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.)