William H. Bien

Notes:

Lorraine Smith Benkelman excerpted the following letters between William H. Bien and George Albert Striffler. These letters were written in the late 1880's who was looking for work. Just a few years later William would marry George Albert's younger sister, Salome.

January 8, 1886 Whittemore, Michigan

So many men that they commenced discharging 5 or 6 every day. They cut wages from $26 to $18-$20. Finally we got work up on the Au Sable River. I got in 24 days and then they put the damper on my winter job, so I came on down to this god forsaken palce Whittemore and stuck a tree camp and scored ties for seven days then had the good luck to cut my foot a very bad cut. Dr. says it should be healed in three more weeks.

April 8, 1886 Oscoda, Michigan

Everything is kind'o dull here, but things will be booming if the good weather keeps up. there was quite a lawsuit here about some fellows breaking into a house of ill fame and destroyed almost everything. There were about 15 in the scrape and six of them were sent to Tawas county jail awaiting trial at circuit court. They were a hard looking crew, but the girls got the start of 'em.


July 25, 1886 Black River, Michigan

Never see the face of a woman here. Tell Will Striffler to write. Tell me who your sweet potato blossom was for the fourth. Write me back at Mr. Wards Camp at Black River, MI.

November 18, 1888 Baraga, Michigan

What are you doing in upper Michigan. Is it the homestead we spoke of?

December 23, 1888

Am working in a lumber camp for Thos. Nester co. and our foreman is one of your Cass City neighbors, Malcolm McEachin. Certainly you must know him, his folks live in the scotch settlement and he knows you folks. Wages are $26 to $30, so if you come you are sure of $26.

Mary Hicks, a grand niece of William Bien's ex-daughter-in-law, Helena Shaneyfelt Bien, emailed in July, 2010 that the "Bien / Biehn / Bean family was Mennonite. William H. Bien's father was David G. Bean in Ontario, and he was the son of Abraham Bean (Bien, Biehn) and Susannah Graybill (Grebiel). Abraham was born in Doon, Ontario, Canada, and Susannah was born in Druemore, Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania. "

William married Salome Striffler on 25 Nov 1891 in Kilmanagh, Huron County, Michigan. Salome (daughter of John "Uncle John" Striffler and Anna Maria "Mary" Benkelman) was born on 19 Sep 1866 in Elkland Township, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 26 Jan 1922 in Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

When he completed his registration card for World War I, John S. Bien was shown as age 24, being born December 8, 1892 in Pigeon, Huron County, Michigan. His occupation was shown as teaching, but he was not employed at the time of the registration, and was a resident of Cass City. He was single, tall, medium build, with brown eyes and black hair, and it was noted that he had a "poor knee." He signed the application as John Stanley Bien.

According to the 1920 census enumeration, J. Stanley Bien was Principal of the School for the Blind in Lansing, Michigan. He was living at the school, listed as age 27, born in Michigan, with his father born in Canada(English) and his mother born in Michigan. His occupation was listed as both Principal/Teacher. Stanley was shown as married to Ruth, age 26, who was born in England to English parents. At the time of that census, they had a one year old daughter, Ruth Jane, born in Michigan.

On January 7, 1949, it was front page headline news in Cass City that "J. Stanley Bien Is New Purchasing Director for State: Former Cass City Young Many Has Responsible Position at Lansing." The article noted that Bien has graduated from Cass City High School in 1911, and served as acting director of the purchasing department since the resignation in the last summer of Eugene Cumpp. He was to be in the highest classification of civil servants, with a starting salary of $9,180 annual. He was born Dec. 8, 1892, on a farm in Windsor Township, Huron County, between Pigeon and Bay Port, Bien when with his mother, Miss Salome Striffler, to her parental home near Cass City after the death of his father, WIlliam, in 1895. John Striffler, well known Elkland Township farmer, was his maternal grandfather. Bien worked in the vicinity of Cass City after he was graduated until the fall of 1914 when he entered Battle Creek College affiliated with Battle Creek Sanitarium, but was forced to give up his physical culture course because of a football injury. He transferred to Western Michigan College where he finished in 1916. He was principal of the Michigan School for the Blind from 1917 to 1922.

In 1937, he re-entered state employment. serving four years as procurement supervisor for the State Highway Department. In 1941, he was transferred to the State Administrative Board as assistant to the secretary and sided in the organization of the Purchasing Division under civil service. He became deputy director in 1946."

His obituary was published in the Cass City Chronicle on Thursday, December 14, 1967, page 6.

Former area man dies downstate

J. Stanley Bien of 225 Strathmore, Lansing, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, in a Lansing hospital. He was born near Cass City and lived in the area until after he graduated from Cass City High School.

Bien had completed 46 years of service with the State of Michigan. At the time of his retirement in 1953 he was state purchashing director. Early in his career he was principal of the Michigan School for the Blind.

He was active in church and community affairs as a member of the Central Methodist church and the Men's Club, Capital Lodge S. O. No. 66 F&AM, and the Hi-Twelve Club, all of Lansing.

Mr. Bien was the first recipient of hte Homer Hauger award in 1956 from the National Association of Purchasing Agents for outstanding contributions to the purchasing profession. He was past president of the Central Michigan Purchasing association and of the National Association of Purchasing Agents.

Surviving are his wife, Ruth M. of Lansing; two daughters, Mrs. Robert Block of Lansing and Mrs. Emerson W. Peet of Atlanta, and six grandchildren.

Services were ehld at the Estes-Deadley Colonial Chapel at 2:30 p.m. Friday, December 8, with burial in Deepdale Memorial Park.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)


(Research):
Census Listings:

1920 Census
Michigan, Ingham County, Lansing, School for the Blind
Enumerated 21 Jan 1920
SD 5 ED 97 Sheet 21 A Ward 4 Stamped 21

Bien, J. Stanley Principal M W 27 M Mich Canada Eng Mich Principal Teacher
Bien, Ruth Wife F W 26 M Un Un England English England English England English Teacher
Bien, Ruth Jane Dtr F W ?? S Mich Mich England

1930 Census
Michigan, Ingham, Lansing City, Ward 7, 4th precinct
Enumerated April 9, 1930
ED 33-47 SD 12/13 Sheets 9B and 10A Stamped 233
Shiawasee Street
837-146-202
Bien, J. Stanley Hd R$35 M W 37 M@23 Mich Mich Mich Selecting Manager Wholesale Paper
Bien, Ruth R Wf F W 36 M@22 England England England/English
Bien, Ruth Jane Dtr F W 11 S Mich Mich England
Bien, Sally Ann Dtr F W 3 2/12 Mich Mich England

John married Ruth ??? on 20 Jan 1917. Ruth was born about 1894 in England, United Kingdom; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

When he completed his draft registration for World War I, he was working as a farmer in Kalamazoo for Mrs. Jennie Cavender. He listed his location of birth as Pigeon, Huron County, Michigan. He was shown as medium heighth, medium build, with brown eyes and hair.

At the time of the 1920 census, he was a lodger in a boarding home in Ward Six, the 12th District, Detroit, with his occupation listed as Real Estate Salesman. In 1930, census records still show him as a boarder in Detroit, with his occupation as Retail Auto Salesman, and shown as a veteran of the World War. He was living in the 21st Ward, in the home of Elvin and Orpha Freeman, and incorrectly indexed as Paul BIEM. He was single at the time of both enumerations.

The Striffler-Benkelman Broadcast, Volume 10, dated September 1, 1947, reported that Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bien and two daughters of Houston, Texas visited relatives in Detroit, Lansing and Cass City. Paul has been away seventeen years.

Art Peck's book published a brief obituary, which appears to have been published in Cass City.

"Paul Bien, 60, former resident (Cass City) died April 27 (1955 penciled in) in Houston, Texas after two weeks illness caused by a heart attack. Mr. Bien left Detroit 25 years ago to make his home in Houston and is survived by his wife; two daughters; a step-son and two brothers, J. Stanley Bien of Lansing and Wm. Bien of East Syracuse, N.Y."

Name: Paul Preston Bien
Death Date: 27 Apr 1955
Death Place: Houston, Harris, Texas
Gender: Male
Race:
Death Age: 60 years 11 months 23 days
Estimated Birth Date: 1895
Birth Date:
Birthplace: Bay Port, Michigan
Marital Status:
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: William H. Bien
Father's Birthplace: Ontario, Canada
Mother's Name: Salene Striffer
Mother's Birthplace: Cass City, Michigan
Occupation: Salesman, Radio School
Place of Residence:
Cemetery:
Burial Place:
Burial Date:
Additional Relatives:
Film Number: 2114388
Digital Film Number: 4165531
Image Number: 1840
Reference Number: 18453
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976


(Medical):See attached sources.

Paul married Helena B. Shaneyfelt on 22 Jun 1920 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Helena was born about 1902 in Maryland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Paul married Anna Sue O'Brien before 1936. Anna was born about 1909 in Houston, Harris County, Texas; died on 2 Sep 1947 in Lafayette, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At the time he completed his draft registration for World War I, he was a student at Western State Normal School in Kalamazoo. He was shown as being born on December 23, 1985 in Cass City, Michigan. He was listed as of medium heighth, stout build, with dark brown eyes and hair.

Art Peck writes that he was an "Educator in New York State. He purchased a 25 acre farm about 8 miles west of Syracuse."

The Striffler-Benkelman Broadcast, Volume 10, dated September 1, 1947, reported that Mr. and Mrs. William Bien of Syracuse, N.Y. visited Stanley Bien's in Lansing, and that their son Bill was in Japan and their daughter Louise was married.

(Research):Census Listings:

1930 Census
Minnesota, Ramsey County, St. Paul City, Ward 7, Block 21
1 continued
Enumerated April 2, 1930
ED 62-102 SD 8 Sheet 2B
Grand Avenue (Appears to have been a fourplex)
622-14-37
Bien, Wm. D. Hd M W M@27 Mich Mich Mich Salesman Electric Fixtures
Bien, Marion Wf F W 35 M@28 Pa Pa Pa
Bien, Louise Dtr F W 6 S West Virginia Mich Pa
Bien, William Son M W 1 3/12 S Va Mich Pa

William married Marion Louise Lillibridge about 1923. Marion was born on 4 Apr 1894 in Port Allegany, Mckean County, Pennsylvania; died on 20 Aug 1976 in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]