Kenneth William Kaiser

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle
Thursday, December 2, 1976

K. Kaiser, 65, dies Nov. 19

Kenneth Kaiser, 65, former Cass City resident, died Nov. 19 at Rockford, Michigan. He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William R. Kaiser.

Funeral services, with the Rev. Robert Z. Myers of Rockford officiating, were held November 22 at a Rockford funeral home.

Survivors included his wife, Lois; on son, Robert of Grand Rapids; two daughters, Barbara Andrews of Rockford and Betty Klenklosky of Bloomington, Indiana, and four grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Irene Quigley of St. Clair Shores and Ruth Glickman of Tuscon, Arizona and New Rochelle, New York.

Area relatives are cousins, Leonard Striffler, Mrs. Gertrude Falkenhagen, Edward Mark, Mrs. Mary Buehrly, Mrs. Alma Seeger and Mrs. Lena Schwegler.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

Kenneth married Lois Ruth Milkins on 22 Jun 1940 in Leamington, Ontario, Canada. Lois was born on 26 Sep 1916; died on 3 Sep 1997 in Rockford, Kent County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Cass City Chronicle
Friday, July 12, 1940
Page Five

Lois Milkins and K. W. Kaiser Wed

A pretty June wedding was soleminized at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Haz. Milkins, First Concession Mersea Township, at 3:30 Saturday afternoon, when their niece, Miss Lois Ruth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Milkins, Foundry Street, Leamington, was united in marriage to Mrs. Kenneth W. Kaiser, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.R Kaiser, of Detroit. The ceremony took place in the living room which was beautifully decorated with baskets of pink and white peonies. Rev. J.E. Griffith, pastor of Leamington United Church, read the marriage service which was a double ring ceremony, the groom's ring being a gift from the bride, whose grandmother wore it are her own wedding.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride entered the room to the strains of the wedding march from Lohengrin, played by Miss Rose Panabaker of Harrow. Her wedding dress was a white net oever satin, with satin embroidered bodice and she wore a finger-tip veil held by a wreath of orange blossoms. The bride's only jewelry was a sunburst of pearls given to her by her grandmother and her flowers were pink roses and baby's breath. Attending as bridesmaid was Miss Eloise WILKINS of Windsor who wore pink net over satin and carried delphiniums and baby's breath. Little Miss Nancy Sova of Windsor made a pretty flower girl in her dress of pink organdie, carrying a nosegay of pink flowers. Mr. John Kaiser of Detroit, brother of the groom, was groomsman. At the close of the marriage ceremony, Miss Jenette Howie of Harrow sang "Because," during the signing of the register.

Later a reception was held for the immediate relatives and friends and refreshments were served to the gathering by Misses Loraine Wood, Jeanette Ferguson, Phyllis Hardcastle, Janette Howie, Audrey Furough, Helen Jackson and Ruth Kaiser, classmates of the bride, who graduated with her from Grace Hospital, Windsor. They wore dotted swiss dresses and carnations in their hair. The table was tastefully decorated with a handmade lace table cloth, centered with the wedding cake and tall tapers at each end. The bride's cousin, Miss Mary Milkins, of Wyandotte, Michigan, and Mrs. A.V. Tennant of Detroit, poured tea.

Following the reception, the happy young couple left on a honeymoon trip to Niagara Falls, Washington, D.C. and the Eastern States. For going away, Mrs. Kaiser wore a grey striped ensemble, with white accessories, the coat having a red belt and her bag trimmed in red. She wore a corsage of roses. On their return they will take up residence on VanDyke Avenue, Detroit.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, January 2008)

1. Living
2. Living
3. Living

Notes:

Turning Back the Pages
Items form the files of the Cass City Chronicle of 1902

Rudolph Kaiser, who is at present visiting his relatives here, has re-enlisted as a soldier in the regular army. He has received the appointment as recruiting officer and will be stationed in Columbus, Oh.

(July 23, 1937, Page Two)

Cass City Chronicle
March 17, 1911
Local Items, Page 4
W. R. Kaiser intends to do all he can to make the town wet this summer. He has bought the street sprinkling outfit of S. Y. Kenyon and the financial renumeration promised by the citizens for this work makes the proposition look like a good thing for the new owner.

Cass City Chronicle
October 6, 1933
Local Happenings, Page Four

Thursday, September 29, was named as the date for the celebration of four birthdays in the Striffler and Kaiser families and a dinner was served at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Striffler on Leach street. The birthdays of Mrs. Striffler, Mrs. G.E. Krapf and Grant Reagh, all of Cass City, and W.R. Kaiser of Detroit all occur within a week. Members of all four families were present at dinner.

Cass City Chronicle
June 12, 1947
Page One

W.R. Kaiser Died in Detroit Wednesday

Wm. R. Kaiser, for many years a resident of Cass City, passed away Wednesday, June 11, at 3:30 p.m. at Detroit. He had suffered a heart attack.

Mr. Kaiser is a veteran of the Spanish-American War. While living in Cass City, he was custodian of the local schools for many years.

He is survived by his widow who was formerly Miss Esther STRIFFLER; four children, Mrs. Wm. QUIGLEY, Kenneth and John KAISER and Miss Ruth KAISER; a sister, Mrs. Samuel STRIFFLER, of San Diego, California, and a half sister, Mrs. G.E. KRAPF, of Cass City.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Spring 2007)

The Striffler-Benkelman Broadcast writes that he died in the Dearborn Veteran's Hospital. His death certificate indicates this was in Allen Park.

(Research):Census Information:

1910 Census
Michigan, Tuscola County, Elkland Township, Cass City Villa
ge
Enumerated 14 Apr 1910
SD 8, ED 113, Sheet 8B
HH 70-70
Jacob and Sophie STRIFFLER
HH 73-73
Kaiser, William R Hd M W 35 M1 1 Germany German Germany 1888 Laborer Teamster
Kaiser, Ester A Wf F W 31 m1 1/1 Mich New York Germany/German
Kaiser, Irene D Dtr F W 2/12 S Mich Germany Mich

William married Esther A. Striffler on 3 Aug 1908. Esther (daughter of John "Uncle John" Striffler and Anna Maria "Mary" Benkelman) was born on 4 May 1878 in Elkland Township, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 2 Feb 1965 in Mount Clemens, Macomb County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle
June 24, 1904, page 4

Mrs. M. Schwegler and Miss Esther Striffler went to Elkton Thursday to attend the Evangelical campmeeting which is being held there this week.

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, October 18, 1940
Page Four

Mr. and Mrs. W.R. KAISER of Detroit, David STRIFFLER of Columbus, Georgia and Miss Martha STRIFFLER were Sunday guests at the G.A. STRIFFLER home. All the guests returned to Detroit Sunday evening. David STRIFFLER returned to Cass City on Tuesday and is spending the week with his brother, G.A. STRIFFLER, and other relatives. Miss Martha, who has spent a few weeks with her sister, Mrs. KAISER, in Detroit, returned to Cass City with her brother Tuesday.


Cass City Chronicle
Thursday, February 11, 1965
Page Two
Mrs. Esther Kaiser Dies in Mt. Clemens
Mrs. Esther Kaiser of St. Clair Shores, widow of the late W.R. Kaiser, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, in a nursing home in Mount Clemens. Funeral services were held Friday p.m. in the Kaul Funeral Home, St. Clair Shores. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. William (Irene) QUIGLEY of St. Clair Shores, with whom she lived for several years, and Mrs. Stanely (Ruth) GLICKMAN of New Rochelle, N.Y.; two sons, Kenneth of Grand Rapids, Mich., and John of Pittsburg, Pa.

The Kaiser family were former residents of Cass City and the children attended school here. Mr. Kaiser served as custodian of the local schools for many years.

Mrs. Kaiser was the last member of the family of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Striffler, pioneer settlers of this area.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Spring 2007)

Notes:

According to "Deutschland Heiraten, 1558-1929", database on FamilySearch, he was a son of Johann Jakob Kaiser and Anna Maenner.

Heinrich married Christine Barbara Buerk on 12 Jan 1862 in Hohenstaufen, G?ppingen, Donaukreis, W?rttemberg, Germany. Christine (daughter of Johannes B?rk and Christina Reinert) was born on 24 Jan 1842 in W?rttemberg, Germany; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to FamilySearch, she was also married to Johann Michael Griener,in 1872.

Notes:

Art Peck writes that they were among the first families in Tuscola County, Michigan, moving there about 1860 on land purchased for $2 an acre, land they had never seen. They cleared the land to establish a farm, a mile east and a mile north of Cass City. John was Elkland County, Michigan treasurer from 1868 to 1870, and again from 1885 through 1887.

Cass City Chronicle
Cass City, Mich., Friday, July 14, 1922
Vol. 18, No. 9

John Striffler has Passed Away
Settled in Elkland Township 62 Years Ago; Prominent in the Early History of Cass City Community

On the tombstone we carve the name of our beloved dead and then two dates--the year of birth and the year of death. Between these two lies the history of the dead and yet so few know that history. Between Mar. 15, 1833 and July 12, 1922, lies the life history of John Striffler. He was born on a farm near Lancaster, N.Y. and passed on to his home eternal at Cass City, Michigan.

