Isaac Mickleborough Clemens

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/243712943
• Name: I. M. Clemens
• Eby ID Number: 00023-1770
• Residence: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Residence: 1881, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Weslyan Methodist
• Occupation: 1886, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; grain buyer
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Occupation: 1891, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Residence: 1891, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Occupation: 1901, New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Miller

Notes:

Isaac Clemens, "was born February 27th, 1861. He resides near Preston, Ontario, where he is engaged in farming. On November 10th, 1886, he was married to Annie Beattie"

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a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character.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 Mill Fire

Early on the warm August 8 evening in 1902, while local residents were enjoying a variety program staged by a Chautauqua group at the local school yard, cries of "fire" and the sounding of the town bell could be heard to signal for help to fight a blaze.

Little Elena Betzner, whose father, Isaac, had been head miller at the local flour mill, had been taken to the evening program to mark her ninth birthday day.

Soon a column of thick smoke arose over the downtown area. This was a spectacular fire, for it was at the local flour and grist mill in the heart of the village. The large three-storey frame building was soon engulfed in flames and in a short time was razed to the ground. This was the mill built by William Scott in 1848, a half century before. It had a colourful history, having passed through the hands of a succession of owners and operators, and had been extensively damaged in the 1889 boiler explosion.

The economic loss was to affect not only the owners and employees but also the community as well, for it drew farmers and their families for miles around who shopped and transacted business in town as well as at the mill.

Mrs. Edward Pfaff, bride of New Hamburg's newest barber, who had recently moved to town, stood at the window of the couple's temporary home in the Queen's Hotel, (now 73-77 Peel Street) just a hundred meters from the mill. She watched with a mixture of apprehension and awe at the scene as flames and smoke billowed into the air, carrying sparks and embers over the buildings nearby.

Embers and burning shingles settled on nearby roofs, some of which began to smoulder. Residents and building occupants busily carried pails of water to douse flames. New Hamburg's steam-powered fire engine Chugged valiantly, but to little avail. The frame building was doomed, and it burned to the foundation. The loss of the mill would have a definite impact on its patrons and the economy of the village as well.

From: New Hamburg as it really was…. By Ernst E. Ritz

_________________

I M CLEMENS & CO.

This firm, which new in the business fraternity of New Hamburg, have had a long and thorough experience in the line they recently acquired here. They took charge of the New Hamburg Flouring mills on June 15 b, 1898 Mr. Clemens has had ripe experience in the grain business. About twelve years ago he was employed by Mr. William Snider of Waterloo, as a grain buyer at Milbank, where he remained for five years. He was also engaged in the same capacity at Preston for three years. He has also had a thorough training on the farm, an experience that will stand him in good need in his present calling as it will be mainly with the farmers he will be required to deal, being therefore capable of catering satisfactorily to their wants. Mr. Clemens was born in Preston in 1861, and has a wife and three children. His partner, Mr. Emanuel Hilborn, has had eighteen years' experience in flour milling, having received his first instructions from that veteran miller, Mr. Steinmiller, of Waterloo County, then engaged by Mr. E. W. B. Snider. Mr. Hilborn was born near Preston in 1863, and also support: a wife and three children. This mill is one of the oldest in Waterloo County, but to day it is equipped with modern mill machinery and has a capacity for the production of one hundred barrels of flour per day. Their special brands are "Reliance," "Perfection" and "Peerless." At present they ship to Quebec, Montreal and Halifax, and will probably manufacture for export in the near future. A new chopper was just recently put in, which will place them in better shape than ever to accommodate those who require anything in the chopped feed line. These mills have a reputation for doing first-class work, and the gentlemen who now have charge will undoubtedly maintain that reputation, they being in every way qualified for so doing. As to the origin of these mills, the reader will find reference to that subject in my introductory sketch of the village of New Hamburg. But it is generally known that they were built early in the forties by one William Scott. This firm also buys grain and will pay the highest market price. This is a feature that is also of great benefit to the community as it tends to induce farmers from a distance to come here and do a good deal of their trading with the merchants.

New Hamburg, The Hub of Wilmot - Waterloo County Chronicle 18 Aug 1898, p. 2,3

___________

CLEMENS - On October 15, 1950, Isaac M. Clemens, of 4692 W. 6th Ave. Survived by 1 son, W. A. Clemens, Vancouver, and 2 daughters, Miss Isabelle E. Clemens, Vancouver and Mrs. George Hanson, Ottawa: 5 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Funeral service Tuesday, Oct. 17th, at 3 p.m. in Nunn & Thomson's Chapel, 10th Ave. and Camble St., Rev. Dr. W. S. Taylor officiating

The Province Mon, Oct 16, 1950 Page 17

Isaac married Annie Beattie 10 Nov 1886, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Annie (daughter of William Beattie and Isabella Walker) was born 26 May 1861, Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada; died 21 Nov 1934, Vancouver, , British Columbia, Canada; was buried , Ocean View Burial Park, Burnaby, , British Columbia, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-33962
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/244766675
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-33961
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-85356