Charles Andrew Ahrens^{[1, 2, 3]}

1827 - 1903  (76 years)

• Name	Charles Andrew Ahrens
  Born	11 Jul 1827	Hohenwestedt, , Schleswig-Holstein, Germany   [4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  Business	Charles A. Ahrens & Sons, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Charles A. Ahrens & Sons
  Occupation	1854	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	shoemaker
  Occupation	1861	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Agent
  Residence	1861	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Swedenborgian
  Residence	1881	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	New Church
  Retired	1881	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Elected Office	1886	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	councillor - Kitchener
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/278326342
  Interesting	business, house, life story, shoe, public service,
  Name	C. A. Ahrens
  Name	Carl Andreas Ahrens
  Occupation	1891	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Bookkeeper
  Residence	262 Queen St. S., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Council votes to save heritage homes on Queen Street by Catherine Thompson Waterloo Region Record KITCHENER '97 Kitchener council sent a strong signal in support of heritage Monday night, voting 8-3 to refuse a development request to demolish two 1890 homes on Queen Street South, in the city's Victoria Park heritage district. Vive Development Corp. had applied for permission to demolish the two heritage homes, at 254 and 262 Queen, as well the Oneroof youth shelter https://www.oneroof.org/ at 242 Queen St. S. https://goo.gl/maps/YpFF5eu7P4T2 , built in 2007. The house at 262 Queen was built by prominent early industrialist C.A. Ahrens. The developer had hoped to build an eight-storey, $22-million, 125-unit rental apartment on the three adjacent lots..... Thompson, C. (2018). Council votes to save heritage homes on Queen Street. KitchenerPost.ca. Retrieved 25 September 2018, from https://www.kitchenerpost.ca/news-story/8923982-council-votes-to-save-heritage-homes-on-queen-street/
  Residence	1891	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Swedenborgian
  Residence	1897	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  		Residence of C. A. Ahrens Sr. 1897 From: Busy Berlin Jubilee Souvenir 1897, published by Berlin News-Record
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-48799P
  Died	18 Aug 1903	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Buried	Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Person ID	I48799	Generations
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2025

  
  

  Father	Jacob Henry Ahrens,   b. CA 1802, , Germany ,   d. 1836, , Germany  (Age ~ 34 years)
  Mother	Magdalena "Lena" Koch,   b. CALC 7 May 1806, , Germany ,   d. 3 Sep 1890, Greenock Twp., Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 84 years)
  Family ID	F40992	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Charlotte Henrietta Roth,   b. CALC 29 Jun 1831, , Germany ,   d. 27 Mar 1896, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 64 years)
  Married	16 Apr 1854	Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8, 9]
  Children	1. Menno Ahrens,   b. 1854, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Wilhelmine "Minnie" Ahrens,   b. 29 Apr 1855, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 17 May 1933, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 78 years)   3. Charles August Ahrens, Jr.,   b. 28 Aug 1856, Port Elgin, Saugeen Twp., Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 14 Sep 1937, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 81 years)   4. Henry Jacob Ahrens,   b. 2 Mar 1858, Port Elgin, Saugeen Twp., Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 24 Jan 1933, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 74 years)   5. Helena Ahrens,   b. 1 Nov 1859, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 3 Nov 1944, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 85 years)   6. Carolina "Carrie" Ahrens,   b. 25 Jan 1862, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   7. Louise Ahrens,   b. Dec 1863, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   8. Emma Ahrens,   b. 12 Apr 1865, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   9. Albert Edward Ahrens,   b. 4 Apr 1867, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   10. Laura Ahrens,   b. 8 Feb 1870, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1939  (Age 68 years)   11. Herman Emmanuel Ahrens,   b. 23 Nov 1871, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 16 Oct 1958, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 86 years)   12. Maria Charlotte "Mary" Ahrens,   b. 26 Jul 1876, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 31 Jul 1951, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 75 years)
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2025
  Family ID	F14767	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Charles Andrew Ahrens image from Mark Lasso 2013
  		Charles Andrew Ahrens image from Mark Lasso 2013

