Mayors of Waterloo Part II: 1901-1946

David Bean

Mayor of Waterloo: 1901-1903

David Bean was born Dec. 29, 1850, on the family farm in Haysville, Wilmot Township. He came to Waterloo in 1888.

Bean served one year on town council in 1899 before he was elected mayor. Upon Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, Bean’s council approved a proposal to construct a memorial gate at the park entrance. That year also saw council addressing the care of smallpox patients.

During Bean’s second year a grant of $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie lead to the construction of a library building. That year, council investigated creating a militia company, and the town held its largest Saengerfest (singing festival).

Family

David married Mary Ann Fry on April 15, 1869, in Oxford County. David was 18 and Mary was 20. Mary had been born on November 9, 1848, in Waterloo. David and Mary would have seven kids.

The Bean family purchased the home at 73 George Street in 1900. The family resided there until David’s death in 1921.

Mary would pass away on August 29, 1909, while David would pass on November 29, 1921. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.

Business/Community Involvement

David Bean’s first job was as a teacher. In 1868, he began teaching at the Elmira school and was principal from 1876-1888. He taught at schools in Blenheim, Baden, and Washington.

Bean entered the newspaper business by purchasing the Waterloo Chronicle in 1888. The following year he became sole owner and in 1899 he and his son D. Alex purchased the Daily Telegraph and published both newspapers.

He was the first chairman of the Waterloo Water Commission, a member of the Waterloo Board of Trade and a director of the Dominion Life Assurance Company.

Bean was a member of the Waterloo Methodist Church (now First United), serving as a trustee, the superintendent of the Sunday school, and the church’s choir master.

Jacob Uffelman

Mayor of Waterloo: 1904-1905

Jacob Uffelman was born in Waterloo on November 19, 1860. Jacob moved to Elmira in the 1880s before returning to Waterloo in the 1890s.

Before becoming Mayor, he served on Town Council as an Alderman in 1895, 1902 and 1903.

As mayor, he led council to raise money for the construction of a railway line between Waterloo and Wellesley. The following year, he opened the Waterloo Public Library.

Family

Jacob married Eliza Jane Elsley on August 25, 1886, in Waterloo. Eliza was born in Breslau on April 2, 1865. She and Jacob would have five children. In 1905 they moved into a house at 136 Allen Street. They were still living there when Eliza passed away on December 30, 1930. Jacob died on September 11, 1939. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

At the age of 15, he apprenticed for four years in a corner store run by Theodore Bellinger. After completing his apprenticeship, Uffelman was employed by John Shuh and Company. He left the company and went to Breslau where he ran a general store for three years. He then sold out and moved to Elmira.

In 1891, Uffelman purchased the store and stock of his former employer John Shuh and Company and ran a store on King Street. Ten years later he acquired the Ontario Seed Co. He then turned his attention to the sauerkraut business in the 1920s, forming the Silverthreads Sauerkraut Co.

Following his term as mayor, Uffelman was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Waterloo Township.

Edward Frowde Seagram

Mayor of Waterloo: 1906-1907

Edward Seagram, the eldest son of distiller Joseph E. Seagram, was born in Waterloo on September 28, 1873. From and early age, Edward, called “Ed,” was involved heavily in business and sports.

He joined town council as a young man in 1901 and served from 1903-1905. During his terms as mayor, he signed a contract with the Hydro-Electric Commission of Ontario to supply electrical power for the use of the town. It would be another three years before hydro-electric power reached Waterloo. Under Seagram, council held its first court of revision to hear appeals for property assessments.

Family

On October 8, 1902, Edward married Edna Irvine MacLachlan. Edna was born on September 4, 1880, in Toronto. She was living in Guelph when the couple married. Edna is a contributor in the 1906 “The Berlin Cook Book” for her chicken croquetts recipe.

Edna and Edward had five children together. Edna died on May 29, 1925. She is buried in Woodland Cemetery, Kitchener.

Edward later married Clara Lee Watt on October 3, 1928, in Erie Pennsylvania. Together they had a son named Edward Pollard. Edward Frowde died on February 1, 1937, while Clara died on July 19, 1953. Edward is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo, while Clara is buried in Elmswood Cemetery, Alabama.

Business/Community Involvement

An interest in his father’s business led him to join the distillery’s management staff in 1894.

Around 1910, Seagram bought the Globe Furniture Company and moved the operations to Waterloo. Following the death of his father in 1920, Seagram became president of Joseph E. Seagram and Sons Limited. Also in 1920, Seagram purchased the Mueller Cooperage across the street from the distillery. He renamed it Canada Barrels and Kegs (later Canbar Products).

Like his father, Seagram had a passion for horse racing. He continued the family tradition of winning the King’s Plate five times between 1923 and 1935. He was also interested in golf and was instrumental in establishing the Westmount Golf and Country Club.

John Fischer

Mayor of Waterloo: 1908; 1912-1913

Born in Switzerland on November 25, 1852, John Fischer immigrated to the Waterloo area around 1855. Fischer left for the United States for a short time but returned to Waterloo in the 1870s.

During his first term as mayor in 1908, council authorized $3,000 to assist in constructing a joint hospital between Waterloo and Kitchener. This was done because of the rise in smallpox cases.

Five years later, Fischer issued an order on public vaccination against the deadly disease. In 1912 Fischer participated in a meeting to investigate the possibility of uniting Waterloo with Berlin. The next year electric lighting was installed in the council chamber.

Family

John married Catharine “Kate” Miller on April 20, 1875, in Berlin (Kitchener). Catharine was born on December 10, 1854, in Waterloo. Catharine and John would have 12 children.

The Fischer lived on Queen Street (present-day 26 Regina Street North). The family lived there until the deaths of John and Catharine.

John passed away on February 4, 1920, and Catharine two months later, on May 16, 1920. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

As a young man John worked for Frederick Schlote where he learned the butcher trade.

In about 1871, he opened a meat market on King Street North. With the growth of his business, he expanded his operations to a rented building across the street which he purchased in 1886. Besides his butchering business, Fischer also moved livestock to market throughout the area. He retired in 1913, selling his interests to his son Edgar.

A noted businessman in the community, Fischer took part in many governing bodies including the Waterloo Board of Health and the Waterloo Board of Trade. He served on the Waterloo Water and Light Commission and the Waterloo Separate School Board.

Andrew Weidenhammer

Mayor of Waterloo: 1909

Andrew Weidenhammer was born in Heidelberg, Wellesley Township, on March 20, 1863. He attended Elmira Public School and Berlin Collegiate Institute. He moved to Waterloo around 1891.

His one year in the mayor’s office in 1909 was active, requiring many extra council meetings to deal with town business. In that year, the Mutual Life Assurance Company (Sunlife) decided to build a new head office in Waterloo. Electricity came under municipal control with the purchase of a small generating unit from William Snider. Council protested the intention of the Bell Telephone Co. to remove the Waterloo central office to Berlin (Kitchener).

Family

Andrew married Clarissa Peppler on July 26, 1887, in Bothwell, Ontario. Clarissa was born on July 23, 1867, in Waterloo. Together Andrew and Clarissa had two children. Valeria was born in 1888 and Octavius in 1891. The Weidenhammer family home was located on King Street North, close to Springer Street. The family moved to Manitoba in 1912.

Clarissa passed away on September 8, 1924, and Andrew on November 6, 1925. They are buried in Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Business/Community Involvement

After receiving his education, Weidenhammer became a teacher. He taught at many schools, coming to Waterloo Central School in 1891. He became president of the Waterloo County Teachers’ Association in 1900 and president of the public-school department of the Ontario Educational Association in 1903. He served three years on the board of Waterloo’s new library and was chairman of the Waterloo Horticultural Society for four years.

Weidenhammer had an interest in the newspaper business. He was hired in 1889 as the county correspondent in Haysville for the Waterloo Chronicle. In 1903, he gave up teaching to become editor of Der Canadischer Bauernfreund, a German newspaper published in Waterloo. He was also editor of the Deutsche Zeitung, a German Conservative paper.

Levi Graybill

Mayor of Waterloo: 1910-1911

Born in Wilmot Township on December 28, 1849, Graybill moved to Waterloo in 1871.

He served town council in many positions between 1877 and 1909.

In 1910, during his mayoral term, hydro-electric power reached Waterloo. Graybill pushed for the paving of King Street — a project he never saw completed during his 1911 term because of his sudden death from a heart attack halfway through the year.

Family

Levi married Catherine Wegenast on March 30, 1876, in Waterloo. Catherine was born on August 1, 1852, in Berlin (Kitchener). Levi and Catherine would have six children together. Catherine died on March 5, 1889, at 36 years old. She is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Levi later married widow Anna Neumeier on April 23, 1903, in Wentworth County (Hamilton). They would have no children together. Anna was born in Prussia (Germany) on May 1, 1854. She and her family immigrated to Canada in 1855. Originally living in Oshawa, Anna and her first husband, Joseph Fischer, moved to Waterloo around 1881. Levi died on June 29, 1911, while Anna died on March 24, 1939, in Kitchener. Levi and Anna are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener. Anna’s headstone has her identified as Anna Fischer.

Business/Community Involvement

While in New Hamburg, Graybill found a position in Samuel Merner’s foundry. After learning the blacksmithing trade, he moved to Waterloo in 1871. In the late 1870s, Graybill established his own business called the Graybill Manufacturing Company. This business produced office desks and chairs. He later expanded the business to include the manufacturing of carriages, sleighs and hearses. In 1908 he partnered with Cleason Shantz and began a retail coal and wood business.

Graybill was active in many community organizations. He was among the first officers of the Waterloo Musical Society and a member of the Waterloo Methodist Church. He was a member of the Germania Lodge (Independent Order of Odd Fellows). He sat on the boards of the Waterloo Public Library, the Berlin-Waterloo Hospital, and the Waterloo Board of Park Management.

John Kaufman

Mayor of Waterloo: 1914-1915

John Kaufman was born in North Easthope Township in Perth County on September 30, 1854. When he was 19, Kaufman moved to Waterloo.

As mayor, Kaufman led council to form a new high-school district with Berlin (Kitchener). He also got council to examine the possibility of a hydro-electric railway connecting Waterloo with Berlin and surrounding area.

During his term in office, a number of local unemployment projects were undertaken. He introduced a garbage and disposal system for the town, and street names were posted at street corners.

Family

John married Emma Davey on June 20, 1883, in Plattsville, Ontario. John and Emma had three children together.

Emma was born in Norfolk, England, on December 21, 1855. She and her family immigrated to Canada around 1858. She was living in Plattsville when she and John were married. Emma died on November 20, 1918, and is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Following his political career, John moved to live with his daughter’s family in Baden around 1933 where he died on February 1, 1943. John is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

After moving to Waterloo, Kaufman apprenticed in Fred Merner’s blacksmith shop. He later became a partner with Levi Graybill at the Graybill Manufacturing Company. When the company was sold in 1891, Kaufman operated his own blacksmith and carriage shop.

A music lover, he was an ardent supporter of the Waterloo Music Society and played tuba with the band.

William Hilliard

Mayor of Waterloo: 1916-1917

William Hilliard was born in Glen Allen on January 18, 1868. After completing school, he attended the University of Toronto where he graduated as a doctor in 1891. When his family moved to Waterloo, Hilliard accompanied them, setting up a medical practice in the town in 1897.

Under Hilliard’s leadership, council supported the British war effort and created a soldier’s insurance plan for local recruits.

On the home front, the question of amalgamation with Berlin was rejected in 1916. Improvements were made to the Berlin and Waterloo Street Railway, and the municipality purchased William Snider’s mill pond (now Silver Lake).

Family

William married Ida Clemens on September 7, 1893, in Berlin (Kitchener). Ida was born on April 23, 1868, in Waterloo. While not much is known of Ida’s personal life, some of her recipes survive in the cookbook of Magdalena Shoemaker Devitt. Her recipes were for sugar cookies and scones (Cookbook page 53, 58).

The Hilliard family home was located at 39 Albert Street. It was beside the market building and across from the then recently built Carnegie Library. Ida and William had seven children together.

