Johann Leonhard "Leonard" Benkelman

1828 - 1913  (84 years)

• Name	Johann Leonhard "Leonard" Benkelman  [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Nickname	Leonard
  Birth	5 Jul 1828	Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Death	25 May 1913	Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin   [2, 5, 6]
  Burial	Evergreen Cemetery, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin   [2]
  Notes	Leonhard, named for his father, was the trailblazer of the family. Parish records in Waldhausen show "ist 1849 Ausgewandert," meaning he emigrated in 1849. This makes him the first of the ten children [who lived into maturity] of Leonhard and Dorothea Benkelmann to leave Germany for America. Every one of his siblings eventually followed him. BonnieMargaret Jacobs wrote that "as in all areas of German life, there were strict requirements to be met in order to be free to leave. The emigrant had to obtain certificates from the tax collector, the pastor and from school officials that he was free from taxes, tithes of other debts. The emigrant also had to renounce their citizenship, and have a specified amount of money to sustain them in their new country until they could establish themselves." (p. 80) Leonard settled first in Lancaster, New York, but sometime after 1851 moved to Wisconsin, taking his newly arrived younger brother Johannes with him west. They lived first in Milwaukee, and later Leonard alone moved to Manitowac county, where he spent the rest of his life. BonnieMargaret wrote that "pamphlets about Wisconsin had been prepared to be circulated amoung the villages back home in Germany. The Wisconsin Germans were anxious to create a German community with a German culture and they aggresively recruited immigrants to their area...The early settlers in Manitowac were primarily German, Swiss and Irish. They brought with them their cheese making skills and turned Wisconsin into the dairyland of the nation. But manufacture and shipbuilding developed quickly in Manitowoc, with its access through the Great Lakes to endless markets." (Jacobs, p. 1022) Leonard was a veteran of the Civil War, enlisting on 8 Sept 1861 for 3 years as a private in Company A, 1st Regiment, Mechanics Fusileers, though the company disbanded, and he was and discharged on 28 Jan 1862 at Camp Douglas, Illinois. BonnieMargaret Jacobs states that at the time of his enlistment, his occupation was listed as weaver. He reenlisted in 1865 for 1 year in Company D, 48th Regiment of the Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and mustered out 19 February 1866 at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. BonnieMargaret Jacobs cites his Civil War Pension record as No. 696589, filed on 9 Oct 1890. His war record showed him as an engineer. The 1880 city directory listed him as the same. Leonhard appears to have remained in close contact with his family. The Cass City, Michigan paper had several articles over the years mentioning his visits. This brief article appeared one week after the death of Adam Benkelman. "Leonard Benkelman, from Wisconsin, brother of the late Adam Benkelman, is in town and will remain for some time." (Cass City Enterprise Published in Cass City, Mich., Jan. 6, 1898). A few years later, these articles also mention Leonard: Cass City Chronicle November 8, 1901 Local Mentions A farewell party was given at Mrs. J. Schwegler's Monday evening in honor of her brother, Leonard and his niece Miss Cora Benkelman [daughter of Johannes Benkelman], who left for their respective homes in Manitowoc and Portage, Wisconisn, Tuesday. Cass City Chronicle October 30, 1908 Local Mentions Leonard Benkelman of Manitowoc, Wis., is the guest of his sisters, Mrs. Louisa Striffler and Mrs. John Striffler and other relatives. A notice of his death was in the Friday, May 30, 1913 issue of the Cass City Chronicle: "Word has been received of the death of Leonard Benkelman, residing at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Clark* [nee