The Society’s archival collections include local family histories, census returns for Waterloo Township and for St. Boniface Church, naturalization records, Tweedsmuir histories, land records, church histories and cemetery transcripts. We also have family histories donated by descendants of our founders.
Since its inception in 1977 the Society has produced and collected a vast amount of archival material related to Maryhill. Our Archivist Diane Strickler has been instrumental in the creation of our archives.
Click on maryhillroots@gmail.com with queries for the archivist.
This Collection consists of 1,371 families. with data from church records, naturalization registers, cemetery transcriptions, as well as Waterloo township census returns complemented by published family histories. Family trees in this collection vary from one to one hundred and sixty-four pages. The index provides a reference to the names of each family tree available, the number of pages, and purchase price plus shipping and handling charges.
Click on the link below to read the full list of names in the
Visitors from Soufflenheim.
One of the strengths of our society is the liaison we have with Soufflenheim and surrounding area in present day Alsace from where so many of the early settlers originated. The photo shows archivist Diane Strickler and Alsatian Visitors visiting where their 19th century family settled in Canada.
Click either of the below links. The first link will take you to the beautiful website and the second link with go directly to the records.
https://www.soufflenheimgenealogy.com/
www.smithancestry.com/alsace/
With the assistance of the Society several families have arranged reunions and special celebrations to honour their ancestors. In recent years these include:
The Maryhill HS can assist you in your planning. Drop us an e-mail describing your plans and what we may be able to do for the event.
In 2000 descendants of the Weiler Family gathered in Maryhill to celebrate their heritage. At this time John JA Weiler published a history of the family.
On Sunday August 19th the Historical Society’s Edward Halter House was the setting for a Schmuck Family Reunion. 30 descendants of Bernhardt Schmuck Sr and Marie Anna Messmer joined together to celebrate their heritage on the lawn of the Halter House. They toured the Halter House, viewing many local artifacts and family records. Family members came from as far away as Texas, Philadelphia, Illinois and Detroit. The group shared pictures and stories, toured the original Schmuck homestead (now owned by Rick Motz) and the Old Walled Cemetery. The Schmuck family arrived in New Germany (now Maryhill) in 1870.
Several brass plaques attached to the wall of the Old Cemetery recount pioneer families in Maryhill.
On September 18, 2011 as a part of the annual Maryhill Heritage Sunday descendants of Gottlieb Brohman gathered at St Boniface [Old Walled Cemetery] to observe the erection of a Cemetery Marker for Gottlieb Brohman and a restored monument for his wife Catherine Lauber. Tom Schell of Guelph gg grandson via Gottlieb jr spearheaded this tribute to Gottlieb one of the founders of Maryhill.
Note: Catherine Brohman directed a monument for herself in her will; Gottlieb did not have a monument until 2011.
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Little did I know some 50 plus years ago when I asked my parents about my heritage where that question would lead me. They gave me some vague answers about moving to Nebraska from Canada and they really didn’t know much more than that. However, I was able to contact Helen Shepherd from St. Joseph, Mo. (my 1st cousin once removed) who had been doing some family research. Once we became connected off I went on a quest to find out more about my family heritage and my first trip to Canada.
When I arrived in Maryhill some years ago I met with a lot of my relatives, many of whom were new acquaintances to me and others that I had been in touch by phone or email. From that early trip and the ones that followed I have had the privilege to become familiar with relatives who have been a great help in my search for my family history.
During those years some of us took notice that the tombstone of Frantz Joseph was broken and that his name was missing. It then became a mission to start a collection among relatives to get a new tombstone and refurbish what was left of the old stone. We were successful and the dedication took place on Sunday June 12, of 2016. Father Voisin blessed the stone during the Mass. Everyone then proceeded to the cemetery for the unveiling. Following the the unveiling a light lunch was provided at the Halter House. It was fun meeting and talking with everyone and meeting more relatives for the first time.
The Brohmans came from Rountzenheim Alsace and immigrated at various stages. Gottlieb Brohman came first in 1828 and was followed by his three brothers: Frantz Joseph, Jacob and Ignatius in the 1830s. Their father Frantz Joseph followed later in the 1840s. Joseph the eldest son was my ancestor. He married Magdalena Schumann on Feb 20, 1838. They raised 11 children. My great grandfather Wendell was one of those children who later moved to Nebraska.
Thank you to those who have helped me throughout the years in this project. A special thanks to Diane Strickler and the Maryhill Historical Society for lots of help early on in my family history search and of course during the dedication. And also to Tom Schell the president of the Maryhill Historical Society and Charlene for all their help with the dedication and for welcoming us the Halter House Resource Centre.
Rita Brohman Little, Irene Brohman Forbes, and Mary Ann Stroh (also a member of the Historical Society) also assisted with donations and preparations for the dedication. Submitted by: Ron Brohman of Helena Montana
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