The beginning of Waterloo, Ontario all started with a few acres of swampy land purchased by Abraham Erb and his wife Magdalena. They traveled by an oxen driven wagon an entire month from their home in Pennsylvania to their newly purchased land in Upper Canada. Abraham was determined to make this land prosperous and in 1808 constructed a sawmill. In 1816, he once again had a brilliant idea and built a grist mill. In 1820, Abraham conveyed five acres of land to Abraham Erb and his wife Magdalena who were trustees of a common school district. A church and school were built on these five acres of land. From this time forward, the entire area began to bloom into what is known today as Waterloo, Ontario.