Christian Steinman

Title: Christian K. and Veronica (Eyer) Steinman fonds

Dates of creation: 1835-1886, 1890-1914

Physical description:  6 cm of textual records

Biographical sketch: Christian K. Steinman (1792-1865) was born in Marienthal, France to Jacob and Barbara (Kennel) Steinman. He married Veronica Eyer (ca. 1801-1883), daughter of Jacob Eyer, sometime before 1821 in Bavaria. The couple would have five children: Jacob, Christian, Catherine, Jospeh and Daniel. Christian and Veronica immigrated to Canada in 1826; Christian was already an ordained minister at this time.

The Steinmans were part of a significant Amish Mennonite migration from Europe to what became Wilmot Township just to the west of the Haldimand Tract and Waterloo Township. This area is part of the Between the Lakes Treaty #3, agreed to by the British Crown and Mississaugas of the Credit in 1792.

Subsequently, the Crown offered grants to settlers of 50 acres on 200 acres lots as long as certain improvements were made. Once these stipulations were met, the grantee could arrange to purchase the remaining acrage of the lot. The Crown later transferred the land to King's College (University of Toronto) for its endowment. Thus many Amish Mennonites purchased land from the University.

Christian Steinman purchased two tracts along Snyder's Road. In 1884, part of Lot 18 on Snyder's Road (North Side) then owned by Christian and Veronica's son Daniel, became the site of Steinmann Mennonite Church.

Custodial history: Donated to the Archives in 2022 and 2024 by Sharon Steinman Neufeld

Scope and content: Land grants, deeds, receipts, wills and land sale agreements entered into by Christian K. Steinman regarding the properties of Lot 18 Snyder's Road (North Side) and Lot 18 Snyder's Road (South Side)

Notes:
See also  "Steinmann/Steinman," Lorraine Roth fonds, Hist.Mss.1.117.1/211.
Original archival description created 2022 by Laureen Harder-Gissing.
Itemized file list and transcriptions compiled by Dave Neufeld in 2021.

File list:

1. Grant – Christian Steinman, 50 Acres, Front, Lot 18, NSR, Wilmot, Gore District, September 16, 1835. Registered June 29^th, 1836, by D. McDougall, Registrar, County of Waterloo
2. Request for payment of lease arrears to Christian Steinman, for rear ¾ of lot 18, NSR, Wilmot, September 12, 1842, from H Boys, Bursar, Kings College Council Office, Toronto
3. Receipt, Christian Steinman and Nicholas Klein, for payment of 50 pounds, to University of Toronto and Upper Canada College, March 1, 1853
4. Deed, to Christian Steinman, for the Rear ¾ , 150 acres, of Lot 18, NSR, Wilmot, August 13, 1853. Acknowledgment of payment of 93 pounds, 15 shillings, signed by David Buchan, Bursar, University of Toronto and Upper Canada College. Registered February 27, 1860, County of Waterloo.
5. Provincial Insurance Company Policy 7333, Christian Steinman for $250. Insurance for Dwelling House, Barn with shed adjoining and threshing machine, on Lot 18 NSR, Wilmot, October 25, 1854
6. Probate of the Last Will and Testament of Christian Steinman the Elder, deceased. Registered December 12, 1865, by A. Peterson, Registrar, Surrogate Court, County of Waterloo. (Christian Steinman the Elder passed away November 10, 1865.
7. Grant – John J. Strome, 50 Acres, Front, Lot 18, SSR, Wilmot, Gore District, August 22, 1835. Registered June 29, 1836, by D. McDougall, Registrar, County of Waterloo
8. Indenture (land sale), John J. Strome and wife, Catherine Strome to Nicholas Klein, shoemaker, of the 25 acres, East Half of the front fifty acres of Lot 18, SSR, Wilmot, County of Waterloo, District of Wellington, February 21, 1842. Payment of 30 pounds currency/or 75 pounds currency?
9. Indenture (land sale), John J. Strome and wife, Catherine Strome to Nicholas Kline, shoemaker, of the 50 acres, front quarter of Lot 18, SSR, Wilmot, County of Waterloo, District of Wellington, September 14, 1843. Payment of 187 pounds, 10 shillings, witnessed by Michael Myers and Henry Smith.
10. Agreement, Nicholas Klein to Christian Steinman, April 10, 1845, 200 acres, being Lot 18, SSR, Township of Wilmot, County of Waterloo, District of Wellington. Christian Steinman agrees to pay 437 pounds, 10 shillings, as follows: 37 pounds, 10 shillings on delivery of deed, and the residue in 8 equal yearly payments, all with interest, except the third bushel of wheat now growing on the premises for this year, and all the hay that grows in the back field.
11. Indenture (land sale) Nicholas Klein and wife Christina Klein to Christian Steinman the Elder, for the sum of six hundred dollars, of the front 50 acres of Lot 18, SSR, Township of Wilmot, excepting the Burial ground and school house site, which is already deeded from the said 50 acres, in the northwest corner.  January 5, 1860.
12. Deed of Land, June 7, 1886 (settlement of estate of Christian Steinman the Elder) by executors Christian Steinman the younger and Jacob Schwartzentruber Erb, Upon the death of the widow of Christian Steinman the Elder.  The executors witness the payment of $3500 by Daniel Steinman and therefore convey to him two hundred and thirty-three acres and one (?) and Eleven (?) which consists of 200 acres comprising lot 18 NSR, Township of Wilmot, and 33 acres, one (?) and Eleven (?) of the north quarter of Lot 18 SSR, reserving right of way as described in Deed from Christian Steinman the Elder, and also excepting about one half an acre already conveyed for a Burial Ground and school site situated on the north west corner of the lot.  Signed by Christian Steinman, Jacob S. Erb, Daniel Steinman.  June 7, 1886.
13. Transcriptions created by David Neufeld for documents #1, 3 and 7
14. Farm accounts, receipts and medicinal recipes kept by Daniel H. Steinman (grandson of Christian K. and Veronica Steinman), 1890-1914