Charles Frederick Buchanan

Notes:

The STRIFFLER-BENKELMAN BROADCAST, Vol. 7, September 4, 1944, noted that Frederick Buchanan, trained at Ft. Belvoir, Va., was in Burma. As of the September 3, 1945 issue (Vol. 8), it was reported that he was in Led, India, where he has been stationed for nearly two years.

In the same periodical, Volume 9, dated September 2, 1946, in a column titled "Our Service Men Who Have Returned Home", it was noted that Fred Buchanan returned from India and Burma after 2 1/2 years as one of 12 surveyors of the Stiwell Road, and was attending college in Houghton, Mich. As of the 1948 issue of this periodical, he had graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Houghton.

Volume 11, published September 6, 1948, reported that he was Assistant Industrial Engineer a the Oliver Farm Equipment Co. in Battle Creek.

Volume 13, published September 4, 1950, reported that he and his son, Mikey, had moved to San Diego, California.

Volume 26, published September 5, 1966, reported he was promoted to head of engineering in the civilian part of the Eleventh Naval District in San Diego.

Charles married Novella Galloway on 9 Aug 1943 in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky. Novella was born in Nov 1923 in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky; died in Nov 1949 in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They were the parents of Patricia, Michael and Penny.

1. Living

Charles married Mary C. Bradley on 9 Aug 1957 in San Diego, San Diego County, California. Mary was born on 24 Aug 1924 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; died on 25 May 1995 in San Diego County, California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

A letter he wrote to Santa appeared on page one of the Cass City Chronicle, Friday, December 14, 1906:

Cass City, Dec. 10, 06

Dear Santa Claus, Iceland

I thought you would write to you and tell you want I want. I would like a jack knife and a bank and some candy and some peanuts and a ball and a bat and a cup please bring me a goat. The fire will be all out, and you can come down the chimney. I will like to see your reindeers ha! ha! I would like some mitten,

good by Santa Claus
please bring them all
Earl Mckinley Buchanan

California Death Index

Earl McKinley Buchanan
Born 2-19-1898 Michigan
Died 4-21-1990 San Diego County
Mother's Maiden Name: Lazenby

Earl married Katherine Luise Striffler on 17 Aug 1921. Katherine (daughter of Samuel Striffler and Marie L. Kaiser) was born on 10 Dec 1899 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 18 Mar 1989 in San Diego, San Diego County, California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle
December 24, 1920

Miss Katherine Striffler of Battle Creek came today to spend the vacation with Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Striffler.

Volume 25 of the STRIFFLER-BENKELMAN BROADCAST, dated September 6, 1965, reported that Katherine and Earl spent two months traveling abroad, throughout Europe and the Middle East. While in Germany, they stopped in G?ppingen, the town in which her mother, Marie Kaiser Striffler, was born.

Katherine Stiffler Buchanan was one of the cousins of BonnieMargaret Jacobs who recounted many of the stories told to her by her grandmother, Louisa Benkelman Striffler.

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle
Cass City, Michigan, March 23, 1923
Local Happenings, Page Four

Sam Striffler spent a few days last week in Battle Creek where he was the guest of his daughter, Mrs. Earl BUCHANAN.

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, November 12, 1954
Page Six
Cass City Area News Items

Relatives here received word of the death, Saturday, of Samuel Striffler, 82, of San Diego, Cal. Mr. Striffler, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Striffler, was born and raised here. Funeral services and burial took place in California. He is survived by his wife, Mary, who has been hospitalized for a long period of time; a daughter, Mrs. Earl Buchanan, of San Diego and a son, Vernon Striffler, of Long Beach, California, and one sister, Mrs. George Zinnecker of Moore, Montana.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Winter 2007)

California Death Index:

STRIFFLER SAMUEL 02/28/1872 BENKLEMAN STRIFFLER M MICHIGAN SAN DIEGO(37) 11/06/1954 366-07-0433

(Research):Census Information:

1900 Census
Michigan, Tuscola County, Elkland Twp, Cass City Village
Enumerated 12, 13 and 14 June 1900 by John Marshall
SD 8, ED 110, Sheet 7A Stamped 110
137-137
Striffler, Samuel W M Feb 1872 28 M2 Mich France Germany
Striffler, Mary L W F May 1879 21 M2 1/1 Germany Germany Ge
rmany
Striffler, Catherine W F Dec 1899 5/12 Mich Mich Germany
Striffler, Louisa W F Sept 1853 57 7/3 Germany Germany Germany
Crocker, Fred W M Apr 1880 20 Mich Ohio Germany

HH 138-138
Solomon and Kate Striffler

Fred Crocker was Samuel Striffler's first cousin, once removed. His mother was Dorothea Benkelman Crocker, a niece of Sam's mother, Louisa.

Samuel married Marie L. Kaiser on 17 Aug 1898. Marie (daughter of Heinrich Rudolph Kaiser and Christine Barbara Buerk) was born on 20 May 1879 in G?ppingen, Donaukreis, W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 21 Apr 1955 in San Diego, San Diego County, California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She was the half sister of the wife of her brother-in-law, Katie Buerk who married Solomon Striffler.

California Death Index:

STRIFFLER MARIE L 05/20/1879 BURKE KAISER F REST (OTHER) SAN DIEGO(37) 04/21/1955 366-07-0433 75 yrs

Notes:

Supervisor of Elkland Township from 1888 through 1891, and President of Cass City in the last years of the 19th century. (Source: Peck)

Bonnie Margaret Jacobs, in her 1981 unpublished manuscript, wrote that Jacob and his brother John Striffler "decided they'd join the migration west and they had heard of the opening territory of Michigan and the potentially good farm land there. Sight unseen, they bought land for two farms at $2 per acred and set out with their families for their new home in 1859....the trip was reasonably easy the first part of the way. They could catch a boat from Buffalo to the Michigan shores and from there, wagon on to their new land....they found the forest so dense that there was no way to get to the land they had purchased. Disgusted and disappointed, they were prepared to return to Lancaster. But the men in Watrousville [now Caro] advised they not to be so foolish. It was good farm land---once the trees were harvested and a part of each land sale seems to have included a provision that the price of the land did not include the pine that stood on it. Lumbering rights were held by large lumbering companies and the Strifflers could expect to be able to establish their homes by the next spring. So the two young families remained in Watrousville for the winter. Fortunately as well as being experienced farmers, the men were accomplished coopers. So they supported themselves by the making of barrels and buckets through the winter and finally were able to get thier land the next summer." (pp. 151, 152, and Jacobs cites both the "Memoirs of John A. Benkelman," along with interviews with Elsie Buehrly Anthes, Leonard Striffler and Mrs. Ben Schwegler).

He and Louisa were charter members of the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Cass City.

Cass City Enterprise
September 27, 1895

About midnight, Monday, Jacob Striffler, living two miles east and north of town, breathed his last. He had resided here since 1860, and labored hard to make fruitful what was then a wilderness, not without succes. The funeral took place yesterday at the Evangelical Church, Rev. C.W. Ross officiating and being assisted by Rev. J.W. Fenn. The pall bearers were from among his associates and were also pioneers. The attendance was large and the services impressive. Deceased was born March 31, 1918 at Kirrberg, Germany (formerly France) and fell asleep in Jesus at his home September 24, 1895, aged 76 years, 5 months, and 23 days. In 1830 he came with his parents to America and located near Buffalo, NY, he moved to Watrousville, Mich in 1859, and he came her one year later. Early in life he converted to God, became a member of the Evangelical Church, lived a devoted Christian life and was true until called from labor to reward. He also served in a capacity of a class-leader for many years. Mr. Striffler leaves a sorrowing wife, two sons and two daughter (two sons and two daughters precededd him to the better land), three brothers, one sister and a large circle of friends. May God grant all a happy reunion in heaven.

(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
59-57
Jacob Striffler 41 M Farmer $280 $75 France
Louisa Striffler 27 F Domestic Wurtinberg
Adaline Striffler 6 F NY
Leonard Striffler 3 M NY
Solomon Striffler 1 NY
The household immediately preceding theirs was that of John and Mary Striffler, his brother.

