Henry Eidt Ratz was born April 30, 1877 in the Gads Hill area of Perth County, Ontario. He was the youngest of Henry and Christina (nee Eidt) Ratz's ten children. He was the mayor of Waterloo from 1935 to 1936, in addition to numerous terms as a Waterloo city councillor and Deputry Reeve, and as Warden for the County of Waterloo. Ratz married Margaret Hill and together they had two children: Gladys Ruby and Lloyd Henry. He died in 1954 and was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.