Christina "Christine" Rommel

Christina married Johann Georg "George" Benkelman about 1861 in Lancaster, Erie County, New York. Johann (son of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann and Maria Dorothea St?hle) was born on 25 Jun 1830 in Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 16 Jan 1908 in Denver, Denver County, Colorado; was buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Denver County, Colorado. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
In the 1981 unpublished manuscript, BonnieMargaret Jacobs stated that George Benkelman and Christina Rommel were married in Lancaster, New Yorkafter George had returned their from California for a short visit. The families had lived in close proximity in Germany, and BonnieMargaret theorized that "George's plan (to marry her) was well formulated" prior to his trip back to New York. "When she arrived in America, we don't yet know, but she was there and waiting and willing when George returned." Art Peck instead lists the location of their marriage as in Sturgis, Michigan. Christina's father, Michael Rommel, was assesed taxes in Michigan in 1863 and 1864, and younger sister Mary Rommel was married to Christian Striffler in St. Joseph County, MI "prior to returning to Lancaster"...so it appears possible that George and Christina could have been married in either location. In the footnotes to her chapter on Johann Georg Benkelmann, BonnieMargaret also notes that newspaper biographies of George varied in the account of the location of his marriage, one stating he married Christine on his return to New York, another saying he went to Lancaster and then on to Michigan to marry Christine before heading back west.

1. George W. "Denver George" Benkelman was born on 23 Sep 1862 in Blackhawk, Colorado Territory; died on 28 Dec 1925 in Denver, Denver County, Colorado; was buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Denver County, Colorado.
2. Frank B. Benkelman was born in May 1864 in Denver, Colorado Territory; died on 14 Dec 1875 in Denver, Colorado Territory; was buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Denver County, Colorado.
3. Charles A. Benkelman was born on 7 Feb 1866 in Blackhawk, Colorado Territory; died on 17 Jun 1917 in Denver, Denver County, Colorado; was buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Denver County, Colorado.
4. Henry J. "Harry" Benkelman was born on 6 Nov 1867 in Blackhawk, Colorado Territory; died on 11 Dec 1915 in Denver, Denver County, Colorado; was buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Denver County, Colorado.

Notes:

BonnieMargeret Jacobs, on page 21 of her unpublished 1981 manuscript about the Benkelman Family, said that the name "Rommel" was a pet form of names beginning with RUHM ("fame"), or alternatively blustering or noisy, or messy or untidy.

The Wuerrtemberg, Germany Emigration Index shows that a Johann Michael Rommel, from the district of Ludwigsburg, was born 1 Oct 1804 in Beihingen, applied to emigrate to New York in Oct 1853 (#837989). Unless the date of birh and location of birth are slightly off, this is not our Michael Rommel.

The Michigan Death index shows he was born ca 1804 in Germany, and died on 9 Feb 1888 in St. Joseph, Michigan. He was widowed at the time of his death. The Sattler Family Tree on Ancestry.com shows Michael as a son of Johannes Rommel and Anna Maria Vester.

Michael married Maria Barbara Frey on 30 Jan 1827 in B?nzwangen, Donaukreis, W?rttemberg, Germany. Maria was born on 4 Dec 1804 in Faurndau, Donaukreis, W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 27 Feb 1873. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]