Joseph E. Schneider

Title: Joseph E. Schneider fonds

Dates of creation: 1848-1910

Physical description: 4 cm of textual records

Biographical sketch: Joseph E. Schneider was born in Berlin (Kitchener), Ontario in 1810; in 1834 he married Sarah Shantz (1816-1881). They moved to his father's homestead, now the Joseph Schneider Haus Museum and Gallery at 466 Queen Street S, Kitchener. He became a deacon at the Berlin Mennonite Church (now First Mennonite, Kitchener) in 1850. After the 1874 schism, he joined the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.

Custodial history: Donated to the Archives by J. Harold Sherk in 2008.

Scope and content: A ledger or account book with a handwritten inscription: Joseph E. Schneider’s Ledger bought Jan 17th 1848. It records the accounts for his sawmill, as well as services provided at cost to people in the community, e.g., sale of farm produce, labour, and rent of horses, oxen and equipment. The sawmill serviced a cross section of the Berlin community.  His largest customer was the John Hoffman Company, but he also had sizable accounts with village merchants, shoemakers, weavers/tailors, blacksmiths, coopers, tinsmiths and others. The accounts of sawmill transactions date to 1868 when its operation was handed over to his son, Samuel B. Schneider. Other accounts recorded include lists of goods at the time of his death in 1880 and that of his wife in 1881, lists of gifts made to their children, and accounts of other people’s estates for which Joseph E. was the executor. Accounts of his own estate were added after his death.

Notes: For photographs related to this family, search the Mennonite Archival Image Database.
 

File list:

1. Joseph E. Schneider ledger, 1846-1910