"In 1847 a sixteen-year-old by the name of Johann Christoff Schneider left his home in a village near Baden, Germany to seek a better future in the new world. He landed in New York, and then made his way by rail and foot until he arrived at a little hamlet called Berlin in what was then called Canada West. Here, he found a bustling community of German speaking pioneers. Christoff, a carpenter by trade, found work in his field and in 1852 helped build the County Courthouse on Weber St.. By 1858, Christoff Schneider founded a building contracting business and was united in marriage with Anna Elisabeth Metz.

John Metz Schneider, the first of 9 children, was born in 1859. Contrary to what one might have expected, JM did not start out his working career as a sausage maker, rather he worked in a Berlin button factory. He and his family only started making sausages for sale utilizing a German home sausage recipe after an 1886 on-the-job injury temporarily prevented him from working at his factory job (there was no Workmen’s Compensation for injured workers then). When JM returned to his full time button factory job, the home sausage making continued on a part time basis after hours. What started as a part-time family enterprise soon grew into a full time occupation and J.M. Schneider Sausage Manufacturers came into being.

The rest is history.

Economically J.M. Schneider prospered and over a period of over 100 years J.M. Schneider’s Sausage makers grew into the giant Schneider Corporation that we know today.

The Schneider Family’s contributions to society however were not limited to the creation of a highly successful business. The Schneiders also contributed to society as city councilors, members of parliament, supporters of culture and music and as philanthropists.

Today on German Pioneers day we herald an outstanding German Pioneer family - The Schneiders.

I am pleased to introduce Herb and Betty Schneider who are accepting the German Heritage Pioneers award for 2002 on behalf of their family. Herb and Betty Schneider."