B.: 1860 D.: 1939
Married: Elizabeth (Eliza) Jane Elsley
Jacob Uffelman was born in Breslau in 1860. When in his teens he worked the Shuh and Snider store in the Commercial Block. Later he spent some time in a grocery store in St. Jacobs. In 1891 he had the opportunity to buy the store and stock of Shuh and Snider who had been his earlier employers. In 1901 he bought the Ontario Seed Company from Otto Herrold and turned the management of the store over to his sons. In 1911 Uffelman began expanding the seed farm out on Moore Ave and started making a name for himself. Business grew and the Ontario Seed Company became important for growers and gardeners in the area and beyond. The Ontario Seed Company still has a strong business today and is still owned by descendants of Jacob Uffelman. Jacob built a large brick family home at Allen St. and Moore Ave. Just up the street (later called Devitt St N), in the 1920s, he established the Silverthreads Sauerkraut Company that made this delicacy that was consumed locally and was shipped in barrels across Canada. He was interested in local politics, serving for some years as Councillor and in 1904-05 was Waterloo Town Mayor.
Sources:
1. Marg Rowell et al, Welcome to Waterloo.
2. Saengerfest Souvenier Programme, Town of Waterloo, 1902.
3. Waterloo Mt. Hope Cemetery Records.
Jacob Uffelman Biography
Description
- Creator
- Little, Ellis, Author
- Media Type
- Text
- Item Type
- Articles
- Description
- This is a handwritten biography of Jacob Uffelman from the Ellis Little Papers. This biography has been transcribed exactly as written. Ellis Little was a local historian, who was the principal of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School.On his retirement, he invested much of his time in researching and writing about Waterloo's history. The Ellis Little Papers consist of extensive notes, papers and historical works.
- Notes
- Please scroll to the bottom of the page to see the transcribed text. To see the original document, please visit the Ellis Little Local History Room at the Main Branch of the Waterloo Public Library.
- Date Of Event
- 1860-1939
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Uffelman, Jacob ; Elsley, Eliza ; Elsley, Elizabeth ; Uffelman, Elizabeth ; Herrold, Otto ; Herold, Otto
- Corporate Name(s)
- Ontario Seed Company ; Silverthreads Sauerkraut Company
- Local identifier
- ELP 51.224
- Collection
- Ellis Little Papers: Men and Women of Our Past
- Language of Item
- English
- Copyright Statement
- To obtain a copy of this item and for terms of use please contact the Waterloo Public Library.
- Location of Original
- Ellis Little Papers
- Contact
- Waterloo Public LibraryEmail:askus@wpl.ca
Website:
Agency street/mail address:35 Albert Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 5E2
- Full Text