1870 Census
Michigan, Tuscola County, Elkland
53-53
Striffler, Jacob 51 Farmer $3,030 $300 France
Striffler, Louisa 37 Keeping House Germany Wirtenberg
Striffler, Leonard 13 NY
Striffler, Solomon 10 NY
Striffler, Lydia 4 MI
Striffler, Jacob 4/12 MI
The following three households were those of Adam and Catherine Benkelman, George and Katherine Kolb, and John and Mary Striffler

1880 Census
Census Place:Elkland, Tuscola, Michigan Source:FHL Film 1254607 National Archives Film T9-0607 Page 96C
RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
Jacob STRIFFLERSelfMMW61FRANCE Occ:FarmerFa: FRANCEMo: FRANCE
Louisa STRIFFLERWifeFMW46WERTENBERG Occ:Keeping HouseFa: WERTENBERGMo: WERTENBERG
Soloman STRIFFLERSonMSW21NY Occ:FarmerFa: FRANCEMo: WERTENBERG
Samuel STRIFFLERSonMSW8MI Occ:At SchoolFa: FRANCEMo: WERTENBERG
Lydia STRIFFLERDauFSW6MI Occ:At SchoolFa: FRANCEMo: WERTENBERG
Charles JANS OtherMSW33WERTENBERG Occ:FarmerFa: WERTENBERGMo: WERTENBERG

Jacob married Luise "Louisa" Benkelman about 1853 in Lancaster, Erie County, New York. Luise (daughter of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann and Maria Dorothea St?hle) was born on 14 Sep 1833 in Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 22 Oct 1910 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 1852 ausgewandert" (left for America) in 1852. BonnieMargaret Jacobs wrote that Louise travelled to America at the age of 19, with no other family members to accompany her, however it was likely other villagers made the journey with her. BonnieMargaret speculated that "perhaps her brohters had already spotted one of the Striffler brothers as a likely spouse, and wanted the eligible Louisa on hand." (p. 81).

At the time of the 1900 Census, she was living with her son and daughter-in-law, Samuel and Mary Striffler in Cass City.

Cass City Chronicle
October 28, 1910

Pioneer Lady Laid to Rest-
Mrs. Louisa Striffler Passed away Saturday-
One of the Pioneers of Elkland TownshipWhose Life Was a Blessing to Others-

Death released from her suffering Mrs. Louise Striffler, whose illness had been mentioned several time in the past two months. Her demise occurred at the home of her son, Solomon Striffler, two miles northeast of town.

Louise Benkelman was born in Oberamt Weltzheim, Wurtenberg, Germany, on Sept. 14, 1833. About 1850 she came to America and settled at Lancaster, N.Y. A few years later she was united in marriage to Jacob Striffler in that village. In the year 1850 they came to Michigan, settling in Elkland township. Mr. Striffler died 14 years ago.

Mrs. Striffler was converted to the Christian faith under the labors of Rev. Henne, a pioneer minister of the Evangelical Church. She was one of the charter members of the church of that denomination at Cass City. Before the society erected a church here, they worshipped many times in the Striffler home which was thrown open with the generous hospitality of the pioneer days.

Mrs. Striffler was a good and kind mother and beloved by all her aquantances. She was at home by the bedside of the sick and delighted in all kind and neighborly deeds of helpfulness. Her life was one of usefullness. In such a death there is really no cause for grief. Her life work was done, and well done, and weary of suffering and waiting, she is now at rest.

The funeral service was held at the Evangelical church Tuesday afternoon, Rev. J.A. Schweitzer officiating. Interment was made in the family lot in Elkland cemetery.

Deceased is survived by two sons, Solomon and Samuel of Elkland township, one daughter, Mrs. Geo. Zinnecker of Owendale, two brothers Leonard Benkelman of Manitowoc, Wisc. and John Benkelman of Portage, Wisc., and two sisters, Mrs. Jno. Striffler and Mrs. M.M. Schwegler.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Spring 2007)

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

http://seekingmichigan.org/

Indexed as Louisa Striffler



(Medical):See attached sources.

Notes:

Married:
BonnieMargaret Jacobs wrote that Bob Benkelman had a copy of their marriage certificate from Lancaster, Erie County, NY. They were married by Reverand Christian Knapp, who had moved from W?rttemberg to Lancaster to head a Reformed congregation.

Louisa and Jacob had seven children in total, only three of whom survived into adulthood.

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.