  
  

• Notes

  Carl A. Ahrens An old, respected, resident of Berlin died on Tuesday evening in the person of Mr. Carl A. Ahrens. He was born July 11, 1827 in Hohen-Wesdt, Holstein, came to Canada in 1851 and practiced the trade of shoemaker, alternately between here and Port Elgin. He was for many years book-keeper in Breithaupt's Leather Business and also in other businesses in Preston, Toronto, and Hamilton, in the same capacity. The deceased was a conservative, knowledgeable, friendly man and was held in great respect far and wide. For several years, he was city-treasurer and also held other important posts. The deceased was affected by a slight stroke on August 8th, which was followed a week ago by additional ones; in the last few days, he was almost completely paralyzed, until death took him on Tuesday evening. He is survived by three sons and seven daughters, as well as one brother and two sisters. Burial will take place on Friday afternoon and 2: 00 p.m., after a service in the New Jerusalem Church, at Mount Hope Cemetery. May his memory be blessed! Berliner Journal 20 Aug 1903 pg 4 col 3 ____________________ Charles A. Ahrens & Sons, Slipper Factory, Queen Street, Berlin - When merchants or manufacturers have to build or move to new premises of larger dimensions than those they were occupying, it is a sure sign that their business is prospering. Such is the case with Messrs. Charles A. Ahrens & Sons, who manufacture the finer kinds of slippers. These gentlemen have been established in business over four years and a half and have commanded a large measure of success, so much indeed that they found their present place too small for them, and so they have moved into their new establishment on Queen Street, near the corner of King Street. The new premises are 41x100 feet in dimensions and three stories in height. These will be fitted up with al the latest and most improved machinery specially adapted to their line of manufacture. They make slippers in embroidered velvet, fancy plush, fancy repp, superior repp and fine and common repp, the uppers being imported from Germany. They also manufacture repp foxed and tweed foxed slippers, either machine or hand sewed. The firm give employment to thirty-five skilled hands in their factory, and the indications are that this number will have to be increased in the near future, should business continue to increase at its present rate. The gentlemen are enterprising and progressive citizens, and are held in the highest estimation in the community. Messrs Chas. A. Ahrens & Sons are situated on the third flat, used as factory, and part of second floor as warehouse. Mr. C.A. Ahrens is the proprietor of the building, which is partly occupied by Randall & Ross as a wholesale grocery and liquor business. Industries of Canada Historical and Commercial Sketches Hamilton and Environs 1886 _______________________________ King Street , North Side Queen St. North. On the corner there was a frame building lengthwise with King Street, occupied by J. U. Tyson, dealer in groceries, wines, liquors and meats, erected about 1833. In 1841 Sheriff George Davidson bought this building and in it opened the first Post Office in 1842. His brother William was associated with him. Probably during 1845 Doering & Ahrens occupied the premises as a general store. A little later the firm was Huber & Ahrens. Mr. Huber acted as magistrate for a number of years, in which occupation he was popular and had much to do, people coming from small surrounding villages to Mr. Huber for fair trial. He was the second reeve in Berlin. Next came a barber shop occupied by George A. Fischer who also served as dentist and as fruit dealer. A house erected by C. A. Ahrens of Huber and Ahrens. Mr. Ahrens had a brick vault at the back of his kitchen, lined with an iron chest and considered fire proof. He was the first treasurer of Waterloo County and had this vault for safe keeping of his books and papers. The house was later occupied by Dr. Mylius. Louis Breithaupt, who came from Buffalo in 1861 after having started his tanning business in Berlin in 1857, previously bought the corner of King and Queen Streets, and erected there the first section of the American Block in 1862. Next to the Dr. Mylius house there was a two story brick building erected about 1855. It was occupied by Baedeker and Steubing who had a considerable business as book sellers and stationers, also as dealers in wallpaper, etc., besides doing some publishing. This business, moved later to the corner of King and Frederick Streets, continued until Mr. Steubing's death. In his younger years Mr. Baedeker was a carpenter and had cut his knee with an adze, necessitating amputation and substitution of a cork leg. On the site of the present Steel's store, George Davidson, later sheriff, erected a building in 1845 and moved the Post Office there when Doering and Ahrens occupied the corner store. Mr. Davidson also had a general store in this new building. About 1855 Kranz & Stroh occupied the building as a general store. Next came a building occupied at first by George Klein and later the site of Henry Knell's jewelery shop. John Winger's pump shop. Wooden pipe called pump logs were of about ten-inch timber, tamarack or pine logs with a bore of about 3". The pumps were mostly finished square and surmounted with turned tops. A two story frame building painted white. John Winger's house. Eby's history mentions John Winger as having come from Pennsylvania in 1836. A ten-foot lane leading back to the Public School grounds and into Winger's yard. The highest ground in this vicinity was in