Mary Jane Clancey] Sunday morning and was buried Wednesday. Mr. Benkelman was a brother of Mrs. M.M. Schwegler and the late Mrs. John Striffler and has visited Cass City a number of times. *It appears from the obituary published in the Manitowoc paper that Leonard actually died in the home of his other daughter, Ella Benkelman Bodwin. Leonhard's step-granddaughter also ended up in Cass City. Cora Horn (daughter of Mary Jane Clancey Horn Clark) married George Albert Striffler, a nephew of Leonhard's. Jane Zimmerman provided the following obituary of Leonard, published in the Manitowoc Daily Herald on May 30, 1913. Leonard Benkelman Manitowoc Citizen Well Known Among German Citizens here From Manitowoc (Wis.) Daily Herald While his comrades, assembled throughout the land for memorial services Sunday, listened to tributes to their deeds of valor, Leonard Benkelman, one of the best known veterans of the county, heard taps sounded and passed on, his death occuring at the home of his daughter, Mrs. John Bodwin at Kings Bridge, due to infirmaties of age. Mr. Benkelman had been looking forward to the Memorial day services in which he had been a participant for years and the keenest disappointment shadowed his last hours when he realized that he could not survive to join with his comrades another year. Mr. Benkelman was born at Brech, Wuertenberg [BonnieMargaret Jacob's writes that Breech was just down and across the road from the Schneiderhof, both near B?rtlingen], Germany, July 5, 1828, and in 1848 came to America, locating at Lancaster, N.Y. where he remained two years and then came to this city where he has since resided. When the civil war broke out Mr. Benkelman responded to the call for volunteers and enlisted in what was known as the First regiment, Mechanic Fussillers, attached to Co. A of which Capt. W. Bates, a Manitowoc man, was in command. Later, after being honorably discharged, Mr. Benkelman enlisted with Co. D, Forty-eighth Wisconsin, and served with the comman in trying experiences on the western plains. He returned here after the war to make his home. Mr. Benkelman is survived by three children, Mrs. William Clark, of this city; William Benkelman, Marion, Wis., and Mrs. J. Bodwin, of Kings Bridge, sixteen grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A brother, John Benkelman, Portage, and one sister, Mrs. M. M. Schwegler, Cass City, Mich. also survive. One sister preceded him just two weeks ago. Decedent was well known in the county and was universally esteemed. Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon from the Clark home, 410 Park Street, to St. James Episcopal church and interment will be at Evergreen. Cemetery records, from the Manitowoc County, Wisconsin Genealogy website: BENKLEMAN: [W2-150-3]-[Leonard Benkelman/bur. 05-27-1913/cause: adetic [aortic?] insufficiency/bur. on John Horn lot] (William/d. 25 May 1913/age 85/cause: arterial schlorosis/bur. Evergreen 28 May 1913/from record of St. James Epis. ch., Manitowoc) BENKELMANN: Jane............Aug. 23, 1894 Cem.#44, same name, same year *same, vol.4, p.234 BENKELMANN: Leonard Benkelmann/Co. D. 48th Wis. Inf., ossw: Jane Benkelmann/1830-1894 ossw: CLARKE/HORNE, next to: L. Benkelmann/Co. D/48 Wis. Inf. (Research):Census Information: 1860 Census Wisconsin, Manitowoc County, First Ward 8 June 1860 Page 49 (bottom)/Page 50 (top) 389-390 Leonard Brinkleman 30 M Weaver Wurtemburgh Jane Brinkleman 29 F Ireland William Brinkleman 11 M Illinois Mary Brinkleman 8 F Wisc Frederick Brinkleman 3 M Wisc Emma Brinkleman 1 F Wisc Note: William and Mary are Jane's children from her first marriage 1870 Census Wisconsin, Manitowac, First Ward 17 June 1870, Stamped 192 107-117 Bingleman, Leonard 42 M W Carpenter Ireland (sic) Bingleman, Jane 40 F Keeping House Ireland Bingleman, William 21 M Grocery Store Ill Bingleman, Fred 15 M Wisc Bingleman, Emma 11 F Wisc Mary, age 18 is no longer living with her parents. It is possible that she moved to Brown County, Wisconsin, as this is where her daughter, Cora Horn, was born in 1871. On the 1870 Brown County, Wisconsin census, a 19 year old Mary HORAN, House Servant, born in Wisconsin, can be found. This may be Mary Clancey Benkelman, already married but living apart from her husband? Or it may be someone else entirely. Living two households away is a 25 year old George McCORMICK, a teamster from Ireland. McCORMICK is the maiden name of Mary's mother, also born in Ireland. However Jane Zimmerman, a descendant of Leonard and Jane Benkelman, notes that McCORMICK was/is a fairly common name, and she does not know of a connection between Jane McCormick Benkelman and George McCormick. 1880 Census 1st Ward, Manitowoc, Manitowoc, Wisconsin FHL Film 1255434 National Archives Film T9-1434 Page 17 RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace Leonhard BINGELMAN Self M M W 52 WURTEMBERG Occ: Engineer Fa: WURTEMBERG Mo: WURTEMBERG Jane BINGELMAN Wife F M W 50 IRE Occ: Keeping House Fa: IRE Mo: IRE 1900 Census Wisconsin, Manitowoc, Manitowoc Ward 2 9 June 1900 SD 3 ED 72 Sheet 12B 412-227-264 Clark, William Hd W M May 1846 54 M18 NY England England Horse shoer Clark, Mary Wf W F Feb 1852 48 M18 4/3 Wisc Germ Ireland Clark, Cora Dtr W F Feb 1871 29 S Wisc Ny Wisc Clark, Walter Son W M Sept 1883 17 S Wisc Ny Wisc At School Clark, Warren Son W M June 1885 15 S Wisc NY Wisc At School Bingleman, Leonard Father In Law W M July 1828 72 Wd Germ Germ Germ Retired
  Person ID	I11980	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	29 May 2016

  
  

  Father	Johann Leonhard Benkelmann,   b. 6 Feb 1796, Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany d. 24 Feb 1848, Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany (Age 52 years)
  Mother	Maria Dorothea St?hle,   b. 5 Jan 1800, B?rtlingen, G?ppingen, Donaukreis, W?rttemberg, Germany d. 22 Oct 1853, Transit to America, Lost At Sea (Age 53 years)
  Marriage	20 Nov 1822	Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany   [1, 3]
  	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.
  Documents » Slide Show		Benkelmann, Johann Leonhard and Dorothea (St?hle), Church Family Registry (German), page two German Church Family registry, second page, which lists the fifteen children born to Leonhard and Dorothea. Four of these children died young, the twelfth child was stillborn ("todgeborenes"), and the remaining 10 children all emigrated to the United States between 1849 and 1873.
  		Striffler-Benkelman Annual Labor Day Family Reunion, 1936 Newspaper article In the mid 1850's, in Erie County, New York, two sons of Jacob & Otilla Striffler married two Benkelman sisters. Shortly after their marriages, the couples moved to the Michigan frontier, many of their brothers and sisters following them. The two families remained intertwined for subsequent generations. At a reunion of the Henry Striffler family in 1930 it was decided to enlarge the scope of the reunion to include descendants of Henry, Jacob, Joseph, Christian, John and Susan Striffler. Members and "in laws" of these families first gathered at the Assembly grounds in Sebewaing for a reunion in 1932. As the Benkelman-Striffler family had remained very close over the years, all branches of the Benkelman family were invited to their Sixth Reunion, and since that time it remained a joint event. This articles from the 1936 "Cass City Chronicle" details one of the earliest joint reunions. Attended by over 170 family members, the reunion was held on the John Striffler homestead northeast of Cass City, with attendees travelling from Ontario, Ohio and many places in Michigan. President W.D. STRIFFLER presided at a business meeting in 1936, and Harry HUNT, Mrs. S.G BENKELMAN (the former Mary Striffler), and Mrs. Ben SCHWEGLER (the former Joanna Mark) were elected officers for the ensuing year. The first volume of the STRIFFLER-BENKELMAN BROADCAST was published for the September 1936 reunion.
