service invoice Showing Orton Bechtel and partner Christian Dresinger. Original with Marion Roes 2015
  Occupation	1891	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Painter
  Residence	1891	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Lutheran
  Occupation	1901	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Painter
  Club Membership	1903	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Elmira Musical Society
  	The young man seated above the SOC on the drum is Christian Dreisinger.
  		Elmira Musical Society 1903 From Enterprising Elmira, An historical, descriptive, and illustrated book of the Village of Elmira, Waterloo County, published by George Klinck 1903
  Name	Chris Dreisinger
  Occupation	Dreisinger Funeral Home, 7 Arthur Street N., Elmira, Ontario   [8]
  	funeral home operator
  Residence	1903	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  		Dreisinger residence 1903 Elmira From: Enterprising Elmira Souvenir, An historical, descriptive, and illustrated Book of the Village of Elmira, Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada, published by George Klinck, 1903.
  Residence	1911	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Evangelical
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-96625
  Died	15 Nov 1952	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4, 5]
  Buried	Elmira Union Cemetery, Elmira, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4, 5]
  Person ID	I96625	Generations
  Last Modified	25 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	John Dreisinger,   b. 13 May 1839, Conestogo, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 10 May 1916, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 76 years)
  Mother	Christine Braeuchle,   b. 3 May 1838, , Wuerttemberg, Germany ,   d. 1916, Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States  (Age 77 years)
  Married	12 May 1867	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9, 10]
  Family ID	F24919	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Harriet "Hettie" Maurer,   b. 1 Jul 1872, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 13 Feb 1936, Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 63 years)
  Married	1891	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Children	1. Christine Louise Dreisinger,   b. 8 Jul 1892, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 4 Aug 1967, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 75 years)   2. Marion E. Dreisinger,   b. 24 Jul 1894, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 3 Sep 1975, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 81 years)   3. George Edward Dreisinger,   b. 23 Jun 1897, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 25 Feb 1949, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 51 years)
  Last Modified	26 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F24908	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Chris Dreisinger Chris Dreisinger, 80, funeral director and furniture store proprietor in Elmira for more than 50 years, died early Saturday at his home here after an illness of four years. Early in the century, after the advent of automobiles, Mr. Dreisinger built one of the first motorized hearses in the province. For many years he had the only mobile hearse within a radius of 50 miles. Late in the 1930s he built a modern funeral chapel which remains the only one in the district. Mr. Dreisinger, active until four years ago, was a member of Elmira Evangelical Church, the Canadian Order of Foresters and Glenrose Masonic Lodge No. 628, Elmira. Born in St. Jacobs on June 30, 1872, he was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Dreisinger. His wife, Harriet Maurer, predeceased him in 1936. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Louise Trapp, Waterloo, and Mrs. A. V. (Marion) Armbrust, Kitchener; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A son, George, predeceased him in 1949. A brother also predeceased him. Memorial service was held at the Dreisinger Funeral Chapel Monday at 3 p.m. with Rev. C. B. Heckendorn and Rev. C. H. Cornwell of Hanover, formerly of Elmira. Burial was in Elmira Cemetery. Elmira Signet, November 20, 1952 _________________ Marion Roes a great grand daughter remembers: "I remember his funeral -- I was 7 -- and the chapel and furniture store -- people were sitting in the window display area -- were full. The only other memory I have of him is in a hospital bed in my grandmother's living room where I guess he was for most of the four years he was ill. A few years ago, I was told that the story about him making the first motorized hearse was only partially true. The person telling me said it was her relative who did the fancy wood carving on the vehicle." Marion Roes 2010 ____________________________ C. Dreisinger Successful Local Business Man 45 Years On Monday one of Elmira's most popular and prominent citizens will mark the passing of three-quarters of a century of worthwhile living in this community. On that day C. Dreisinger will observe his seventy-fifth birthday, and will have spent forty-five years as owner of Elmira's only furniture and funeral service. By working diligently and planning wisely, he has made those years, and what he has accomplished in them, mean a great deal to himself, to his family and to this town. Mr. Dreisinger was born in St. Jacobs on June 30, 1872, and with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Dreisinger, moved to Elmira when he was nine years old. After finishing school he went into his father's business, which was coopering, or barrel making. Tiring of this, and deciding that he would like to do something different, he went across the border and remained for a while in the United States, coming back to spend a couple of years working in hotels in Kitchener. In 1891, he married Harriet Maurer of North Woolwich, and after getting settled again in Elmira he decided to go into the decorating business with the late John R. Ruppel, who was then in the paper hanging and painting trade. At this time, Mr. Ruppel and his father, Charles, were the local undertakers and furniture dealers and their business was located in the C. D. Miller and Co. block. Ever with the thought of expansion uppermost in his mind, and with level headedness and the ability to make sound decisions standing him in good stead, Mr. Dreisinger took another important step in his career. This was to go into business on his own as a mortician. No minor decision, it meant a great deal of study would be involved, and that he must work all day, and then devote what leisure time he had to this studying. His final examinations were written in Philadelphia, and his license obtained with honors is a testimonial to the progress he was able to make in the scholastic field. Part of the building in which the Dreisinger store and funeral home is now located [in 2010, Shoppers Drug Mart is at that location; 7/9 Arthur Street North] was then a hardware store and this the present owner bought in 1902 [land sales records indicate purchase year was 1906] together with the Ruppel business and from here on whether he would succeed or fail was up to him. In those times, the structure presented an entirely different appearance to that of today. Of red brick, it housed the offices, first of the Traders' Bank and then the Royal Bank, on the Arthur and Church Street corner. Mr. Dreisinger's store, and a millinery shop to the north of this, and in back a printing office, as well as apartments and lodge rooms upstairs. Another interesting phase in his life came with the introduction of the automobile and he was one of the first local residents to own one. And not only was he interested for himself, but he assisted the Chevrolet dealer, J.B. Lein, who had his garage in the old building removed by the Link-Belt Foundry, present owners of the property, last year. Mr. Dreisinger gives some amusing accounts of incidents that occurred while he was teaching driving to some of the first citizens to learn, and he says that many of these were ladies. Prior to the advent of the motor age, horsedrawn hearses were used, and in winter took the form of sleighs with glass enclosures that contained the caskets. His first two motor hearses were built by himself, with the work entailing a great deal of intricate carving. His son, George, who is still with the business, started about 35 years ago, obtaining his license in 1914. Embalming became a requirement of the law in ___ [blank] and at that time and for many years after, Mr. Dreisinger made his own fluid for this purpose. [The recipe was tacked to a basement beam of the building.] In 1921, the Royal Bank purchased the building in which it is now situated, and which was then the Zilliax hotel. In October of that year, the late Arthur A. Ullyot opened a drug store in the premises thus vacated, and changed the front accordingly. As the years went by the nature of funeral services changed with the times. Whereas it had once been customary to prepare the bodies of the dead in the homes, it soon became apparent that an improvement could be made if this were done in a properly appointed morgue. In many cases, too, it was the desire of the family to have the service held elsewhere than in the home or church, and the necessity for a chapel was realized. In 1940 Ullyot's moved to their present location and it was possible for Mr. Dreisinger to make some extensive changes. He now had the entire block, and this was covered with stucco on the outside and completely renovated inside. Today he has one of the finest funeral homes that might be found in any small town in the province. The chapel itself will seat 150 persons, and about one hundred more can be accommodated in the family rooms when a service is held. Attractively finished in oak and old ivory, the room is lighted indirectly, and is equipped with a beautiful Hammond electric organ, as well as an amplifying unit. The other rooms pertaining to the funeral chapel are equally well decorated and furnished for quiet comfort. The morgue is a small, bright room, immaculate in white enamel throughout and with all modern appliances. Since 1938, when he obtained his license, and with the exception of three and a half years, spent with the R.C.A.F., Mr. Dreisinger's grandson, David, has been in charge of the embalming and most of the work connected with the funeral home, and is one of the best members of his profession in this part of the province. For the past ten years he [Chris.] has also been assisted by his granddaughter, Mrs. George Wilken [Hazel] who does the buying for the store and the necessary bookkeeping and stenographic work, as well as being a licenced lady mortician. Mrs. George Dreisinger is also a valued member of the staff. The top storey of the block is quite expansive, and may be reached either by elevator or stairway. In these rooms furniture and rugs are stored, and there is also a large casket showroom. The air conditioning and automatic heating systems are located in the spacious basement. Here too, a radio repairing shop is managed and operated by V. Pierce. The garage is equipped with gasoline and oil tanks and houses the two hearses and sufficient cars for two complete funerals. Mr. Dreisinger prefers the Packard machine, deeming the streamlined yet conservative chassis most suitable for funeral purposes. Hearse services are also provided for other funeral homes in Waterloo, Baden, New Dundee, Ayr, Fergus and Guelph. Mr. Dreisinger intends to procure both a new hearse and car sometime this year. Elmira Signet, Thursday, June 26th, 1947 ________________________ Elmira Twenty Years Ago, From Signet of Jan. 22, 1905 Do You Remember? Messrs. Chas. Ruppel and Son have sold their Undertaking Business to Mr. Christian Dreisinger who will be pleased to supply the public with anything they may want in his line. The Elmira Signet, Thursday, January 22, 1925

  
  

• Sources

  [S3002] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 011799-91. Christian Dreisinger, 20, occ. Painter, b. St. Jacobs, res. Elmira, s/o John Dreisinger & Christina Braeuchle (Banelle?), married Hetti Maurer, 19, b. Woolwich, res. same, d/o George Maurer & Louisa Bender, witn: Otto Koehn & Louisa Koehn, both of Berlin, 23 August 1891 at Woolwich Twp. [S161] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1901, Elmira (Village) B. Page 12. [S130] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1881, Div. 1 Page 44. [S77] News - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - Elmira Signet (1893-1982), Obituary of Chris Dreisinger - 20 Nov 1952. [S98] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - Elmira Union CC#4578 Internet Link. Chris. Dreisinger/ 1872 - 1952. [S176] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1911, Div. 49 Pg. 5. [S2057] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1891, Pg. 3. [S2067] Book - From A Horse-Drawn Hearse to Studebakers, Packards and Cadillacs: Dreisinger Funeral Vehicles. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register. Johannes Dreisinger (widower) b. Woolwich Township res: Woolwich Township Age: 28 born abt 1839 father: Friederich Dreisinger mother: Magdalina Brinkert married Christine Brauchle Age:: 21 born abt 1846 b. Wurtemberg Spouse res: Woolwich married 12 May 1867 county: Waterloo [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 16 May 1867. 12 May 1867 By Rev. Kaessmann, Johannes Dreifinger was married to Christine Braeuchele, both of Woolwich.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 30 Jun 1872 - St. Jacobs, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Business - Bechtel Funeral Service - - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Painter - 1891 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Lutheran - 1891 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 1891 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Painter - 1901 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Club Membership - Elmira Musical Society - 1903 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - funeral home operator - - Dreisinger Funeral Home, 7 Arthur Street N., Elmira, Ontario Residence - 1903 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Evangelical - 1911 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 15 Nov 1952 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Elmira Union Cemetery, Elmira, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth