Florence Shantz

1892 - 1980  (88 years)

• Name	Florence Shantz
  Born	17 Mar 1892	Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Gender	Female
  Interesting	clothing
  Residence	1911	Philipsburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Mennonite
  Residence	1937	11 Stirling Ave., N., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Residence	1952	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-24155
  Died	17 Dec 1980	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Buried	Shantz Mennonite Cemetery, Wilmot Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Person ID	I24155	Generations
  Last Modified	28 Jan 2025

  
  

  Father	Wendel S. Shantz,   b. 4 May 1843, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1 Mar 1927, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Mary Ann Shantz,   b. 31 Jul 1846, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 13 Feb 1924  (Age 77 years)
  Married	28 Nov 1869	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4, 5, 6]
  Family ID	F4899	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  "Two sisters, Florence and Salina Shantz, also saw entrepreneurial opportunities in Berlin. Florence's specialty was bonnet making, a difficult skill to master. Bonnets were not easily mass produced, and making them by hand provided Mennonite women with a cottage industry opportunity of they were adept. The sisters had first moved to Kitchener from a farm near Philipsburg after their parents died. While renting an apartment, they slowly built up their dressmakers' business. In 1937, they were able to build their own house at 11 Stirling Avenue North, and ran the business from there. Salina and Florence might be making bonnets one day, and fancy wedding dresses for non-Mennonites the next. Younger relatives describe the sisters' home: 'They kept an immaculate house. No time was wasted chatting on the telephone. The newspaper was not opened until the day's work was completed and the house set in order. In spite of this, the nieces and nephews loved to go totheir aunts' house. It gave them a warm feeling'." Risk and Endurance: A History of Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church _______________ "Shantz, Florence, daughter of Wendell S. and Mary Ann Shantz, was born in Wilmot Twp., Ont., Mar. 16, 1892; died at K-W Hospital, Kitchener, Ont., Dec. 17, 1980; aged 88 y. She was the last surviving member of her family. She was preceded in death by 3 brothers (David Manassah, and Jeremiah), and 2 sisters (Veronica and Salina). She was a member of First Mennonite Church, where funeral services were held on Dec. 10, in charge of Glenn Brubacher; interment in Shantz Mennonite Cemetery. " Gospel Herald, Jan. 1981

  
  

• Sources

  [S133] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1901, Wilmot H-6 Page 2. [S346] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1911, Div. 10 Page 2. [S8] News - Gospel Herald, September 2, 1952 - Obituary of Veronica Shantz. [S10] Book - Vol II A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 391. [S8] News - Gospel Herald, March 17, 1927 - Obituary of Wendel S. Shantz. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 9 Dec 1869. Nov. 28, 1869 Marianna Schantz and Wendelinus Schantz, both of Wilmot Tp., by Rev. Hoelsche

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 17 Mar 1892 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1911 - Philipsburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1952 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 17 Dec 1980 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Shantz Mennonite Cemetery, Wilmot Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth