Manasseh Fretz
ID # 8473, (1828-1905)
| Father | David Fretz (1799-1869) |
| Mother | Elizabeth Rittenhouse (1804-1871) |
| Birth | Manasseh Fretz was born on 5 October 1828 at Louth Township, Niagara District, Upper Canada. |
| Marriage | He married Mary Reesor on 14 October 1851 at Markham Township, Home District. MS248 reel 2, Vol. 12, page 156 Home District Marriage Register One marriage reported by Mennonist clergyman Jacob Grove I do hereby certify that on the 14 Day of October, in the year of our Lord, 1851, Manasseh Fredy of the township of Louds (Louth), Niagery District (Niagara District) and Mary Reesor of the Township of Markham, Home District, were married by me Jacob Grove, a minister of the Mennonist Church in Canada in the presence of John Reesor and Peter Reesor, which said marriaged was solemnized by publication of bands. Dated this 7 day of October, 1851. As will be noticed the marriage was on the 14th and the clergyman dates the marriage the 7th. His error? The recording clerk's error? Anything's possible, but it was probably returned on the 7th of November. Also, District marriage do not typically record the location of the marriage, but it seems safe to say that this was held in Markham Township. |
| Death | He died on 5 September 1905 at Louth Township, Lincoln Co., Ontario, at age 76. |
| Burial | He was buried at Cedar Grove Mennonite Cemetery, Markham, York Co.. |
| Note | Manasseh Fretz's date of birth is to be found on what we must believe to be his entry in the 1901 census in Louth Township, Lincoln County. He is shown with his sister, Hannah Overholt. The enumerator shows his name as Overholt, but also tells that he is Hannah's brother. Overholt his surname surely isn't. Manasseh died in Louth Township in 1905 (the name of the informant, Hansel Albion, is no help), on September 5, 1905. Manasseh was buried with his wife in Cedar Grove Mennonite Cemetery in Markham Township and the York County branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society provides a transcription of his gravestone. This simply says that he died on September 5, 1905, at the age of 76 years and 11 months. Such a statement of age might be taken as a generality and not specific to the day, but, since the 1901 census does state his birth date to be October 5, 1828, we may take it as accurate. Ancestry has a database, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. Vital Records, 1759-2014, which is a series of filing cards. The card for 'Manassah' quotes his dates of birth and death which is evidently extracted from a periodical which is abbreviated HT (Herald of Truth, Elkhart, Indiana, page 304, edition of September 21, 1905).. His surname error in the 1901 census aside, this does have the look of accuracy. The filing card refers to the cemetery as the Cedar Grove Burying Ground (a bit abbreviated). An examination of the OGS transcription makes it clear that the grave of Manasseh and Mary is in a Reesor family burying plot. This does not make it clear as to who were Mary's parents. There probably are some siblings in the plot. Death reg. 016977-05 Louth Twp., Lincoln Co. Manasseh Fretz died September 5, 1905, age 76 yrs. and 11 months. Residence Township of Louth. Farmer. Born Twp. of Louth. Mennonite. Physician Dr. A. H. Addy. Informant Hansel Albion. The obituary in the Herald of Truth locates his death to Jordan Harbour in Lincoln County. This will be a postal address. The page with Manasseh's registration does identify one decendent as being residence in the Village of Jordan Harbour, but all other persons were resident in Louth Township, including Manasseh. The obituary records two services for Manasseh. One was held at Vineland M. H. (Mennonite hall?) and the other at Cedargrove. The date of his burial is not recorded. |
| Last Edited | 21 Jan 2021 |