Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of Essex, J. H. Beers & Co., Toronto, 1905, p. 85-87:
Rev. Alexander Scratch (Kratz), a retired minister of the Methodist Church, a direct descendant of one of the pioneer families of Essex County, and one of the most highly revered citizens of Leamington, was born in Gosfield township, Essex, July 18, 1826, son of Henry and Isabella (Wilkinson) Scratch.
The name of Scratch is a corruption of Kratz, the change being of comparatively recent date...
On Feb. 14, 1756, at Teutonhoofer, was born Leonhard Kratz... in 1776, at the age of twenty, he was a soldier in an army that came to America from Germany to help England quell the rebellion of her Colonies... In 1792, the Governor of Canada having offered grants of land to the U. E. Loyalists and other who had assisted Great Britain in the war, Leonhard Kratz and his family again became subject to the British King. The lot given him was No. 9, in Gosfield township, County of Essex, Ont., containing 200 acres, and this he exchanged with an old German for Lot No. 2, later purchasing No. 9, thus becoming the owner of 400 acres...
To Leonhard and Mary (Munger) Kratz were born the following children, eleven in all: ... Henry, born in Gosfield, April 5, 1797, is mentioned below...
Henry Scratch (Kratz) was born in Gosfield township, April 5, 1797, and his entire life was passed in his native township. For some years he was successfully engaged in the practice of medicine. In 1818 he joined the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and in 1847 he was ordained a Methodist minister. He was greatly beloved in the community, and he died universally regretted, Jan. 23, 1861. In Colchester, in 1817, he married Isabella Wilkinson, who was born May 25, 1798, daughter of John Wilkinson, a native of County Derry, Ireland, who came to Malden township in 1801, and died that fall. To Henry and Mrs. Scratch were born children as follows: (1) Peter, born May 6, 1818, married Sept. 11, 1838, Mary Lytle, who was born July 3, 1820, and died Nov. 28, 1854. Their five children were, Henry, Elizabeth, Nicholas, Thomas and Theodore. (2) Mary Ann, born April 3, 1820, in Gosfield, married there, Sept. 5, 1838, Thomas Govereau, born in Amherstburg April 19, 1815. Their nine children were Melissa, Peter, Hester (who died at the age of eight years), Clarissa, Lewis, Alexander, Sylvester (who died at the age of four years), Mary and Arthur. (3) John, born March 2, 1822, married (first) Harriet Randall, and (second) Sarah Wright, and had six children, Benjamin, Darius, Mary Ann, Martha, Alexander and Sarah. (4) William, born March 20, 1824, married Charlotte McDonald, and had seven children, Lucy, Viola, Floretta, Almeron, Arnold, Estelle and Henry. (5) Alexander is referred to farther on. (6) Clarissa, born May 10, 1828, married June 4, 1848, Joshua Adams, who is mentioned elsewhere, and had three children, Isabella, Mary and Hester. (7) Melissa died at the age of six years. (8) Edgerton, born July 31, 1834, married May 12, 1854, Jane Cowan.
Alexander Scratch (Kratz) was born July 18, 1826. The common schools afforded him a substantial foundation for his future attainments, and he enjoyed also a period of study under Col. King, a noted educator of that time, residing in what is now Kingsville. His school days ended, he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. Reared in a Christian home, he early gave himself to the services of his Master. In 1871, after sixteen years as a local preacher, he regularly entered the ministry. His first charge was the Rondeau circuit in the County of Kent, from which he was transferred to Fort Erie, Ont., whence after two years he was sent to Vienna, County of Elgin. Three years of faithful labor there ended with his appointment to Sweaburg, County of Oxford, where he remained a like period. One year more in Vienna and then his appointments, in order, were: Embro and Thamesford, County of Oxford, three years; Durham, two years; Salem, County of Bruce, three years; Everton, County of Wellington, one year; and Mildmay, County of Bruce, one year, thus completing forty years of faithful and devoted work in the Lord's vineyard - twenty-four years of reguarly ordained ministry, and sixteen in local preaching. Earnest himself, he was gifted with the eloquence that comes from true love and sincere faith, and from an inborn knowledge of his subject. In his own daily life he has followed, as best he knows, the teachings of the Nazarene, and through his efforts and the force of his noble example and self-sacrifice many have been brought to Christ. In June, 1895, he was superannuated, and located in Leamington. There, with his beloved wife, he is now passing the evening of his life in rest and comfort, and although now in his seventy-ninth year he is still active, and ever ready when called upon to labor in the cause he loves so well.
In February, 1847, Rev. Alexander Scratch was married to Ann L. Adams, who was born in Colchester township June 1, 1828. Five children came to bless their home: (1) Salonis, born Nov. 19, 1847, married Alice Jane Cowan, who died Aug. 6, 1899. They had two children, one now deceased, and Elmer, living. (2) Matthew M., born Aug. 8, 1849, married Eliza French, and they have seven children, Alexander, Edmond, Lucy, Howard, Alvin, Florence and Reneldo. (3) Edgerton, born March 17, 1851, married Jane Jeffries, and had nine children. (4) Joshua, born Aug. 29, 1853, died the following November. (5) Priscilla Ann, born Aug. 3, 1856, married Joseph Craddock, and has fourteen children living; several are deceased.
Mrs. Scratch proved herself an ideal minister's wife, assisting her husband ably and energetically in his material and spiritual duties. As a sound theologian, she was often able to help him on difficult subjects. She has long been an efficient Sunday-school teacher, and has often served as superintendent of the Sunday-school.
Isabella
Wilkinson
Peter Scratch 1818-
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