Benjamin B Eby

Benjamin B. Eby, born in Berlin (name changed to Kitchener in 1917), Waterloo County, Ontario, was the only child of Daniel and Delilah Eby. Daniel, son of John Eby (1737-1794) and Rebecca Hershey, was born in Lititz, Lancaster County, PA in January 1773. It is written in the Eby book that Daniel, with other relatives, moved from PA to Berlin in Ontario, Canada in 1807 and reportedly lived there with his cousin, Benjamin Eby. In 1809 Daniel married Catherine Brech (died ca1815) and had two daughters, Susannah and Rebecca. In Oct. 1817 Daniel went to PA to visit relatives. While there he met Delilah Moxley (April 1779-June 25, 1842), native of VA, a widow with six Moxley children: William, Samuel, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah and Orlando Henry. Daniel and Delilah were married in Jan. 1818 in McClellandtown, PA. The couple, along with the six Moxley children, moved to his Berlin home in Ontario. Daniel returned to PA to again visit relatives and died there Nov. 20, 1820. Delilah remained in Waterloo Township. She was buried in the First Mennonite Church Cemetery, King St., Kitchener.

Benjamin B. was raised by his widowed mother. Like other members of his family, he became a carpenter. His first marriage in 1846, in Berlin, was to Sarah Smith. She died soon after on Jan. 2, 1847 of smallpox, aged 18 years, 8 months and 14 days and was buried near Delilah Moxley Eby and other members of the family in the First Mennonite Church Cemetery. They had no known children.

After her death, Benjamin B. left Berlin and went to Stratford and Hamilton in Ontario for short stays and then moved to Wheeling, West Virginia where on Jan. 18, 1848 he married Susan E. Watkins (June 29, 1829-Mar. 5, 1885) native of Guernsey County, OH. They became the parents of eight children, but only two would survive to adulthood.

The Ebys remained in WV for a year or two. By 1851 they were living in Louisville, KY. Susan died there of pneumonia. Benjamin's death was attributed to asthma though old age was likely a contributing factor. He was predeceased by his wife and all eight of their children and survived only by two grandchildren who by this time were orphans themselves. He made provisions in his will for their upbringing.

All family members were buried in the Eby plot in Eastern Cemetery.

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Benjamin B. Eby, "was born December 24th, 1819, and was married to Sarah Smith who died of small-pox, January 2nd, 1847, aged 18 years, 8 months and 14 days. After the death of his wife he left Berlin, Ontario, and went to Stratford, Ontario, thence to Hamilton, Ontario. From Hamilton he went to Wheeling, West Virginia, where, January 18th, 1848, he married a second time. His second wife's name was Susan Watkins, born June 29th, 1829, in Guernsey County, Ohio, and died March 7th, 1885. They had a family of eight children, namely: Sarah C. (dead), Leander, (dead), Charles H. (dead), Annie (dead), Benjamin F. (dead), Alice E. (dead), Charles O.(dead), and Lee Hampton who resides in Wheeling. All the named children, with the exception of Sarah Cordelia who was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, were born in Louisville, Kentucky. Benjamin Franklin Eby, the third son of the family, was married to Mary Della Townsend, and at his death left a family of three children, namely: Daisy Adams, Robert Lee, and Irene."1a

1aThe Biographical History of Waterloo Township, by Ezra Eby

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Benjamin B. Eby, born in Berlin (name changed to Kitchener in 1917), Waterloo County, Ontario, was the only child of Daniel and Delilah Eby. Daniel, son of John Eby (1737-1794) and Rebecca Hershey, was born in Lititz, Lancaster County, PA in January 1773. It is written in the Eby book that Daniel, with other relatives, moved from PA to Berlin in Ontario, Canada in 1807 and reportedly lived there with his cousin, Benjamin Eby. In 1809 Daniel married Catherine Brech (died ca1815) and had two daughters, Susannah and Rebecca. In Oct. 1817 Daniel went to PA to visit relatives. While there he met Delilah Moxley (April 1779-June 25, 1842), native of VA, a widow with six Moxley children: William, Samuel, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah and Orlando Henry. Daniel and Delilah were married in Jan. 1818 in McClellandtown, PA. The couple, along with the six Moxley children, moved to his Berlin home in Ontario. Daniel returned to PA to again visit relatives and died there Nov. 20, 1820. Delilah remained in Waterloo Township. She was buried in the First Mennonite Church Cemetery, King St., Kitchener.

Benjamin B. was raised by his widowed mother. Like other members of his family, he became a carpenter. His first marriage in 1846, in Berlin, was to Sarah Smith. She died soon after on Jan. 2, 1847 of smallpox, aged 18 years, 8 months and 14 days and was buried near Delilah Moxley Eby and other members of the family in the First Mennonite Church Cemetery. They had no known children.

After her death, Benjamin B. left Berlin and went to Stratford and Hamilton in Ontario for short stays and then moved to Wheeling, West Virginia where on Jan. 18, 1848 he married Susan E. Watkins (June 29, 1829-Mar. 5, 1885) native of Guernsey County, OH. They became the parents of eight children, but only two would survive to adulthood.

The Ebys remained in WV for a year or two. By 1851 they were living in Louisville, KY. Susan died there of pneumonia. Benjamin's death was attributed to asthma though old age was likely a contributing factor. He was predeceased by his wife and all eight of their children and survived only by two grandchildren who by this time were orphans themselves. He made provisions in his will for their upbringing.

All family members were buried in the Eby plot in Eastern Cemetery.

(Tombstone photos supplied by Bobby Hunt, Louisville, KY.)

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 18 2016, 0:09:36 UTC