Rebstock, Builder of Crystal Beach, Dies in 89th Year
Bought Wastes in 1890 for Sand but Saw Possibilities; Developed Riverside Area
Pioneered Resort Area Along Canadian Shore
CRYSTAL BEACH, March 21 - The Man who transformed sandy wastes here into Buffalo’s Summer Playground died today at 88. He was John E. Rebstock, who envisioned the resort when he bought the land in 1890 to market the sand.
Death came in Douglas Memorial Hospital, Ft. Erie, after he had sacrificed his second leg in a vain attempt to hold onto life. One leg was amputated last September to stop the spread of a gangrenous infection. In spite of his advanced years and this physical handicap, years and his physical handicap, however, Mr. Rebstock remained active in his real estate business until he was taken to the hospital early last week. He was already planning his 52d Summer here.
DEVELOPED TONAWANDA STREET
Born in Black Rock of Parents who had emigrated from Germany with the Schoellkopfs. Mr. Rebstock saw that village’s possibilities before it was incorporated into Buffalo. He developed Tonawanda Street and the Riverside Park area.
In 1889 he became interested in the sandy stretches along Lake Erie’s Canadian Shore, desolate from Ft Erie all the way to Port Colborne. Mr. Rebstock chose a 100-acre stretch from the Humberstone Road to the lake. Its east and west boundaries and now Ridge and Oxford Roads, thus embracing almost all of the present resort’s cottage lands as well as its whole amusement and bathing area.
ORIGINALLY CAP GROUNDS
Associates like Buffalo Postmaster Oliver Jenkins, Mayor Erasmus C. Knight and Attorney Arthur W. Hickman and William Palmer, agreed with him that it was foolish to sell the sand for Buffalo needed a bathing spot.
So They Chartered a boat to Carry passengers from the foot of Main Street and improvised a dock here. There were few amusements.
As the popularity of the beach grew. Mr. Rebstock decided to lay it out as a cap meeting ground. He never dreamed that motorists would one day find its lanes narrow or cumbersome.
Ironically, it was the automobile which hurt Crystal Beach for, which the building of the Peace Bridge, Buffalo folk found a variety of bathing spots along the shore. Theretofore they had came almost entirely by boast and then only to this beach
SOLD OUT TO C. A. B.
In 1906 a typhoid attack laid Mr. Rebstock low, so he and his associates accepted the offer of Cleveland & Buffalo Transit Company interests for the beach. Mr. Rebstock retained a stock interest and kept title to most of the land for development purposes. When his health returned he bought further lands to extend Crystal Beach west to Schooley Road, then added Bay Beach.
Mr. Rebstock leaves his second wife, Mamie; two sons, Postmaster George J. Rebstock, who assisted him in the real estate business, and Walter J. Rebstock, builder here; two daughters, Mrs. Robert Teal of Ft. Erie North and Miss Thelma Rebstock, librarian in Bangor, Me., 12 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon in Dell’s Funeral Home, Ridgeway, the Rev. C. I. Poole of United Church officiating, Mr. Rebstock was a Mason.

from the Swan Collection of Aunt Minnie's (Swan) Sprague scrapbook marriages, obits, & etc. Swan Reunion

(I think that this is the man above)
United States Census, 1880
John E. Kebstock, birth: 1852 — New York, United States
residence: Buffalo, Erie, New York
spouse: Alice Kebstock