A few months after his marriage to Miss Mary Benkelman at Lancaster on Nov. 14, 1858, Mr. Striffler came to Tuscola county. They resided six months at Watrousville and then completed their journey overland through the timber to Elkland township where they hewed out a home in the woods, and finally saw beautiful farms take the place of the timber tracts. Mrs. Striffler passed away on May 4, 1913. Two children also preceded the father in death, one child at the age of four years, and Mrs. Salome Bien, a daughter, whose death occured but a few months ago.

Coming into the community when it was sparsely settled and all covered with timber and when it took four days' travel with ox teams to go from Vassar to the cite where Cass City now stands, Mr. Striffler had ample opportunity to test the hardships of early pioneer life in the Thumb district. His services in the early days proved valuable and his neighbors soon placed him with the responsibilities of various township offices.

John Striffler was a man of generous impluse and never forgot the hospitable ways of the pioneer. Friend or stranger never failed to find food and shelter if he sought it at his hands, and he delighted in kind and neighborly deeds. Many a poor family found relief from his storehouse and many people enjoyed his hospitality. His home was always open to all, poor or well-to-do, and many found pleasure in the entertainment provided therein. He had borne adversity bravely and enjoyed prosperity quietly. He had filled the various relations of life as husband, father, brother, friend and filled them satifactorily and his life work was well done.

He is survived by five children, Mrs. Archie MARK, G.A. STRIFFLER, Mrs. W.R. KAISER, and Miss Martha STRIFFLER, all of Cass City, and David STRIFFLER of Columbus, Georgia, 12 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Since the death of his wife, his daughter, Martha, has been the companion and faithful attendant of her father.

Funeral services will be held in the Evangelical church which Mr. Striffler attended for many years. It is planned to hold the service Saturday afternoon unless David Striffler, who is on his way home from Georgia, is delayed in his journey from the south.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Spring 2007)

(Research):
Census Information:

1850 Census
New York, Erie County, Lancaster
Enumerated 23 Aug 1850
Page 200
1048-1082
Otil Strifler 59 F $2550 Germany
Jacob Strifler 30 M Farmer
Susanna Strifler 27 F
Joseph Stifler 24 M Farmer
Christian Strifler 22 m Farmer
John Strifler 17 Farmer New York (sic)
David Strifler 14


1860 Census
Michigan, Tuscola County, Elkland
58-56
John Striffler 27 Farmer $280 $75 NY
Mary Striffler 21 Domestic Wirtinburg, Germany
The household immediately following theirs was that of Jacob and Louisa Striffler

1870 Census
Michigan, Tuscola County
56-56
Striffler, John 37 Farmer $5,075 $860 NY
Striffler, Mary 31 Germ Wirtinburg
Striffler, Emeline 10 Mich
Striffler, Albert 6 Mich
Striffler, Salome 4 Mich
The households preceding theirs were occupied by Jacob and Louis Striffler (#53), Adam and Catherine Benkelmann (#54), George & Katherine Kolb (#55).

1880 Census
Census Place:Elkland, Tuscola, Michigan
Source:FHL Film 1254607 National Archives Film T9-0607
Page 95B Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
John STRIFFLER Self M M W 47 NY Occ: Farmer Fa: FRANCE Mo: FRANCE
Mary STRIFFLER Wife F M W 41 WERTENBURG Occ: Keeping House Fa: WERTENBURG Mo: WERTENBURG
Emmiline STRIFFLER Dau F S W 19 MI Occ: Without Occupation Fa: NY Mo: WERTENBURG
George A. STRIFFLER Son M S W 16 MI Occ: At School Fa: NY Mo: WERTENBURG
Salome STRIFFLER Dau F S W 13 MI Occ: At School Fa: NY Mo: WERTENBURG
Martha STRIFFLER Dau F S W 7 MI Occ: At School Fa: NY Mo: WERTENBURG
Esther STRIFFLER Dau F S W 2 MI Occ: At Home Fa: NY Mo: WERTENBURG
Leonard BUEHRLY Other M S W 21 WERTENBURG Occ:Farmer Fa: WERTENBURG Mo: WERTENBURG
Philipp STRIFFLER Nephew M S W19 NY Occ: Farmer Fa: NY Mo: NY

19 year old Philip Striffler is likely the son of David and Sophia Striffler of Lancaster, New York. David was said to have died in 1872, and it appears that at least his oldest son left New York after his father died, so perhaps Philip did as well. Leonard Buehrly was from same village in Germany as Mary, and would later marry the granddaughter of her brother, Frederick Benkelman.

1900 Census, Michigan, Tuscola, Elkland, ED 110
Enumerated the 12th of June, 1900 by John Marshall
SD 8, ED 110, Sheet 6 B
125-125
Archie and Emeline Mark and family
126 126
Striffler, John Hd W M March 1833 67 M 41 NY France France Farmer
Striffler, Mary Wife W F May 1839 61 M 41 7/6 Germany Germany Germany 1856
Striffler, Martha Dtr W F Nov 1871 28 S Michigan NY Germany
Striffler, Ester Dtr W F May 1878 22 S Michigan NY Germany
Striffler, David A. W M Aug 1883 16 S Michigan NY Germany Farm Laborer
Bean, Saloma Dtr W F Sep 1866 22 Ed 3/3 Michigan NY Germany
Bean, Stanley G.Son W M Dec 1892 7 S Michigan Michigan Germany
Bean, Paul P. G. Son W M May 1894 6 S Michigan Michigan Germany
Bean, William D. G. Son W M Dec 1895 4 S Michigan Michigan Germany

1910 Census, Michigan, Tuscola County, Elkland Twp, ED 113, Cass City Village
Enumerated 13 Apr 1910
SD 8, ED 113, Sheet No 5 B

138-138
Striffler, John Hd M W 76 M1 NY Germany Germany
Own Income
Striffler, Mary Wife 70 M1 6/6 Germany Germany Germany
Striffler, Martha Dtr F W 37 S Mich Germany Germany

They were living in the household immediately preceding that of Mary's nephew, Benjamin Benkelman, Sr.

John married Anna Maria "Mary" Benkelman on 14 Nov 1858 in Lancaster, Erie County, New York. Anna (daughter of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann and Maria Dorothea St?hle) was born on 22 May 1839 in Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 4 May 1913 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

German Parish records show "ist 1853 ausgewandert" (left for America) in 1853. On the Oberant Welzheim Emmigrants list, 1818-1891, She is listed as Anna Maria, g. d. 22t. Mai 1839 ledig, and travelling in a party headed by her mother, Maria Dorothea, the widow of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann, a farmer of Schneiderhof. Three of her sisters were on this list as well.

BonnieMargaret's full source citation was: Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg, "Verzeichnis der Auswanderung aus dem Oberamt Welzheim 1818-1891" F 214 B?schel 91 Fortlaufende Number 42 [or possibly 47] ).

Cass City Chronicle
Cass City, Mich., Friday, May 9, 1913
Vol. 8, No. 3

Elkland Twp. Loses Pioneer Settler
Mrs. John Striffler passed away Sunday Evening
Has Been a Resident of This Township for 54 years; was 73 Years of Age

Following an illness of several months duration, Mrs. John Striffler, one of the pioneer settlers of Elkland Township, died at her home on Pine Street Sunday evening at the age of 73 years.

Mary Benkelman was born in Brech, Wuertemberg, Germany*, on May 22, 1839, and came to this country in 1852, landing at Baltimore. She with some of her brothers and sisters settled in Lancaster, N.Y., and here on Nov. 14, 1858, she was united in marriage with John Striffler. This union was blessed with seven children, six of whom survive.

[BonnieMargaret Jacob's writes that Breech was just down and across the road from the Schneiderhof, both near B?rtlingen]

It was 54 years ago this month, when they, in the prime of life, came to Michigan, locating on the land now known as Striffler homestead, two miles east and north of Cass City. They belonged to that distinguished number of early settlers who opened up this section of Tuscola county and laid the foundation for future prosperity for those who came into these parts later on and here was established a home where the generous impluses and the hospitable ways of the pioneer held sway. When the life on the farm grew to sternouse (sic) for their advanced years, Mr. and Mrs. Striffler moved to Cass City to spend their remaining years.

Mrs. Striffler became a Christian in early life and ever since the establishment of the Evangelical society in this section, has been a regular attendant of that church. Her life was of such a self-sacrificing nature that she became a blessing to all who came to know her and in return God gave her a peaceful life full of hope and joy. Her last sickness was born with patience. She will be missed by the many friends and especially in the home by the husband and daughter.

The funeral services were held at the Evangelical church on Thursday morning. Rev. D.J. Feather, the pastor, officiated, assisted by Revs. J.M. Bittner and J. Schmaus, and the remains were carried to their last resting place in Elkland cemetery by the following nephews of the deceased, who served as pall bearers: B.F. and J.A. BENKELMAN, G. E. and John KRAPF, Solomon and Samuel STRIFFLER.

Besides the husband, six children, Mrs. Archie MARKS, G. A. STRIFFLER, Mrs. Salome BIEN, Miss Martha STRIFFLER, Mrs. W.R. KAISER and David STRIFFLER, one sister, Mrs. M.M. SCHWEGLER of this city, two brothers, Leonard BENKELMAN of Manitowoc, Wis. and John BENKELMAN of Portage, Wis., 11 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren survive.

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, May 16, 1913
Local Items, Page 4

Mrs. Mary BURK, Mrs. Sarah HOYT and daughter, Miss Iva, of Caro attended the funeral of Mrs. John STRIFFLER Thursday

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

A copy of her actual Michigan Death certificate can be viewed online:

http://seekingmichigan.org/

Indexed as Marry Striffler

Her date of birth on this certificate was instead shown as 22 May 1839, and her parents were listed as Lenard Benkelman and Dora Slatey[St?hle]. The informant was W?/D? A Striffler of Cass City.







(Medical):See attached sources.

Notes:

Married:
BonnieMargaret Jacobs also shows a daughter, Martha, born Nov. 1873???

Johannes married Christina Reinert about 1835 in W?rttemberg, Germany. Christina was born on 4 Jan 1817 in W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 11 May 1907 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Christina Buerk "came from Waldhausen to America in 1873, with her granddaughter, Katherine Buerk," later the wife of Solomon Striffler, according to the obituary of Katherine Buerk published in the Friday, January 21, 1938 issue of the Cass City Chronicle.

Christina's own obituary is below:

Tri County Chronicle
Cass City Michigan
Friday, May 19, 1907

Mrs Christina Buerk nee Reinert died at the home of her son, Fred Buerk, on Thursday, May 11 after an illness of several months. She was born in Walthausen, Wurtenberg, Germany on January 4, 1817, where in 1835 she was united in marriage to John Buerk. To this union came five children, four sons and one daughter. Two sons, Charles of Caro and Fred of this place survive. Mr. Buerk died in Germany in 1866 and in 1873 Mrs. Buerk and her children came to America, settling on a farm in Elkland township, northeast of this village.

She was converted during a series of meetings conducted by Rev. W. Berge during his former ministry here and has since lived a christian life. At that time there was no Evangelical church organized in this village. For several years past she has made her home with her son, Fred. Besides her two remaining sons she leaves 5 granchildren and 15 great-granchildren. The funeral services were held in the Evangelical church Sunday afternoon, conducted by Rev. W. Berge, and her remains laid to rest in Elkland Cemetery.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

Notes:

Married:
They were the parents of four sons and one daughter

Notes:

According to the Rev. Roy J. Striffler, the Striffler's emigrated from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France to New York State in 1830. They were part of the German-speaking population of Alsace. Some of the older Striffler family members recalled a family joke---there were 11 boys in the family, and all of them had a sister Susanna. She married Christian Oscar Lenzner. Family genealogists have only been able to account for eight of the 12 children however. Two of the boys married Benkelman sisters. One son married Mary Rommel, and as there were several Benkelman/Rommel marriages as well, the two families became further intertwined.

Although the family originally settled in New York only Jacob's son David remained in New York. Peter pushed further west, to Kansas. Around 1880, most of the others settled in Cass City, Michigan, where they lived until their deaths. They cut off the stumps remaining on the land they built and turned the wilderness into fruitful farm land.

(Excerpted from Art Peck's THE TEN BENKELMANS WHO EMIGRATED TO AMERICA. He in turn references a September 4, 1950 article from the "Striffler-Benkelman Broadcast", Volume 13, Cass City, Michigan)

Both the flyleaf of the Striffler family Bible, and the tombstone of Jacob Striffler in Lancaster, showed him to be be born in Kirrberg, "departmente de Rhein." (Jacobs, p. 164). In the chapter on the Striffler family in her unpublished 1981 manuscript, BonnieMargaret Jacobs noted that widely spread family stories stated that the Striffler family originated in Switzerland (p. 164). It would appear these were either errorneous, or that the family moved from Switzerland to Alsace.


BonnieMargaret Benkelman Jacobs, in an undated family report she prepared for some of the descendants of the Striffler brothers who married Benkelmann sisters, wrote that birth records had been of the children born to Jacob and Otillia "Have been extracted from the French civil records and translated, and show 8 children born in France, two of whom died while still just children (one was only 15 months old, the other just a few months past their sixth birthday). She stated that "these official civil records support the oft repeated family joke, "There are seven brothers and each one has a sister." On page 165 of her unpublished 1981 manuscript documenting the Benkelman family, she repeated this saying, adding however that "one Striffler heard the riddle with 11 brothers and it should be noted that there is still much to be learned about this family."

With the records in France showing 8 children were born there, and census records show two known children born in the United States, it appears we can account for 10 of the 11. It is possible that records may be uncovered one day to find the final child, or that this final son may have been stillborn or died at a young age, and his memory passed down only through the family joke or riddle.

Jacob married Ottila "Odila" "Otil" Zimmerman on 4 Nov 1809 in Kirberg, Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine, Imperial Territory Of Alsace-Lorraine, Elsa?-Lothringen, Germany. Ottila was born on 10 Nov 1790 in Kirberg, Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine, Imperial Territory Of Alsace-Lorraine, Elsa?-Lothringen, Germany; died on 17 Sep 1863 in Lancaster, Erie County, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her father was a school master.

(Research):

Census Listings;

1850 Census
New York, Erie County, Lancaster
Enumerated 23 Aug 1850
Page 200
1048-1082
Otil Strifler 59 F $2550 Germany
Jacob Strifler 30 M Farmer
Susanna Strifler 27 F
Joseph Stifler 24 M Farmer
Christian Strifler 22 m Farmer
John Strifler 17 Farmer New York (sic)
David Strifler 14

1860 Census
Not located

Notes:

In a 1979 letter that Margaret-Bonnie Jacobs wrote to Ben Benkelman, Jr she said: "You may have heard from one source or another that I'm putting together rather a comprehensive history of the Benkelman family. To date, it's taken me most of my time just to track the original 10 immigrants and get them firmly placed and dated and documented. This year I am concentrating on the reach back to Germany. I have hired a genealogist there to see how far back we can go with the family before the mass emigration of the '50s. Just by collecting the data on the 10 immigrant children I have learned a great deal. All of the boys were artisans with trades. In Germany that usually meant long apprenticeships. Since Adam and his brothers and sisters were born in different villages I assume the father, Leonhard, was also a tradesman of some sort rather than a farmer."

BonnieMargaret later concluded they were all actually born at the Schneiderhof, across from Breech, on the outskirts of B?rtlingen, and Parish records discovered later showed Leonhard's occupation as bricklayer

In her 1981 unpublished manuscript, BonnieMargaret wrote that "On February 6, 1796 Johann Leonhard Benkelmann was born to Katharina Bauer, and according to the parish record, he was born at the Schneiderhof. The pastor dutifully recorded that he was unehelic (illegitimately) born and that he bore the name of his unehelic father, Johann Jacob Benkelmann of Pl?derhausen. BonnieMargaret indicated that His mother was refered to on Leonhard's and his wife Dorothea's family register page as "Maria Katharina, frueher des Johannes Haeller auf dem Schneiderhof Ehefrau geborene Bauerin." This means that she was then the wife of Johann Haeller, and was born Maria Bauer. (pp. 56-58)

When Leonhard's father, Johann Jacob, married another woman the year after Leonhard's birth, he was first required to provide 75 of the 200 florins he had inheritied from his grandfather to his "Weibsbild" for the upbringing of his son born out of wedlock. (p. 58)

Leonhard was only 2l when his stepfather died , and as a result became the head of his mother's household. He must have discharged all of his responsiblities admirably, because only five years later he was allowed to be married to Dorothea St?hle, the daughter of a respected citizen and farmer of B?rtlingen. (Jacobs, p. 70).

On the Parish records, he is referred to as a "Bauer and Maurer"...farmer and bricklayer.

After Leonhard's death early in 1848, each of his 10 children that had survived into maturity emigrated to the United States. The first to leave was his namesake son, Leonhard, in the summer of 1849, who was age 21. The last was eldest son, Friedrich, and he left in 1873 at age 50, taking a large group of family members with him.

The Benkelmanns were not alone. A huge number of Germany left their homeland in and around 1848. This excerpt, from a website about the "The Origins of the Forty-Eighters" in Davenport, Iowa applies to the Benkelmann family as well, even though Leonhard and Dorothea's children instead settled in first in New York, and later Wisconsin, Michigan and Colorado, versus Iowa.

Letters ... sent back to Germany were instrumental to channeling the influx of immigrants from Germany.....

Historian Scott Christiansen explains the purpose of the letters:

"They wanted to tell their friends back home how good it was in America. And they tended to exaggerate a little bit, because they were lonely and liked to have some of their compatriots come over and join them."

The decision to emigrate from one's homeland is generally informed by two forces: the so-called push and pull forces. Letters from family and friends who had already settled in the new world certainly qualify as pull factors. Other such factors were the multitude of job opportunities, inexpensive, yet fertile cropland, and - especially important to the politically motivated Forty-Eighters - the guarantee of democratic liberties such as freedom of speech and expression.

Many of the push factors are related to the causes of the German revolution. As the social and economic conditions in Germany worsened during the 1840s, many people were forced to look for new opportunities. [E]migration has become a matter of life or death, as one German newspaper put it. America with its promise of a new chance for everyone appealed to many Germans ready to emigrate. Reports from America, printed in German newspapers, underscored this notion. Iowa, for example, was described in 1847 as leaving little to be desired both to the productivity of its soil and the more bearable nature of its climate.

While economic necessity might have been a major driving force for many to emigrate, political reasons also factored into the decision to leave the homeland. In fact, the Forty-Eighters are per definition political refugees who for the most part did not struggle financially. But one might argue that a majority of emigrants regarded both political circumstances and economic distress as making life in Germany unbearable. The causes for emigration thus intermingle in many cases.

The strong early presence ...triggered a chain migration...in succeeding years. The term chain migration is defined by the Dictionary of Geography as [a] migration process which depends on a small number of pioneers, who make the first moves to set up a new home in a new place. They send information back home, and this encourages further migration from the originating area.

BonnieMargaret Jacob's cited similar reasons in her manuscript, pointing out the decrease of demail for high-quality goods of the small town artisan, the reluctance of these artisians to move to cities to work in factories, the restrictive craftsman guild system that made it difficult to learn and advance in a trade, and the equally restrictive marriage laws.

"The auswanderer went less to America to build something new than to regain and conserve something old...to till new fields and find new customers, true enough, but ultimately to keep the ways of life they were used to, which the new Europe seemed determined to destroy...people who traveled thousands of grim miles in order to keep their roots, their habits, their united families and the kind of future they wanted for their families. They did not wait passively for their roots to be broken, to be sure; yet they were conservatives, who acted radically in order to preserve, and who journeyed to another world to keep their homes." (Walker, Mack, GERMANY AND THE EMIGRATION 1816-1885, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1964, Page 69, as transcribed by BonnieMargaret Jacobs on pages 77 and 78 of her manuscript).

Johann married Maria Dorothea St?hle on 20 Nov 1822 in Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany. Maria (daughter of Georg Friedrich St?hle and Anna Maria Leins) was born on 5 Jan 1800 in B?rtlingen, G?ppingen, Donaukreis, W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 22 Oct 1853 in Transit to America, Lost At Sea. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

On "January something" in 1983, Bonnie Jacobs wrote "A search for some years has finally yielded information for me. As you have probably heard, the last of the 10 Benkelman children to emigrate from Germany were the four girls and their mother [Dorothea, age 52, and daughters Dorothea age 23, Catharina, age 21, Maria, age 13, and Lena, age 7]. We had heard from family legends that the mother died at sea and I have pursued that information for years. I have finally retrieved it. It is a painstaking process to get the facts, but I finally found an obituary that identified the port of entry as Baltimore---a stroke of luck since Baltimore was one of the few American ports of entry that did have a Customs passenger list. I have retrieved the film from the Archives in Washington--but it has brought a new mystery. It is remarkable that finding the answer to one question almost always raises another. Missing from the party of four daughters and the mother is the second eldest daughter, Catharina. She was released from the Empire with the others on 20 September of 1853--but there is no record of her having arrived in Baltimore!

At least I have a death date on the mother now. She died at sea on 22 October, barely a month into the voyage. The ship arrived in Baltimore on December 15. Can you imagine being packed into one of those filthy sailing vessels for six to nine weeks? Try to imagine the day to day living with no privacy, no way to bathe or attend to personal needs and only buggy, dried food to eat! Our ancestors suffered much. I will go and try to retrieve the Captain's actual report now that I know the ship and the Captain--to see if a cause of death is listed. Cholera was rampant that year, but I think it was not the cause since the part of the list I have seen shows only one other death during the voyage."

BonnieMargaret Jacobs shows her, on her transcription of the familienregister page of the Benkelmann family, as a daughter of George Friedrich St?hle and Anna Maria REIK or RECH. However, Anna Maria REIK is actually the mother of Dorothea's daughter-in-law Catharina Schaufele, who married Dorothea's son Adam Benkelmann. Kathy Bonnell, on her transcription of G?ppingen church records, shows her mothers maiden name was LEINS. BonnieMargaret appears to have been simply confusing the two Anna Maria's. Additionally, the family register for the family of Georg Friedrich St?hle, listing his wife and children, shows his wife Anna Maria was born to Georg Friedrich Leins, a farmer.

On the Oberant Welzheim Emmigrants list, 1818-1891, She is listed as Maria Dorothea, Witwe (widow) des Bauers Johann Leonhard Benkelmann von Schneiderhof, Gd. Waldhausen geb. den 5ten Januar 1800. Their guarantor was Johann Georg St?hle, Bauer von B?rtlingen.

(BonnieMargaret's full source citation was: Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg, "Verzeichnis der Auswanderung aus dem Oberamt Welzheim 1818-1891" F 214 B?schel 91 Fortlaufende Number 42 [or possibly 47] ).

