John Georg "George" Lortz

Other Events:

• Name: George Lortz
• Occupation: Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; cabinet maker
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-153843
• Occupation: 1857, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; joiner
• Occupation: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Carpenter
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Directory: 1864, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1871, Listowel, Wallace Twp., Perth County, Ontario, Canada; carpenter
• Residence: 1871, Listowel, Wallace Twp., Perth County, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Notes:

Queen Street South, West Side.

A frame building used as a tavern by Phineas Varnum and later the kitchen of the Gaukel Hotel.

A frame building erected by Frederick Gaukel about 1833 as shelter for the considerable number of immigrants coming to Berlin at that time. In 1837 it was made into a dwelling for John Stroh, uncle of Jacob Stroh. Two children were born in this building, Katie, in 1838, (she married Jacob Oswald, still living, now 93 years of age), and Henry Stroh, born in 1840.

Hall's Lane.

A brick building erected about 1850. John Klein, father of John Klein of Buffalo, was the first occupant. Later the building was used as a printing office, first by the "Berlin Chronicle", William Jaffray editor and proprietor, and later by the "Berliner Journal", Rittinger & Motz. The site is now occupied by the Lockhart garage.

The Franklin Hotel, a handsome, good-sized frame building, erected by Philip Roth about 1856. Successive hotel-keepers were John Klein, Levi Gaukel, Frederick Riegelman, who later moved to Buffalo, and Jacob Weber. Weber was occupant in 1874 when the hotel was burned down. The fire started in the barn at the rear of the hotel. The hotel shed, next south, extended, at right angles, from Queen Street to the barn.

A garden.

A one and one-half story frame building lengthwise with the street occupied by Christopher K. Nahrgang whose parents came from Hessen, Germany, about 1835. He was married to a Miss Zinkann of New Hamburg.

A stone building used as a tailor shop by Mr. Nahrgang who was deaf and dumb. His wife helped him in the business. She lived to be 87. It was in this building that John Motz of the "Journal" and eventually County Sheriff, learned the tailoring trade.

A one and one-half story dwelling, erected about 1857, occupied by George Fischer, barber, who had his shop on King Street. A later occupant was George Lutz [George Lortz] , a cabinet maker in Hoffman's factory and after him Henry Schaefer's mother.

A frame building lengthwise with the street, the church of the Evangelical denomination, erected in 1841. In 1866 it was replaced by the brick building still standing, now used as stores and upstairs dwellings.

A one and one-half story frame building with kitchen at the rear erected by William Becking, wagonmaker, about 1848. Becking was noted as a hunter. White hare and passenger pigeons, practically extinct long ago, were abundant at that time.

Becking's wagon-shop and lumber yard at the corner of John Street with the customary incline and stair to the second story of the shop. Up this incline the wagons were drawn to the paint shop. Valentine Gildner, at the corner of King and Benton Streets, did the blacksmith work for Becking's wagons.

John Street.

A one and one-half story house occupied by H. Baedecker in 1860 and later by Adam Doering.

Rev. F. W. Tuerk's residence erected about 1860 by Henry Rothaermel, a carpenter. The matching and planing was all done by hand, slow but thorough work. Window sashes, panel doors and all other requirements were made in the same manner. A skilled workman at that time was expected to he able to do painting as well as carpenter work. A single room in the shape of a square turret on the ridge of the building was Rev. Tuerk's study. The house was up-hill about twenty feet above the street level so that the study on top gave a good outlook. The site is now occupied by the York Apartments.

A frame building one and one-half story high.

Nothing but a building used as an ashery between that and Joseph E. Schneider's house and farm buildings.


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

John married Marie E. Hess 13 Apr 1857, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Marie was born 31 May 1836, , Germany; died 1 Sep 1901, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Karn
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-153845
• Residence: 1861, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Residence: 1871, Listowel, Wallace Twp., Perth County, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Mary — Henry Bernard Karl Edward Karn. Henry (son of Edward Karn and Katharine "Catherine" Schmidt) was born 29 May 1853, New York City, New York, USA.; died 3 May 1928, St. Catharines, Welland, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-200888

Other Events:

• Name: Katie Lortz
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-44276
• Residence: 1871, Listowel, Wallace Twp., Perth County, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran