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Bev Conquest PAGE B2 â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 1988 Chronicle Staff _ Abraham Erb founded Waterloo;, the first resident tax collector and businessman, he was involved in building the first school house and funding a bursary for students. â€"Calendar In 1806 Erb, 34, and his wife Magdelene moved from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to occupy lots #14 and #15. Erb‘s greatâ€"grandfather was a Mennonite who immigrated to America in 1722 due to religious persecuâ€" tion. It‘s said. they arrived at John Erb‘s farm by the mouth of the Speed River just in time for supper. John Erb, who had been in Canada for a year, urged his brother to sell his land; it was not considered valuable, as muck of it was lowâ€"lying cedar, swampy, marshy and uninviting. 7Erb1gn‘2)red his brother‘s advice and constructed a sawmill which used Beaver (now Laurel) Creek for Feb. 10 â€" 19: Artifact identification open house and display. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. 30 Dupont St., Waterloo. Sponsored by Planâ€" ning and Development Office, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and Regional archeologist Scarlett Janusas. Free. Friday, Feb. 12: Recognition reception for owners of designated heritage properties in Kitchâ€" ener. 11 a.m., Kitchener City Hall (by invitation). Sponsored by Kitchener LAâ€" CAC. Saturday, Feb. 13: Bus tour of historic homes and scenic countryside. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets $10, includes lunch at Doon Presbyterian The visions of Abraham Erhb The original part of this 176 year old building is the oldest existing residence built in Waterloo. It was built by Abraham Erb, the founc?er of our city who arrived here from Eancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1806. In 1857, when Waterloo was incorporated as a Village, this builtzn§ was the home of John Hoffman, who served on the first council. Later, Christian Kumpf acquired the house. He was Mayor of our city from 1879 to 1880. His son Ford Kum!::f was born in this house in 1877. As years passed, he became known as "Mr. Waterloo". He, together with all the owners 0 this building through the years,, made a %reat contribution to this community. The legacy handed down by the early owners of this iuflding helped to make Waterloo the fine city it is today. In January 1979, the Erbâ€"Kumpf house was acquired by its present owners and converted for use as a law office. We are proud to have the opportunity to be stewards of this fine heritage building. We are doubly proud to be able to serve the citizens of our community by providing counsel and advice as befits our honourable profession. Church. To order tickets: 741â€"2279 Beaux Arts Ball. 9 p.m. at the Seagram Museum. Sponsored by Waterloo Regionâ€" al Arts Council. Tickets $25; reserve by phoning 744â€"4552. Victorian winter frolic. 1â€"4:30 p.m. at Woodside National Historic Park, 528 Wellington St. N.. Kitchener. Hayrides, hot cider and high spirited outdoor activiâ€" ties. Free. Sunday, Feb. 14: Family history in Waterloo County. Guest speaker: Ryan Taylor. 2 p.m. Old School House, Wellesley. Sponsored by Wellesley Historical Society. Victorian winter frolic. See Feb. 13. Monday, Feb. 15: Doon Heritage Crossroads. Preview of the 1988 Doon travelling exhibit displays. Erhâ€"Kumpft Hause 172 King Street South, Waterloo waterâ€"power. In 1908 Erb began building his family home which stands today and has been historically designated gince 1979. When arriving in Waterloo, the story goes, the driver of Erb‘s wagon stuck his birch whip into the ground where it grew into a large tree. It is said that the tree was removed in 1957 from land then owned by Seagram‘s. The tree was behind the gristmill Erb constructed in 1816. At the corner of King and Erb streets, Union Mill was built of logs on a stone foundation. A large fireplace was built into the basement and wooden‘floors and furniture added. People bringing their grain to be ground would socialize and talk business. No other spots for recreation existed in the village at the time. â€" _ That year Erb named the settlement after a small Belgium town near where the Duke of Wellington ‘"Monday Evening with the Willowdale Band of Hope." Recreation of an 1870‘s Temperance meeting. Held in conjunction with gallery exhibit Not Just Bottles. 7:30 p.m. Joseph Schneider Haus, 466 Queen St. S., Kitchener. Tickets: $2, by phoning 742â€"7752. Wednesday, Feb. 17: Temperance Tea, plus a debate on "the evils of Demon Rum." Special guest: the Reverend M. Pending Doome. Held in conjunction with Not Just Bottles, current gallery exhibit. Joseph Schneider Haus, 466 Queen St. S. 2 p.m. Free. 1:30â€"4:30 p.m. Homer Watson Boulevard at Huron Road. Free. Dinner and tour of the restored Huether Hotel. 7 p.m. Diner‘s choice of food and ales. No reservations. Sponsored by North defeated Napoleon. Waterloo translates to "watery wood" or "wet pasture". â€" *A O O y 5 Particularly interested in education Erb tried to donate land for a school bhouse, but the township insisted on paying £5 for it. The rent and profits from adjacent land was be used to help needy children pay their tuition. In his will Erb left "$2,000 for the use of schools ... for the benefits of poor and needy children." Erb and his wife had one son, Benjamin, who died at age seven and they later adopted Barnabus Devitt and Rachel Winson. At age 57 Erb sold his mills and 240 acres of land to Jacob C. Snider. A year later on Sept. 6, 1830 he died. would grow and thrive Erb left behind a settlement that would become a city; he left behind the first school house and a historically important house. He left behind a community which Waterloo Branch, Architectural Conserâ€" vancy of Ontario. Thursday, Feb. 18: KPL Newcomers‘ Tour. Featuring the resources available at the Grace Schmidt Room of Local History. 7 p.m. at Kitchenâ€" er Public Library Main, 85 Queen St. N., Kitchener. Advance registration, phone 743â€"0271, ext. 254. Old fashioned sleigh ride. Heritage displays for viewing afterwards, at the Roseville Community Centre. 2:15 p.m. at Arnold Rife Farm, Regional Road #47, between Cecil Cornwall School and the RR. crossing. Everyone welcome. Sponâ€" sored by North Dunfries LACAC. Sunday, Feb. 21: