Valentine Reichert was born in Mönchzell, Germany in 1843 to parents Joseph (1812-1863) and Katherina (1815-1893). They had ten children together- the first six were born in Germany and the last four were born in Upper Canada: Charles (1836-1923), Elizabeth (1838-1928), Jacob (1839-1901), Catharine (1841-), Valentine (1842-1904), Johanna (1845-), Caroline (1850-1938), Joseph (1853-), Anna (1855-1950), and Veronica (1858-1947). They grew up in Waterloo where their father was working as a farmer. On the 1861 Census of Canada, Valentine and three of his siblings were attending school. Valentine’s father, Joseph, died in 1863 and shortly after the family was split up so that the mother, Katherina, could manage some of the children. Valentine began working as a carpenter and continued to live with his mother.

In 1880, Valentine purchased some land in Waterloo and moved in with his mother and three of his siblings. He was still working as a carpenter while his brother, Joseph, was working as a barber and his two sisters, Anna and Fanny, were dress makers.

 

Deed of Land; Source: Lynn Carrier

Deed of Land; Source: Kitchener Public Library Archives

 

Valentine was married in 1883 to Mary Stannard.

 

Valentine and Mary's Marriage Certificate; Source: ancestry.ca

Valentine and Mary’s Marriage Certificate; Source: ancestry.ca

 

It is uncertain of what Valentine and Mary’s lives together were like, but they did have two children together, Celia (1883-1971) and Charles (1885-). As Valentine’s health began to decline, Mary and their children left Valentine and immigrated to Michigan, USA in 1898. Valentine moved in with a family member in Woolwich and started working as an upholsterer. On December 9, 1903 he entered the Poorhouse as inmate #1757. He was listed as being sick. He stayed there until the summer when he died on August 7, 1904 from paralysis. His brother buried him in Martin’s Mennonite Cemetery in Waterloo beside his mother, Katherina.

 

Below is a photo of Mary, Valentine and their two children, Celia and Charles.

 

family-photo

Family Photo; Source: Kitchener Public Library Archives