Elisabeth Centgraf^{[1, 2]}

1845 - 1918  (72 years)

• Name	Elisabeth Centgraf
  Born	7 Jul 1845	, Saxony, Germany   [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
  Gender	Female
  Burial	Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/232582430
  Immigration	1855	, Canada   [3]
  Residence	1861	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  Residence	1861	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  Residence	1861	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Lutheran
  Residence	1871	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Lutheran
  Retired	1901	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  House of Industry and Refuge	1918	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  		HouseofIndustryandRefugeca1869.JPG The House of Industry and Refuge. In 1868, 141 acres was purchased on Frederick Street in Berlin (now Kitchener) and the house opened on June 15, 1869. The original building housed 100 and operated as an industrial farm, which raised crops and livestock. The residents worked for their keep if possible, those most did not. The House eventually became a strictly a residence of the aged and later relocated and renamed Sunnyside.
  Name	Elisabeth Schoenau
  Name	Elizabeth Gentgrof
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-118159
  Died	2 Jun 1918	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5, 10]
  	Cause: Cause: Old Age with Heart Failure
  Buried	Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5, 6]
  Person ID	I118159	Generations
  Last Modified	17 Feb 2026

  
  

  Father	Johann Christian "John" Centgraf,   b. CALC 6 Sep 1816, , Saxony, Germany ,   d. 8 Jun 1897, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 80 years)
  Mother	Sophia Werner,   b. Abt 1818, Of, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Bef 1861  (Age ~ 42 years)
  Family ID	F251214	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Christian Schoenau,   b. 1835, Tretflugger, Baden, Germany ,   d. 21 Feb 1878, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 43 years)
  Married	9 Jun 1861	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7, 9]
  Children	1. Anna Magdalene Schoenau,   b. 29 Apr 1861, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Jacob John Schoenau,   b. 16 Aug 1863, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 18 Oct 1940, Oshawa, Durham County, Ontario, Canada  (Age 77 years)   3. Albert Christian Schoneau,   b. 6 Jul 1865, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 12 Feb 1957, San Leandro, Alameda, California, United States  (Age 91 years)   4. Mary Schoneau,   b. 1868, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   5. Pauline Henrietta "Polly" Schoneau,   b. 25 Nov 1868, Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 30 Sep 1938, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 69 years)   6. William Henry Schoenau,   b. 2 Apr 1870, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 8 Nov 1935, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 65 years)   7. Edward H. Schoenau,   b. 4 Feb 1872, Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   8. Mary Auguste Schoenau,   b. 28 Sep 1874, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1 Jun 1899, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 24 years)   9. Caroline Mina "Carrie" Schoenau,   b. 5 Feb 1877, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 22 Jul 1923, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 46 years)
  Last Modified	24 Feb 2026
  Family ID	F46476	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Children	1. Norman Charles Schoenau,   b. 2 Oct 1881, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1 Sep 1972, Trail, British Columbia  (Age 90 years)
  Last Modified	24 Feb 2026
  Family ID	F59948	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Centrgraf-Elizabeth-1845-1918-001-AncestryPublicMemberTree.jpg Elizabeth Centgraf - Ancestry Public Member Tree

  
  

• Notes

  "Elizabeth lived with her daughter Pauline and Son in Law Jake. Her granddaughter Grace says Grandma Schoenau wanted to live at the House of Refuge. She insisted on going there and died within a week of arrival there. _________ Declared by Grace Hall (granddaughter) Elizabeth was a tempermental women, given to petty jealousies. Did not get along well with Susannah Rosenberger. Always cross with the children. Liked to tell stories, though Grace is not sure just how true they were" as per Jan Bird tree

  
  

• Sources

  [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 019187-05. Norman Charles Schoenau, 23, Occ. Moulder, b. Preston, Res. Preston, son of C. Schoenau & E. Sentgraf married Alma Wildfong, 19, b. Strasburg Waterloo Co., Res. Doon, daughter of A. Wildfong & W. Badtke, Witn: Ervin Wildfong & Pearl Near Both of Doon, 11 January 1905 in Preston. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 011734-85. Albert Schonaur, 21, occ. Painter, b. Preston Ont, res. Same, son of Christian and Elizabeth Schonaur, Married Elize Seibert, 18, b. Wilmot Waterloo Co, res. Preston Ont, daughter of Ludwig and Christine Seibert; Witnesses Carl Sturmer, Edward Bernhardt, of Preston. 5 Aug 1885 at Preston. [S204] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1901, Preston (Village) F-1 Page 5. [S269] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1871, Div. 1, Pg. 29. [S1848] House of Industry and Refuge Burial Register - Kitchener, Pg 19. Elizabeth Schorman Died: 02 Jun 1818 Aged 75 Cause: Epileptic Fits Comment and Remarks: Ed Lippert Buried by friends, Mt. Hope [S239] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Preston CC#6335 Cemetery Internet Link . Christian Schoenau/ 1835 - 1878/ His Wife/ Elizabeth Gentgrof/ 1845 - 1918. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register, Christian Schenau, 26, res. Preston, b. Tretflugger Baden, son of Jacob and Rosina (Kinsel), married 9 June 1861 Elizabeth Centgroff, 17, res. Preston, b. Saxony, daughter of Johann and Sophia. [S894] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1861, Sect. 11 Page 77. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 27 Jun 1861. June 9, 1861 Christian Schenau and Elisabeth Centgraf, both of Preston, by Rev. Wurster in Preston [S116] Vit - ON - Death Registration. Name:Elizabeth Schoenan Gender:Female Birth Year:abt 1873 Birth Place:Germany Age at Death:45 Death Date:2 Jun 1918 Death Place:Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 7 Jul 1845 - , Saxony, Germany Burial - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Immigration - 1855 - , Canada Residence - 1861 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1861 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Lutheran - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 9 Jun 1861 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Lutheran - 1871 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Retired - 1901 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada House of Industry and Refuge - 1918 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: Cause: Old Age with Heart Failure - 2 Jun 1918 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth