Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Rev. William Helmuth Knauff[1]

Male 1886 - 1953  (66 years)


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  • Name William Helmuth Knauff 
    Prefix Rev. 
    Born 12 Sep 1886  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Interesting religion 
    Name Helmuth Knauff 
    Occupation 1907  Port Colbourne, , Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location 
    clergy man 
    Occupation 1909  Port Colborne, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Clergyman 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-97934 
    Died 21 Apr 1953  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I97934  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Father Julius Knauff,   b. 18 Jul 1855, , Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 May 1921, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 65 years) 
    Mother Louisa Grimme,   b. 12 May 1863, , Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 Oct 1936  (Age 73 years) 
    Family ID F245399  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Alberta Elizabeth Josephine Ritzer,   b. 9 Jun 1888, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1957  (Age 68 years) 
    Married 16 Jun 1909  Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Children 
     1. Rev. Karl John Julius Knauff,   b. 29 Jun 1910, Port Colborne, Humberstone Twp., Welland Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Jun 1996, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 86 years)
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F25804  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Knauff,WilliamHelmuthRev-obitpicture.jpg
    Knauff,WilliamHelmuthRev-obitpicture.jpg

  • Notes 
    • Rev. Knauff was born in Berlin, Ontario, now Kitchener, and received his education in the Berlin public school and the Berlin Collegiate. He attended the Martin Luther Seminary in Buffalo and upon graduation was ordained into the ministry in 1906. His first parish was in Lyndonville, New York where he remained for two and one half years before accepting a call to the pastorship of the First English Evangelical Lutheran church in Port Colborne, Ontario. He served that church for eleven years before accepting a call to St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Preston where he was installed as pastor on November 2, 1919. He remained at the church for thirty-three years until his death on April 21, 1953. He is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Waterloo.

      Cambridge Mosaic, Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge

      ________________

      Rev. W. H. Knauff

      Dies Was At St. Peter's 33 Years

      The Reverend W. H. Knauff, pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran church, Preston, for more than 33 continuous years, died at 6 o'clock this morning in the Kitchener-Waterloo hospital. His death followed an illness of several months and word of his passing was received with sincere measure of regret in the community which he had faithfully served and had been actively interested over the long period of years. The late Mr. Knauff was in his 67th year. Born in Kitchener the deceased received his education in the Kitchener public school and collegiate. He then attended the Martin
      Lutheran Seminar in Buffalo, N. Y., graduating and being ordained into the ministry in 1906 in Buffalo.

      FIRST PARISH

      His first parish was in Lyndonville. New York and he remained in charge there for two and a half years, accepting a call to the pastorship of the First English Evangelical Lutheran church in Port Colborne, where he served for 11 years. Called from Port Colborne to Preston, he was installed by Rev. J. Schmieder, of Kitchener, as pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran church on November 2, 1919 being the 13th pastor of Preston's oldest congregation, organized in 1834. His passing this morning, concluded 47 years of service to the ministry. Under his leadership St. Peter's Lutheran church flourished, with congregational membership increase, active organizations, while over the passing years progressive improvements were made to the church proper and to its accoutrements.

      ACTIVE IN SYNOD

      A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Canada the late Rev. Knuaff was president of the Lutheran conference on many occasions, while he actively served on various boards of the Lutheran conference. He was president of the Preston Ministerial Association at the time of his death and held the office on many occasions over the past years. Keenly interested in affairs of the municipality he served in many respects. He was also a valued member of the Preston-Hespeler Rotary club. Surviving are his wife, Alberta Ritzer; a son, the Rev. Karl J. Knauff, pastor of Zion Lutheran church, Stratford: a sister, Mrs. Julius Nilsson, Kitchener; three brothers, August of Toronto, Adolph and Bruno of Buffalo. The late Mr. Knauff is resting at the Stager-Pass Ltd., funeral home until Thursday at noon, then at St. Peter's Lutheran church, Preston, for service at 2.30. The casket will be open in the church until the time of the service. Interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo.

      Galt Reporter 1953

  • Sources 
    1. [S3108] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 020484-09.
      William Helmuth Knauff, 23, occ. Clergyman, res. of Port Colborne, son of Julius Knauff and Louisa Grummer Married Alberta Elizabeth Josephine Ritzer, 21, res. of Waterloo, daughter of John Ritzer and Sophia Latz, Witn: C. Adolph Knauff of Woodstock and Nelda Roos of Waterloo, 16 June 1909 in Waterloo

    2. [S137] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1901, Berlin (Town/Ville) A-4 Page 3.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 12 Sep 1886 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - clergy man - 1907 - Port Colbourne, , Ontario Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 16 Jun 1909 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 21 Apr 1953 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth