Settlement of Waterloo Township
Waterloo Township was originally an area of land known as Block Two of the Grand River land grant. This was given by the British to the Six Nations First Peoples during the 1790s for their loyalty to the Crown in the American Revolutionary wars. When Block Two was incorporated in the District of Gore in 1816, it became Waterloo Township.Waterloo Township (Block Two) was first acquired by Richard Beasley from Joseph Brant on behalf of the Six Nations in 1796. Although it was illegal for him to do so, Beasley sold some of the land to Mennonties from Pennsylvania. Brant then approved Beasley's selling of a portion of the original land and he sold 60,000 acres to the German Company of Pennsylvania represented by Daniel Erb and Samuel Bricker in 1803. The German Company was a group of Mennonite shareholders mainly from Lancaster County Pennsylvania who wanted to settle on the land and sell to their friends.
Waterloo Township was the first of Waterloo County’s five townships to be settled. The first immigrants to settle in Waterloo Township were almost exclusively German Mennonites from Pennsylvania.
Before 1830, the majority of settlers in Waterloo Township were Mennonites from Lancaster and Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania. Other immigrant groups settled in the area at this time including Pennsylvanian River Brethren (also known as Dunkers or Tunkers)
Although much of the land along the Grand River was sold to settlers from Pennsylvania, significant pockets of property were also sold to settlers from the British Isles and from Germany
Waterloo Township was the first of Waterloo County’s five townships to be settled. The first immigrants to settle in Waterloo Township were almost exclusively German Mennonites from Pennsylvania.
Before 1830, the majority of settlers in Waterloo Township were Mennonites from Lancaster and Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania. Other immigrant groups settled in the area at this time including Pennsylvanian River Brethren (also known as Dunkers or Tunkers)
Although much of the land along the Grand River was sold to settlers from Pennsylvania, significant pockets of property were also sold to settlers from the British Isles and from Germany