Notes:

Married:
BonnieMargaret and her husband Bruce visited Germany in September, 1980. In a letter to Ben and Avis dated October 13, 1980, she shared the following information "Then we were on to B?rtlingen, where Adam and Catherine were married. The church there was built in 1484 and is one of the most beautiful we saw anywhere. I decided to see the village of Breech--for no particular reason except I that I'd heard Elsie Anthes speak of it and it had turned up in various records. WE had no real family association there--but it was nearby. What a stroke of dumb luck! Without that decision we might never have found the Schneiderhof, where Adam and his siblings were born and lived until they emigrated. The Schneiderhof is not a town and is not on any map. It's just a cluster of about 4 houses and supporting buildings, just down and across the road from Breech, and if you were looking away for just a second, you'd miss the sign to it.

I cannot tell you my excitement! ...There is nothing new there. Adam would recognize it as if he had never left. The tools and equipment are there as they have been for who knows how long. It is surrounded by orchards (apples) and small plots of vegetables. B?rtlingen is on a hill and is lovely with good views. The Schneiderhof is on top of the world, looking out on miles of hills and valleys and villages. It is incrediably beautiful. Again I found myself out in some cabbage patch, trying to explain to some farmer that this was my family heimat (home)...Clearly Americans are accepted as eccentric and harmless!...Vocabulary doesn't reach the beauty of that hilltop and its vistas out over hazy valleys, looking at other hills where red tiled houses form little villages. I can just imagine it at night--looking out over perhaps two dozen sparkling little villages on other hills around. One climbs from B?rtlingen to the Schneiderhof. But going down the back side of the mountain, through dense forest, the trail winds back and forth across the mountain into Waldhausen--which the Schneiderhof also looks down upon. This is the trip the family took to get to church, and probably to work."

In her 1981 unpublished manuscript, BonnieMargaret noted that only the top floor of the Benkelmann home shows from the road leading in. The house is three stories high on the back side, two stories high in the front. It was built in 1733, by the state, to provide housing for state licensed artisans who were not allowed in the town as guild craftsmen. Apparently it gained its name from its first inhabitants, since the name literally means "the place of tailors." The official state description of the Schneiderhof in 1845 states that it was a place with 22 Evangelical residents, lying on the mountain top about one-half an hours walk from Waldhausen. The rents were paid to the city of G?ppingen, in 1845 twelve of those residents would have been Leonhard and Dorothea and their 10 living children, others would have included Leonhard's widowed mother and some of her children by Herr Heller, and likely their families. The land was described as rocky and and lying on a mountainside, "even today it is impossible to use machinery to work the land" and that the "people who lived there would have to have outside work." The house itself lies on the very crest of the mountain, with the house built on the downside of the mountain, overlooking Waldhausen. A very small patch of is on the level crest at the top of the mountain. When BonnieMargaret visited the home in 1981, she said it had four or five dwellings in all, and barns and sheds nearby the house and in the orchards. Just west of the house stands the old Bauernhaus, perhaps the homestead of Leonhard's maternal grandparents. The fields to the south were planted in potatoes and turnips, the high production crops that all of southern Germany turned to in the early 1800's. Beyond the westernmost buildings were apple orchards, beautiful and well tended. (pp. 68, 69 and accompanying photos).

BonnieMargaret also noted that German life centered in the family. Even today we're told that day to day life included few close relationships with people outside the family. Certainly they were cordial and friendly with neighbors and cooperating artisans, but the joy of living was carefully protected within the walls of the home. Country people had no protection but each other, and the trusted "other" were kinsmen. Unlike the towns that were structured to protect the citizens from difficult times, the country folk were on their own, in good and bad times. Parents carefully nutured the bonds of affection and caring, and though they may have experienced the sibling rivalry that modern children do, it was not expressed in the German home, where only mutual caring and consideration were approved and encouraged.

Names and birthdates for this family were from the Waldhausen Parish Kirchlichen Familienregister Band I, Blatt 244, Dekanat Welzheim, Schw?bisch Gm?nd. BonnieMargaret noted that all the family information shown on pages 95 and 96 of her book were certified by Pastor Rau of the Ev. Pfarramt Waldhausen to be the complete record of the family of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann, with the exceptions of the dates of death, which were included by BonnieMargaret from other sources. They had one stillborn child, neither name or sex listed, on 4 July 1838. She also noted that they were married on November 20, but the year was illegible.

The family register for the family of Georg Friedrich St?hle and wife, Anna Maria Leins shows that Maria Dorothea was the fifth of their 15 children. She was married at the Schneiderhof on 20 Nov 1822, approximately 10 months after the birth of eldest son Friedrich.