Ida would pass away on October 17, 1942, and William on August 14, 1966. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

Hilliard was an enthusiastic Methodist lay reader and a strong supporter of the British war effort during the First World War. A sports enthusiast, he continued to lead an active lifestyle into his 90s.

He became medical director for Equitable Life Assurance Company when it was established in 1920.  He later became a director of the Dominion Life Assurance Company, a business his father had helped him establish.

Following his mayoral term, Hilliard continued his medical practice. Later he served as the Town of Waterloo’s medical officer of health from 1940-1946. He retired from medical practice in 1948.

William H. Kutt

Mayor of Waterloo: 1918-1919

William Kutt was born in Erbsville on April 14, 1871. Around 1885 Kutt moved to Waterloo where he worked as a carpenter.

During his time as mayor, finance committee meetings were separated from the regular council meetings. Also under Kutt, the duties of the town clerk were expanded and made into a separate municipal department.

Family

William married Julia Christina Furkel on September 5, 1899, in Waterloo. Julia was born in Waterloo on February 21, 1876. William and Julia had two children: Armand, who was born in 1900, and Elmer, who was born in 1909.

Julia and William originally lived at a house on 28 Young Street East. They later moved to 75 John Street East. The John Street house, built in 1904, was occupied by the family during William’s term as mayor between 1918-1919.

William passed away on January 28, 1927, after being hit by a truck while trying to catch the streetcar after work at the Canada Furniture plant. Julia would live until 1957. The exact date of her passing has yet to be determined. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

After working as a carpenter, William worked for 14 years as a foreman for the Canada Furniture Manufacturers Limited in Waterloo.

Kutt was a member of the local chapter of the Canadian Order of Foresters. He was an ardent supporter of the Waterloo Musical Society, a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, and a member of the Germania Lodge (Independent Order of Odd Fellows).

Daniel Bohlender

Mayor of Waterloo: 1920-1921; 1932

Daniel Bohlender was born on August 10, 1869, in Waterloo. As a young man he worked in his father's grocery business, the Red and White Store.

As mayor, he is credited with having acquired the former mill pond (now Silver Lake) for Waterloo Park. He helped improve the town square, modernizing the fire hall equipment and introducing a successful afternoon market.

Family

Daniel married Minnie Schmiedel on June 20, 1899, in Berlin (Kitchener). Minnie was born in New Hamburg in July of 1867. Her date of birth is unknown. Before her marriage, Minnie worked as a knitting factory hand in New Hamburg.

Daniel and Minnie had one child together. Their daughter, Ruth, was born in 1908. In the 1911 census, the Bohlender family is listed as living on King Street. By the 1921 census, they had moved to a house at 21 Erb Street South.

Daniel passed away on September 22, 1937, while Minnie died in 1965. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

Bohlender’s early career was focused on his grocery business on King Street. Around 1915, he purchased another store on Erb Street West. There he opened a shoe store featuring the locally made Valentine and Martin footwear.

Bohlender had many community interests and was active in the Waterloo Board of Trade and the Waterloo Evangelical Church. Daniel was also a talented musician. He played the tuba with the Waterloo Musical Society for many years.

William G. Weichel

Mayor of Waterloo: 1911; 1922-1923

On July 20, 1870, William "Billy" Weichel was born in Elmira. After his education at Elmira Public School and Berlin High School, Weichel became a clerk in his father’s hardware store.

His long political career began in 1908 when he was elected a town alderman. In June of 1911 Mayor Graybill passed away in office and William was appointed acting mayor. By July he was chosen as mayor in a unanimous election. That same year William defeated William Lyon Mackenzie King to become the Conservative party member of Parliament for North Waterloo.

In 1922-1923, he returned to local politics and was elected mayor. He sought to revive the activities of the Waterloo Board of Trade. He also attempted to create employment opportunities and to regulate the town’s motor traffic.

Family

William married Jessie Rose Kinsman on August 19, 1896, in Galt (Cambridge). Jessie was born on February 9, 1873, in Galt. Their family home was located at 10 Allen Street off King Street. Jessie and William had three children. Jessie died on June 4, 1926. She is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

William later married Minnie Rose Kaitting on September 19, 1928. Minnie was born on November 13, 1891, in Galt (Cambridge). They would have no children together.

William died on May 2, 1949, while Minnie would live a long life, passing away at the age of 93 on December 23, 1984. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

In 1896, William and his family opened a hardware store in Waterloo called "M. Weichel and Sons Hardware." He later assumed ownership and renaming it "Weichel Hardware." The hardware store was well known for its window displays, taking third place in a Christmas window display contest in Maclean's Hardware and Metal magazine 1920-21 issue.

Weichel enjoyed recreational activities including fishing, hunting, curling, and bowling. He was a member of First United Church and the Grand River Masonic Lodge.

He was a member of the Merchants Casualty Insurance Company, the Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Company, the Waterloo Board of Trade, the Lancaster Club, the Waterloo Club and the Waterloo County Canadian Club.

William Henderson

Mayor of Waterloo: 1924-1925

William Henderson was born on Jan. 5, 1876, in Banffshire, Scotland. At the age of 13, he began an apprenticeship in a bakeshop. He joined the military at 16, serving with the Gordon Highlanders, and acted as a bodyguard at Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and the coronation of King Edward. William came to Canada in 1910 and worked in Berlin (Kitchener) as a baker. He moved to Waterloo in 1911.

His term in office as mayor was marked by several local improvements including the paving of roads, the widening of Erb Street and the construction of sidewalks and new sewers. In 1925, an attempt was made to revive the weekly afternoon market and to establish a new cemetery.

Family

William married Margaret “Maggie” Mathieson on June 8, 1899, in Aberdeen, Scotland. Margaret had been born in March of 1878, in Gamrie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. William and Margaret had nine children together.

When the Henderson’s first came to Waterloo in 1911, they lived on King Street. By 1921 the Henderson family lived at 43 Allen Street. Their next family home, called Bon Accord, was located at 61 Water Street (later Dorset Street).

William passed away in 1957 while Margaret passed in 1974. The dates of their respective death are not currently known. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

When William settled in Waterloo, he worked for A.E. Sanderson’s bakery on King Street North. In 1915 he bought part of the business and in 1928, Henderson became sole owner.

In 1927 he was instrumental in the construction of the Knox Presbyterian Church where he was an elder for 45 years. He was chairman of the Waterloo Public Utilities Commission from 1925-1949 and president of the Waterloo Board of Trade in 1929.

Henderson served as a director for the Waterloo Trust and Savings Company, the Waterloo Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and the Merchants Casualty Company. He was actively involved in the Kitchener-Waterloo Rotary Club, becoming president in 1936-1937 and for many years delivered their annual Robbie Burns address.

William D. Brill

Mayor of Waterloo: 1926-1928; 1941-1942

William (Pete) Brill was born on April 30, 1888, in Waterloo. As a young man Brill worked in the shirt manufacturing business.

During his first terms as mayor, the town’s fire department was motorized, and several local improvements were undertaken including the paving of roads.

Brill returned to the mayor’s office in 1941 for a newly established two-year term. Despite the war, Brill was able to continue a plan of local improvements. These included the construction of new sewers, crosswalks, and traffic lights. In 1942 an issue arose over funding of the Waterloo Musical Society Civilian Band. This matter was put to the polls with many voters in favour of funding the band.

Family

William married Adeline Dotzert on April 16, 1918 in Waterloo. Adeline was born on June 10, 1887 in North Easthope, Perth. They had one child, Edward W., born in 1919.

The Brill family home was located at 79 Moore Avenue. The 1921 census records three generations of Brills living at this address.

William would pass away in 1966 and Adeline in 1973. The day and month are currently unknown. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

In 1918, Brill opened his own business, the Waterloo Shirt Company, with silent partner A.E. Sanderson, on the second floor of Sanderson’s bakery at King Street North and Dupont Street. During this time, he also worked as the liquor license inspector for the Town of Waterloo.

In 1929 he sold his shirt business and was appointed motor vehicle license issuer for Kitchener-Waterloo, a position he held until 1934. Brill then purchased Sturm Billiards at 60 King Street South and operated Brill’s Recreation Hall until 1947. From 1945-1959 he was district liquor inspector for Niagara Falls to Huron County.

Louis F. Dietrich

Mayor of Waterloo: 1929-1930

Louis Frederick Dietrich was born in St. Agatha on September 13, 1868. Around 1888 he apprenticed as a blacksmith in Baden and in 1892 opened his own shop. In 1909 he moved to Waterloo.

In 1929 and 1930 he was elected mayor by overwhelming majority without a ballot.

Dietrich’s terms in office are marked by the opening of the Kitchener-Waterloo Municipal Airport on October 12, 1929, the installation of new flood gates, improvements to Silver Lake, and the development of plans for the expansion of the town’s market.

Family

Louis married Anna Maria Schneider on October 25, 1892, in St. Agatha. Anna was born on April 8, 1867, in Wilmot Township. Anna and Louis had 11 children together.

When the Dietrich family first came to Waterloo in 1909, they lived at an address on Allen Street. Sometime between 1917 and 1921 they moved to 42 Erb Street East. They were still living there during the Second World War.

Louis died on June 11, 1947, while Anna died some time in 1955. Louis is buried in St. Agatha Roman Catholic Cemetery and Anna is buried in St. Clements Roman Catholic Cemetery.

Business/Community Involvement

From 1901-1909, Louis was an assessor for Wilmot Township. Later in 1909 Louis moved to Waterloo, becoming the agent for International Harvester in 1911. Four years later he became the town’s first automotive dealer, acting as a sub-agent for the Ford Motor Company. In 1916 he secured the Dodge franchise for Waterloo County while continuing to operate his farm implement business in a separate part of the building.

Louis was active in many local religious organizations, including the St. Louis Separate School Board, where he served for 20 years, the St. Louis Roman Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, the Holy Name Society, the League of the Sacred Heart and the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association.

William Uffelman

Mayor of Waterloo: 1931

William (Bill) Uffelman was born in Elmira on January 3, 1889. He was the son of former mayor Jacob Uffelman. The family moved to Waterloo where William attended Berlin high school.

His one year in office saw the abolishment of the Waterloo Sewer Commission and the construction of a new sewer disposal plant for the town.

Through the Unemployment Relief Committee of the Provincial Government, a program of local improvements was undertaken. The town also assisted the public school board with a loan for the construction of the Elizabeth Ziegler Public School.

Family

William married Minnie Bertha Hagen on December 4, 1919, in Wentworth (Hamilton). Minnie was born on October 23, 1892, in Berlin (Kitchener). As a young girl she received her education at Central School.

Minnie and William had three children together: Sheldon, Marjory and Lorraine.

The family home was located at 68 John Street East.

Minnie passed away on January 26, 1938, while William died on October 3, 1947. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement 

Upon graduation from the Berlin High School, Uffelman worked as a bank clerk. In 1916 he enlisted in the 118th North Waterloo Battalion serving overseas during the First World War. He later worked as a foreman at the Dominion Rubber Company for 15 years. From 1940-1948, Uffelman served as the Town of Waterloo’s Assessment Commissioner and Tax Collector.

Athletically inclined, Uffelman played hockey with the Ontario Hockey Association and was a member of the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts.

He was a member of the Waterloo Board of Trade, the Waterloo Young Men’s Club, the Masonic Lodge, the Germania Lodge (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) and the Waterloo Musical Society.

Walter W. Frickey

Mayor of Waterloo: 1933-1934

Walter Frickey was born in Erbsville on June 27, 1892. He worked as a policeman in Berlin (Kitchener) from 1914-1916. Around 1916 he moved to Waterloo where he became an auctioneer.

In 1933 and 1934, Frickey was elected mayor at a time of high unemployment in the town. The issue of outstanding taxes plagued Frickey’s term in office. He administered town affairs with an emphasis on cutbacks and limited spending. Frickey returned to council as an alderman from 1935–1937, reeve in 1938, and alderman again from 1940–1941. He died during his 1941 term.

Family

Walter married Violet Joanna McCarthy on May 26, 1914 at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Macton. Violet was born on July 24, 1892 in Toronto. Walter and Violet had two children together: Laura and Henry. Violet died at the age of 26 from a Spanish flu outbreak (on January 4, 1919), and is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Walter later married widow Pauline Ernestina Hollatz on May 22, 1920. Pauline was born in Germany on November 20, 1887. She immigrated to Canada with her family in 1893. At the age of 13 she worked in a shoe factory in Berlin (Kitchener). Pauline and Walter had one child, Walter Jr. in 1925. Their family home was at 208 Albert Street.

Walter passed away on May 5, 1941, while Pauline passed on March 12, 1970. They are buried in Saint Peters Lutheran Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

Walter was widely known for his talents as an auctioneer. In 1931 there was no single week where Frickey was not running an auction. In one week in March of 1941, Walter had no fewer than eight auctions.

Frickey was an active member of the community and served on many boards. He was a member of Waterloo’s Sewer Commission in 1925 and 1926. He was also a Chairman of the Fire and Light Committee in 1928 and Chairman of the Road and Bridge Commission in 1932. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Works from 1930-1932.

Walter was also a devoted Lutheran and was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church.

Henry E. Ratz

Mayor of Waterloo: 1935-1936

Henry Ratz was born in St. Clements, on April 30, 1877. Ratz and his family moved to Waterloo in 1914.

Elected mayor during a time of high unemployment due to the Depression, Ratz faced chronic problems of unpaid taxes. During his first year as mayor, he launched a series of new initiatives to assist and encourage payment of taxes. He also introduced penalty fees for unpaid bills.

As mayor, Ratz was awarded the 1935 King’s Jubilee Medal for his community contributions. In 1936, Ratz won the mayor’s seat by overwhelming approval without a ballot. That year, the issue of adopting daylight savings time was a source of much discussion and debate. The result was that the clocks of Waterloo and Kitchener to differ by one hour.

Family

Henry married Margaret Hill on February 17, 1904, in Waterloo. Margaret was born in June of 1880 in Wellesley Township. Margaret and Henry had two children: Gladys and Lloyd.

When Henry and Margaret came to Waterloo in 1914, they purchased a house at 63 Park Avenue (later Alexandra Avenue). They resided there until their deaths. Margaret passed away in 1941 while Henry died on July 29, 1954.

Business/Community Involvement 

After graduating from the Stratford Business College, Ratz worked in Wellesley as a bookkeeper and later as head sawyer for his brother W. E. Ratz in the Parry Sound district. He later returned to Wellesley where, for a short period, he operated a grocery store and barber shop.

In 1902 he purchased a small sawmill in his home village. As business grew, he opened a retail lumber enterprise in 1934 and built many mills.

Ratz’s hobbies included hunting and fishing. He was a charter member of the Waterloo Lions Club and Chair of the Board for the Emmanuel Evangelical United Brethren Church in Waterloo. He was also active in the Waterloo Chamber of Commerce and served as the Chairman of the Fire and Light Committee.

Wesley McKersie

Mayor of Waterloo: 1937-1940

Wesley (Wes) McKersie was born on August 15, 1892, in Berlin (Kitchener).

McKersie’s public service record was extensive, serving as alderman, deputy reeve and reeve.

McKersie first became mayor in 1937 when the Town of Waterloo was recovering from a period of economic uncertainty. Under McKersie’s leadership, by 1939 the town’s tax rate had declined and a surplus of $12,000 was posted. A reduction in the town’s debt load was also achieved. This period of prosperity was short-lived as the outbreak of the Second World War brought renewed challenges. One casualty was McKersie’s project to construct a civic auditorium.

Family

Wesley first married Gertrude Beam on February 6, 1915 in Waterloo. Gertrude Beam was born on December 27, 1895 in Waterloo. They had one child together named Phyllis. Gertrude died young, passing away at the age of 22 on September 18, 1917 from tuberculosis.  She is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Wesley later married Gertrude Heuhs, whose father operated a blacksmith shop on King Street. They were married on October 22, 1919. Gertrude Heuhs was born on October 30, 1894, in Waterloo. Gertrude Heuhs and Wesley had six children together. Wesley passed away in 1959 while Gertrude Heuhs passed on August 2, 1975. Wesley and Gertrude Heuhs are burried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement 

As a young man, McKersie worked as a printer and compositor for the Berlin News Record (currently The Record) and the Bean Printing Company.

