Erb, Albert Peter (1921-2013)

Albert Peter Erb: entrepreneur and local politician, was born at home on 6 October 1921 in the Village of Wellesley, Ontario, Canada to Menno O. Erb (21 March 1891-14 December 1955) and Salome Boshart Erb (3 December 1900-10 January 1970). Albert had one younger sister who died at birth. On 13 September 1944 he married Irene Lebold (10 December 1923- ); they had three children—Jim, Mary Jane and Mark. Albert Erb died at home in the now Town of Wellesley 21 May 2013 and was buried at the Erb Street Mennonite Church Cemetery in Waterloo, Ontario.

Albert’s parents were raised by Amish Mennonite parents on farms in the Poole, Ontario area. His grandfather, Christian O. Erb (1866-1950) started a blacksmith shop in the village of Wellesley to serve the members of the community. Eventually, both Christian’s son Menno and Albert began working in the shop. From shoeing horses, the blacksmith shop evolved into servicing farm machinery and eventually cars and trucks, a significant transition from the original roots.

After the death of Christian and Menno, Albert became the sole proprietor of Erb Farm Supply, selling and servicing Massey Ferguson farm equipment. Along with his wife Irene, Albert established a successful business and became known for his generosity to customers who were not always able to pay for the equipment they required. Many families have recounted receiving equipment such as tractors from Albert with no payment required until the "milk or egg" cheque arrived.

Albert served as a conscientious objector during World War II at the French River in Northern Ontario and then on a farm in the Chatham area. He was a very active member of his community and church. In his youth and young adult years, he was a member of Maple View Mennonite Church near Wellesley, however after his marriage to Irene, the family attended Erb Street Mennonite Church for the remainder of his life. Albert assumed many leadership roles at Erb Street, including chair of church council and eventually chaired an ad hoc committee for the installation of an organ.

He was a member of council for the Village of Wellesley for 17 consecutive years and after the formation of the Region of Waterloo, was Mayor of the Township of Wellesley and a member of Waterloo Regional Council for 11 years, for a combined total of 28 years. As mayor, he served on many community boards including the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA). In recognition of his work on the GRCA and his commitment to the restoration of the Wellesley pond, the park area around the pond was named the Albert Erb Conservation Area.

Bibliography

“Albert Peter Erb.” Ezra Eby Revived!. 6 October 2013. Web. 23 November 2019. http://www.ezraeeby.com/getperson.php?personID=I119395&tree=mennonite.

“Obituary for Albert Erb.” Futher-Franklin Funeral Home. 22 May 2013. Web. 23 November 2019. https://www.futher-franklinfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Albert-Erb/#!/Obituary.

Author(s)	Jim Erb
Date Published	November 2019

Cite This Article

MLA style

Erb, Jim. "Erb, Albert Peter (1921-2013)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2019. Web. 18 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Erb,_Albert_Peter_(1921-2013)&oldid=166179.

APA style

Erb, Jim. (November 2019). Erb, Albert Peter (1921-2013). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Erb,_Albert_Peter_(1921-2013)&oldid=166179.

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