Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.
Dr. Carl Heinrich "Charles" Ahrens

Dr. Carl Heinrich "Charles" Ahrens

Male 1862 - 1936  (74 years)

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  • Name Carl Heinrich "Charles" Ahrens 
    Prefix Dr. 
    Born 15 Feb 1862  Winfield, Peel Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4
    Birth 22 Feb 1862  Winfield, Peel Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Christened 25 May 1862  Church Of New Jerusalem, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Male 
    Occupation 1886  Nebraska City, Otoe, Nebraska, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    surgeon dentist 
    Artifact CA 1910 
    "The Indian Camp" 
    The Indian Camp
    The Indian Camp
    Died 27 Feb 1936  Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Cause: chronic degenerative myocarditis, & tuberculosis hip disease & cerebral thrombosis 
    Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region Bef 2012  , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Name Carl Henry Ahrens 
    Name Charles Henry Ahrens 
    Occupation artist 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-46864 
    Buried Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto, York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I46864  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Father Herman Frederick Ahrens,   b. 27 Sep 1837, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Jul 1875, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 37 years) 
    Mother Isabella Penelope Laird,   b. 21 May 1841, Grange, Banffshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married 25 Dec 1860  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6, 7, 8
    Family ID F8763  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Martha Elizabeth "Madonna" Niles,   b. 14 Oct 1882, Philmont, Columbia, New York, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Jan 1976, San Clemente, Orange, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 93 years) 
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F33113  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Emily Marion Carroll,   b. 1861, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married 25 Aug 1886  Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F41685  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Carl August Ahrens
    Carl August Ahrens
    Carl Henry Ahrens
    Carl Henry Ahrens
    Carl Ahrens
    Carl Ahrens
    Ahrens,Carl-SaturdayNightMagazine7May1927review.jpg
    Ahrens,Carl-SaturdayNightMagazine7May1927review.jpg

  • Notes 
    • "Carl Ahrens was born in Winfield, near Elora, Ontario. He moved to Berlin, Ontario where he attended school until his father's death in 1875. He later lived in Winnipeg and travelled extensively in the American and Canadian west. Returning to Berlin, he worked as a dyer in a button factory, where he began his mastery of colour. In his early twenties he began to paint from his Toronto studio. His first exhibition was at the Ontario Society of Artists in 1889. In 1891 he was elected associate painter of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. He later studied painting and sculpture in New York. From 1900 to 1902, Ahrens lived in New York State where he helped to start the Roycroft pottery. In 1922, after a sojourn of several years in the U.S., he and his family moved back to Toronto, and soon after settled in a farmhouse near Galt, Ontario, which Carl named "Big Trees". Here he painted and taught, often entertaining Homer Watson, a lifelong friend. A childhood bout of tuberculosis in the hip left him an invalid in his later years, although he continued to paint until his death in 1936 at the age of 73"


      Waterloo Region Hall of Fame

      _____________________

      Personals

      Carl Ahrens, the artist, of Toronto, has taken up his abode at Doon, where he thinks of remaining. He is much improved in health and a corresponding increase of vigor and dash is noticeable in his work. His pictures have been winning much attention of late and a number of them go to the World's Fair [Chicago] In Doon, Mr Ahrens will find a genial comrade in Mr. Homer Watson, and many picturesque spots in that vicinity from which he can draw inspiration for his brush. Mr. Ahrens is one of the best story tellers one could wish to meet.


      The Berlin Daily Record 26 Apr 1893

      ______________________________

      The Old Story

      Says the Chicago Canadian American: - "Doctor C. A. Ahrens, a rising young dentist of Nebraska city, Neb., and an old Berlin, Ont., boy, a few days ago did what thousands of other young Canadian Americans have done \endash went across the line and took unto himself a life companion in the person of Miss Emily Carroll, of Toronto. Mr. and Mrs. Ahrens passed through Chicago last week en route to their western home, where we trust every happiness will attend them."

      Galt Reporter Sep 17 1886 pg 1

      __________________


      Here is a list of his children with Emily Carroll

      Carl Herman Ahrens born 23 Sept. 1887 in Nebraska (Christening records) and died 18 March 1960 in Rochester, NY (Social Security Death records)

      Robert Laird Ahrens - born 20 Nov. 1888 in Toronto (Christening records), died June 1969 in Florida (Social Security Records)

      Rosa Pauline Grier Ahrens - born 7 June 1892 in Toronto (Christening records) unsure of when she died.

      List of children with Martha Niles

      He married Martha Niles (my great grandmother) on October 10, 1906 in San Francisco, CA according to her repatriation papers after his death.

      Laird Joseph Ahrens born 18 November 1906 in Corte Madera, CA (according to Martha's memoirs) and died on 5 April 1986 in Mayfield, Michigan (Social Security Death Index)

      Penelope Elizabeth Ahrens born 8 April 1908 in Meadowvale, Ontario and died December 12 1910 in Toronto (death records)

      Sigrid Diane Ahrens - born 5 Jan 1911 in Toronto (according to Martha's memoirs) and died 13 October 1998 in White Rock, British Columbia (according to her children)

      Chloris Ahrens (my grandmother) born 2 August 1912 in Lambton Mills, Ontario (birth certificate) and died 21 July 1982 in Santa Monica, CA (death cert)


      Kim Bullock

  • Sources 
    1. [S2] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian).
      Carl Heinrich, b. 15 Feb 1862, bapt. 25 May 1862 s/o Herman & Isabella Ahrens (Peel)

    2. [S721] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, marriage certificate 14187 (1886), Charles Henry Ahrens-Emily Marion Carroll.
      Charles Henry Ahrens, Surgeon Dentist of Nebraska City, Neb., USA, Birth Place: Peel Ontario Age: 24 Estimated birth year: abt 1862 Father Name: Herman Frederick Ahrens Mother Name: Isabella P Ahrens Spouse Name: Emily Marion Carroll, residence Toronto Spouse's Age: 25 Spouse Birth Place: Toronto Spouse Father Name: Matthew Carroll Spouse Mother Name: Margaret Emily Carroll Marriage Date: 25 Aug 1886 Marriage Location: York, Toronto

    3. [S655] z Vit - ON - Birth Registration, birth certificate 2224 (1936), Carl Henry Ahrens.
      Carl Henry Ahrens, d. 27 Feb 1936 Toronto, d. 15 Feb 1862 Winfield, Ontario, occupation landscape painter (artist) s/o Herman Ahrens (b. Denmark) & Isabella Laird (b. Scotland), cause: chronic degenerative myocarditis, & tuberculosis hip disease & cerebral thrombosis, buried Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto

    4. [S20] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Telegraph (title varies: Berlin Telegraph, Berlin Daily Telegraph) (1853-1922), 7 Mar 1862.
      Ahrens - At Winfield, on the 22nd February, the wife of Mr. Herman Ahrens, of a son.

    5. [S220] Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Waterloo Region Hall of Fame.

    6. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register.
      Isabella Penelope Laird Born: Scotland Res: Elora Township Age: 19 Father: Joseph Mother: Isabella Born: 1841 Spouse: Herman Frederick Ahrens Age: 28 born: Berlin Res: Berlin Born: 1832 Father: Charles H. Mother: Elizabeth married 25 Dec 1860

    7. [S2] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian), Vol 4 pg 5.
      Herman Fr. Ahrens aged 23 res and born Berlin son of Charles H. and Elisabeth Ahrens to Isabella Penelope Laird, aged 19 res Elora brn Aberdeen, Scotland daughter of Joseph and Isabella Laird, wit: Wilhelmina Stumpt of Berlin and David Doering of Phillipsburg, 25 Dec 1860

    8. [S20] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Telegraph (title varies: Berlin Telegraph, Berlin Daily Telegraph) (1853-1922), 11 Jan 1861.
      Ahrens - Laird: At Berlin, on the 25th ult., Christmas Day, by the Rev. Mr. Tuerk, Mr. Herman F. Ahrens, of Berlin, to Miss Isabella Laird, of Elora.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 15 Feb 1862 - Winfield, Peel Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 22 Feb 1862 - Winfield, Peel Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChristened - 25 May 1862 - Church Of New Jerusalem, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - surgeon dentist - 1886 - Nebraska City, Otoe, Nebraska, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 25 Aug 1886 - Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - Cause: chronic degenerative myocarditis, & tuberculosis hip disease & cerebral thrombosis - 27 Feb 1936 - Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsHall of Fame - Waterloo Region - Bef 2012 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto, York Co., Ontario Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth