Lenice John Gies and Lena Anna Hintz Ancestry

Did you know that John Hintz spoke to Prince Arthur (the Duke of Connaught, son of Queen Victoria)?

In 1914, the Duke (Canada's Govenor General) was in Berlin (Ontario) and planted a suger maple sapling next to Queen Victoria's monument. Before the planting, he recognized the service medals proudly worn by Park Caretaker John Hintz and spoke to John in German. John spontaneously proclaimed these words (in german):

"In my right hand this tree is held whilst your Royal Highness plants it in honor of our King George in memory of our beloved Queen Victoria and in honor of Canada."

In 1999, the sugar maple tree was replaced. During the ceremony, many Hintz descedents were present. Aunt Pat read the same words John had said in 1914.

Personal Narrative from Pat Krajaefski

    Born in 1848, John Hintz served in the Prussian army.  He married his first wife, Augusta Trojan, and had two sons, Rudoph (2 years) and Herman who was less than one year old, when they came to Canada in 1872.  When I was young, he told me he had been a shepherd boy in Dormstadt, Germany.  He became a naturalized Canadian in 1875.  They had three more children, Emil, John and Augusta.  Augusta married Henry Heer.   There is a John Hintz on the Passenger list 1871 - destination Philadelphia.

    His parents, Joseph and Caroline Hintz, and sisters came to Canada as well and perhaps a brother.   When my Mother (Lena) was very young, she was scalded on the top of her head with hot jam and she recalled that her grandfather (Joseph) had 'charmed' her by chanting and the pain left her immediately.  I believe it was called Black Forest magic.  She claimed she had a tender spot on the top of her head all her life - but always remembered the excrutiating pain miraculously left her as if by magic.  Mother also spoke of one of Grampa John's sisters who lived upstairs in the King Street house - calling her Auntie Shilling.  I believe her name was Kate.  She had also been married to a Schultz.   I think she had five sons and four daughters.  She was born July 4, 1844 in Germany.  Joseph died on January 1, 1910 in Canada in his 94th year. (Kristi's add: John's sister Caroline Kadelina Kate Hintz married 1. Herman Trojahn, 2. Carl Schilling, 3. Ferdanand Schultz)

    In Canada, John Hintz was a market gardener-florist.  At one time he had a farm and greenhouse in the vicinity of K-W Hospital near Park and Green Streets.  Their home was at 20 Park Street  in 1911.  Later they lived on King Street  near Agnes Street.  I believe Grampa's sister lived upstairs and stayed on there when Grampa  built a new home at 145 Benton Street. Since Mother (Lena) lived in all three of those locations, he may have lived elsewhere when he first came to Canada, during the years that Emil, John and Augusta were born to John and Augusta nee Trojan.

    Grampa's first wife died on November 18, 1886, at the age of 50.  Elizabeth Stieler was employed to tend her in her illness and care for his family. Elizabeth had arrived in Canada in 1885 along with two brothers and two sisters.  She was 21 years old.  Her father had been a tax collector in Schwatz Krieg, Alesfelt, Germany.  Seven or eight siblings remained in Germany.  Elizabeth  married John in 1887.  They subsequently had four sons and four daughters, Bill, Albert, Oscar, Otto, Elsie, Ida, Lena and Emmaline.  Grandma's parents were Johannes Stieler and Elizabeth Eiflander.  Johannes first wife was a Habermehl.  

    For many years, John Hintz attended Kitchener Farmers' Market, having a stand near the Frederick Street entrance.  Mother also recalled that they owned a horse-drawn surrey with a fringed top.  Her seat was behind the horse and she was not  happy sitting there.

    Grampa later worked as a gardener at Victoria Park and tended the flower beds for Harry Brown of Kitchener Collegiate at his home on Benton Street.  He always had a hot bed for young plants in his small backyard and lilacs, orange blossoms and bridal wreath on his front lawn.

    My memories of Grampa John are of his later years when he was retired.  He sat in his rocker, singing hymns in German.  He carried sticky, fuzzy humbugs in his pockets which he delighted in giving to us but which Grandma quickly replaced with a gingersnap or other goody.  

    Grampa John Hintz was born in Preissen, Germany on February 11, 1848 and died December 27, 1937 of pneumonia.  I remember seeing him in the big bed in his bedroom - he looked so small and weak.  That was probably just hours before he died at the age of 89, less than two months before his ninetieth birthday.

    Grandma Elizabeth Hintz died on May 3, 1958 at the age of 94.  She apparently collapsed and died as she was pulling down the shades in her living room before going upstairs to retire for the night.  Her eldest son, Bill, found  her the next morning when he made his regular morning visit.
 
From a local newspaper - July 1914:
"LOOKING BETTER
    Mr. John Hintz, caretaker of the park shrubs and trees, is busy doing the summer pruning, that means fine bushy shrubs next year.  John has had many years of experience in this work and while this is but his second year on the park staff the results of his handiwork are already in evidence in the improved appearance of the trees and shrubs at Victoria Park."