Winger's yard. Children were in the habit of sliding down the hill in winter to King Street. In 1840 Mr. Bentler erected a building and occupied the second floor as dwelling and shoe shop. Martin Messner had a music store on the ground floor which was a few steps above the street level. In 1855-6 Andrew Nicolaus took over the Winger house and changed it to a hotel. The first considerable street grading operation in Berlin was the lowering of the corner of King and Frederick and vicinity 8 to 10 feet. This put the St. Nicholas Hotel, as it was called, under the necessity of being extended downward one story and this lower part became the hotel office and bar room. At the westerly end of the hotel there was a shed and stable for horses. Over the shed, approached by a stairway, there was a hall known as St. Nicholas Hall used for concerts, balls and entertainments generally. At the rear of the adjoining St. Nicholas Hall there was a building on the high ground known as the Turner Hall and used as German Turnverein. REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder. Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930 _____________________ QUEEN STREET SOUTH, EAST SIDE. On the corner of King Street Rehscher's vaulted cellar already spoken of. An open space. A two-story rough-cast building with two-story veranda along the Queen Street front built by Martin Anthes (father of John S. Anthes) in 1835 when it was considered one of the best houses in the village. Henry Stroh purchased this house from Mr. Anthes about 1837. Jacob Stroh was born in this house. Behind it there was a garden of about an acre of land. There were 31 pine stumps on the property when Mr. Stroh took possession and these stumps had to be laboriously removed as stump- pulling machines, which came later, were not then available. The well on the lot was only nine feet deep. Henry Stroh carried on a shoe shop in his house until he entered into partnership with Carl Kranz, on King Street. In 1857, after he had dissolved partnership with Kranz, Henry Stroh built a one and one-half story frame building next to his house and used it as a shoe store. Mr. Stroh continued in this shoe business until 1863 when he went into partnership with Mr. Reinhold Lang, the tanner. The Queen Street shoe shop was changed to a dwelling. Later Mr. Vanderhart, a tailor, had his shop in this building and after him Carl Englehart had it as photographer. Henry Stroh sold his house to George King. Later Charles Ahrens owned it and had it moved to the corner of Shanley and Braun Streets about 1880. A one and one-half story frame building erected about 1837 by Jacob Kraemer, later on Frederick Street, as spoken of. Later an addition was added to the front and the building used as the local post office, with William Davidson in charge. Later George Seip purchased the building and used it as a saloon, with a bowling alley in the rear, the first bowling alley in Berlin. William Jaffray lived in the house for a time and later William Knell, son-in-law of Mr. Seip. A one and one-half story frame building, originally a cooper shop, later the dwelling of Mr. Seip, after he sold the other building. In 1860 he built a brewery, known as Seip's brewery. Under the whole building he had a vaulted cellar built of field stone. Power for the brewery was supplied by a horse-power contained in an attached shed, shelter for the horses. Seip had a high reputation for good beer. He at first made his own malt, but later purchased it. After George Seip's death his son Louis continued the business until about 1880. The building was finally torn down to make room for the present auditorium. The cooper shop, a small one story building, with brick chimney such as coopers used to heat staves for their barrel making, operated by Henry Brickner who later had his shop at the corner of Young and King Streets. Later Adam Stein had the Queen Street cooper shop. The Berlin coopers were experts in the making of what was called tight-wear,that is water-tight barrels, in large tuns which they made for the brewers. A very early building, occupied by John Peters, a cabinet maker in Hoffman's factory, about 1860. The building had an outside stairway at the back. Peters was a bird lover and expert in trapping native song birds, mocking birds, cat birds, finches, etc., which he hung under his veranda roof in public display. On the corner of Church Street a frame house occupied by Mr. Knechtel, a weaver, about 1842-1850. Knechtel moved to a farm in Mannheim where later he was injured in the spine by a falling tree to such an extent that he was bedfast for fourteen or fifteen years. He lived to about 1871. Conrad Doering occupied the Queen Street house for a time. He also was a weaver and made coverlets, etc. The house was torn down to make room for the present one of brick built by Dr. Clemens and later occupied by the late Dr. Walters. Church Street. On the south side St. Paul's Lutheran Church. A one and one-half story unpainted frame building with gable towards the street, the dwelling, about 1860, of John Fleischauer, a laborer, a native of Hessen, Germany. A one and one-half story house occupied by E. Kern, cabinet maker, about 1860 and later by John Ansted. A vacant lot. George Street. Joseph Schneider originally owned all the land between George Street and Mill Street, mostly woods at that time, and extending to Benton and Eby Streets. REMINISCENCES OF BERLIN (NOW KITCHENER) By JACOB STROH Contributed by Joseph M. Snyder. Part I. Settlement - Early Villagers and Buildings, Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1930

  
  

• Sources

  [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 12202-83. John SCHNEIDER, 24, shoemaker, Canada, Berlin, s/o Christopher SCHNEIDER & Anna Elizabeth METZ, married Helena AHRENS, 24, Canada, Berlin, d/o Charles A. AHRENS & Henrietta ROTH, witn: Henry ROTH of Preston & Henry AHRENS of Berlin, 8 Nov 1883 at Berlin [S2] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian). Carolina b. 25 Jan 1862, bapt. 25 May 1862 d/o Carl & Henrietta Ahrens [S3002] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 012331-94. George Henry Hachborn, 24, occ. Upholsterer, b. Canada, res. Berlin, son of Theodore Hachborn and Margaretha Doering married Laura Ahrens, 24, b. Canada, res. Berlin, daughter of Charles A. Ahrens and Henrietta C. Roth, Witn Henry Ahrens of Berlin and Anna Lehnen of Woolwich Twp, 26 September 1894 in Berlin. [S158] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1881, Div 1 Page 69. [S123] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1861, Div. 1 Page 5. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), Obituary of Carl A. Ahrens - 20 Aug 1903 pg 4 col 3. [S1592] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1891, Section 3 Page 25. [S6] Church Records - ON, Waterloo - Bindeman, F. W. - Card Index Kitchener Public Library. Carl Andreas Ahrens, shoemaker of Berlin married 16 Apr 1854 at Greenbush by licence to Charlotte Henriette Roth of Berlin, witnesses: Henry Ahrens of Berlin, Henry Kraeling of Berlin. [S244] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Deutsche Canadier (1841-1865) - Index to Births, Deaths and Marriages Announced in the Deutsche Canadier, Berlin, Canada West. originally indexed by Simone Nieuwolt and Sylvie Kuppek..organised by Rosemary Ambrose, 20 Apr 1854 Pg 16. AHRENS, Carl Andreas married 16 Apr 1854 To Charlotte Henriette ROTH. Both Berlin.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 11 Jul 1827 - Hohenwestedt, , Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Business - Charles A. Ahrens & Sons - - Charles A. Ahrens & Sons, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - shoemaker - 1854 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 16 Apr 1854 - Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Agent - 1861 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Swedenborgian - 1861 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - New Church - 1881 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Retired - 1881 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - councillor - Kitchener - 1886 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Bookkeeper - 1891 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Swedenborgian - 1891 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1897 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 18 Aug 1903 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth