50                HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

CHAPTER II.-EARLY CATHOLIC SETTLERS.


    The first Catholic immigrants from Europe came in about 1826 or 1827. Being poor, they first remained for some years among the older and wealthier Mennonites and worked for them until they became acquainted with the conditions of this new country and earned a little money to begin farming for themselves.
    Then they bought land located east of the river, on what were called the back lots of the German Tract.  As the German Catholic population increased and occupied all the land in Waterloo Township they overflowed north into Woolwich and Pilkington Townships.  The greater part of Woolwich also belonged to the German Land Company, while Pilkington had been granted to General Pilkington for services in India.  In Guelph Township the settlers obtained the land direct from the Crown.
    The first arrivals from Europe came from Baden.  Among them were Matthias Fehrenbach, John Schumacher, Felix Scharbach, Christian Rich, Joseph Thoman.  Somewhat later others came from Wuertenberg, Alsace, France, Hessia, The Rhineland and Bavaria. (Note.-In the Appendix will be found a more complete list of immigrants with their origin and approximate time of arrival.)
    Many of these settlers had a trade, and practised it for many years, at least in part, after they had secured farms.  For years oxen were used almost exclusively as cheaper and better suited for the work at logging and farming on land covered with stumps and stones.  In 1850 a team of oxen and driver earned $1.25 per day, a horse team $1.50. At harvest time 75 cents and board was the usual rate of wages per day, less at other times.     
     Currency was figured in pounds, shillings and pence York.
    When the decimal system became prevalent they did not know what to do with the third money column.  They made it dollars, cents and coppers.
    To say when the first settlers bought their land would require tedious and costly investigations in the Government records.  The time of obtaining their deeds can be easily found in the Registry Office of the respective county.  George Benninger seems to have secured his deed first, July 30, 1833, 143 acres of Lot 80.  Jacob Haus and Andrew Schnurr were the next in 1838.
    The newcomers from Europe, having scanty means and being quite inexperienced in bush life, obtained valuable advice, employment and credit from their better situated Mennonite neighbors.  These were uniformly kind, neighborly and hospitable to a degree.  In fact, without this helpful disposition of the Mennonites the European settlers could scarcely have remained in the wilderness.  Even with these kind neighbors most of the immigrants from Europe had a hard enough task to get on in the new world.  Almost every one of them could tell of many instances of getting help in distress and great need.
    One of the disagreeable features among the New Germany settlers was, that, although composed of Germans almost exclusively, rivalry and uncharitable raillery between the people from different principalities was very prevalent.  Then there was no German citizen because there was no Germany, each one was an Alsatian, a Bavarian, Prussian, etc.  Every one considered his Principality the best and had a supreme contempt and ugly nicknames for all the others.  This, however, has all passed away.  All are now Canadians.
    New Germany is the most compact of all the parishes in Waterloo County.  In the large school section of the village there is only one non-Catholic.  In Woolwich and Pilkington there are two more schools almost entirely Catholic.

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