When Gertrude Heuhs’ father retired in 1924, the couple took possession of the old shop at Bridgeport Road and King Street North (today The Pub On King). They renovated the building and, for a time, operated the Cedar Snack Bar from this location. The Cedar Snack Bar was unique in that it delivered boxed lunches.

McKersie was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and was involved in several fraternal organizations, including the Germania Lodge (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) and the Masonic Lodge. He was also a member of the Waterloo Musical Society, serving one term as its president.

Franklin B. Relyea

Mayor of Waterloo: 1943

Born on April 11, 1903, in Perth, Franklin Relyea was raised in the Toronto area. He studied at the University of Toronto and came to Waterloo in 1932.

During his one-year term, Relyea urged careful spending. "Tax money" he argued, "should be treated as trust money."

One of his priorities was to negotiate the town’s fair share of the profits of the Kitchener Street Railway. He led the committee investigating this matter. As chairman of the Local Rationing Board, he discouraged hoarding of commodities not rationed properly.

Nearing the end of his first year in office, Relyea had to resign his position due to his ill health.

Family

Frank married Dorothy Margaret Johnston on July 5, 1926 in Toronto. Dorothy was born on 11 June 1902, also in Toronto. After their marriage, Dorothy moved with Frank to Iowa. By 1931, the family had apparently moved back to Perth, where they resided with Frank’s father and mother at 8 Wilson Street East. They must have gone back to the United States briefly as their first child, Grace, was born in Iowa on March 21, 1932. They would have one more child, Joyce.

Frank passed away from colon cancer on September 21, 1947, at the young age of 44 at the family house at 160 John Boulevard (now John Street). Dorothy would later move to 83 John Boulevard before passing away on January 6, 1986. Frank and Dorothy are buried in Woodland Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement

Upon graduating from the University of Toronto, Relyea was employed for one year with Manufacturer’s Life in Toronto. After this he left Canada to work as an actuary at an insurance company in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1932 Relyea and his family moved to Waterloo where he began work as an actuary with the Equitable Life Insurance Company.

In Waterloo he took an interest in community affairs as a member of the Anglican Church and the Westmount Golf Club. He was also the president of a social club called the Kitchener-Waterloo Gyro Club. The Gyro Club is an international organization dedicated to fostering friendship among men around the world.

Albert Heer

Mayor of Waterloo: 1944-1946

Born in Petersburg, Ontario, on January 26, 1891, Albert Heer attended school in Woolwich and Waterloo Townships. At the age of 10 he worked as a farm labourer in Woolwich before coming to Waterloo sometime between 1911 and 1918.

As mayor, Heer campaigned to keep the tax rate down — a difficult goal during wartime years. He prioritized the need for post-war projects as part of the town’s rehabilitation program for returning veterans. On Heer’s agenda was the construction of a skating rink (Memorial Arena), improvements to Laurel Creek, a new incinerator, and a community centre for all ages. Throughout his political career, Heer was a vocal opponent of daylight savings time, causing much debate.

Family

Albert married (Emma) Louisa Oetzel on November 18, 1920 in Elmira. Louisa was born in Waterloo on March 10, 1890. Louisa worked as a broom maker before she married Albert. Albert and Louisa had three children: Robert, Doris, and Lola. Robert served in the Second World War, dying overseas in 1945.

A year after they were married in 1921, Albert and Louisa lived with Louisa’s mother, Caroline, at 160 Albert Street. The property would pass on to Albert and Louisa by 1931. The family continued to live at this address until at least 1942.

Albert passed away on November 11, 1972, and Louisa passed in 1980. They are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener.

Business/Community Involvement 

Following in his father’s footsteps, Heer became a carpenter. When he later moved to Waterloo, he operated a building contracting business. During his term as mayor, he sold his contracting business enabling him to concentrate on his public duties. During the First World War, he was drafted into the Canadian Army in 1917.

Heer was very active in local politics, serving as an alderman for 13 years. During his 1931-1938 terms, he acted as deputy reeve from 1935-1936 and reeve from 1937-1938. He returned to council as an alderman during the years of 1941-1943.