  		Striffler-Benkelman Reunion 1954 Handbill Handbill advertising the annual Striffler-Benkelman Reunion, 1954, featuring Cass City's Main Street. At the fiftieth Striffler-Benkelman Reunion in 1981, Ruth Schenck Esau recalled a time when on Main Street, the owners of the newspaper, a farm implement store, both meat markets, the grocery store, paint store, insurance agency, funeral home, and photography studio were all members of the Striffler-Benkelman clan; not to mention a bank teller, many clerks, the music teacher, and many of the town's farmers.
  		Striffler-Benkelman Reunion Photo, 1961 Group Photo fromthe 30th Striffler-Benkelman Reunion, held September 4, 1961 at the Cass City Evangelical Church, founded by members of the Striffler and Benkelman families
  		B?rtlingen, Germany B?rtlingen 1683/1685 im Kieserschen Forstlagerbuch
  Family ID	F35	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Jane McCormick,   b. 13 May 1830, Ireland d. 21 Aug 1894, Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin (Age 64 years)
  Marriage	19 Feb 1855	Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin   [2, 7, 8]
  	BENKELMANN: Leonhard (also Leonard Benkelman) b: Wurtenburg, Germany res: Manitowoc p: Leonhard and Toladea Benkelmann m: 19 Feb. 1855 at Manitowoc to: Jane (McCormick)Clancey (a young widow from Chicago) p: John and Cath. McCormick source: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~tomanitowoc Jane Zimmerman writes that Leonard was quite easygoing, whereas Jane was hard to please.
  Children	1. William Richard Clancey Binkelman,   b. 2 Mar 1848, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois d. Yes, date unknown   2. Mary Jane Clancey,   b. 8 Feb 1852, Wisconsin d. 3 Jul 1916, Wisconsin (Age 64 years)   3. Friedrich Benkelman,   b. Between 1856 and 1857, Wisconsin d. Yes, date unknown   4. Emma Ella Benkelman,   b. 18 Feb 1860, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin d. 14 Jan 1937, Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin (Age 76 years)
  Family ID	F5021	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	19 Jun 2013

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 5 Jul 1828 - Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany Marriage - 19 Feb 1855 - Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin Death - 25 May 1913 - Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin Burial - - Evergreen Cemetery, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Benkelman, Johann Leonhard Husband of Jane McCormick, the widow Clancy B. 1828 W?rttemberg D. 1913 Wisconsin Leonard was the trailblazer of the family, the first of the ten Benkelmann children to leave Germany. He settled in Wisconsin where he worked as an engineer and served in the Civil War. Jane Zimmerman owns the original of this photo. She notes that on the back of it the photographer had written, "713 Manitowoc Benkelmann box 12 105." A copy of this photo can also be seen at the following website: www.2manitowoc.com
  		Benkelman, Johann Leonhard and wife Jane McCormick Jane was a young widow with two children when she and Leonhard married. They had two additional children together. On the back of this photo is the label, "Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Benkelman, Melendy & Packard, Photography, Manitowac, Wisconsin."
  		Striffler Reunion Photo, bet. 1908-1910 Members of the John Striffler and Mary Benkelman family, around 1908-1910 Standing in the Back row, l to r, UNKNOWN woman in black, Esther Striffler Kaiser, Rudolph Kaiser, Cora Horn Striffler, George Albert Striffler holding his son Irvine, Pastor Schweitzer, Mattie Striffler, Archie Mark, Billy Bien Seated in the Middle row, l to r, Salome Striffler Bien, Paul Bien, the wife of Pastor Schweitzer, Mary Mark Buehrly, Aunt Lena Benkelman Schwegler (sister of Mary), Martha Mark Darling, Emeline Striffler Mark Front row, l to r, Mary Rommel Striffler (sister-in-law of John), Christian Striffler (brother of John), John Striffler, Mary Benkelman Striffler, Leonhard Benkelman (brother of Mary), Louisa Benkelman Stiffler (sister of Mary and widow of Jacob) Seated on ground, l to r, Alma Mark Krahling Seegar, Stanley Bien, Lena Mark Schwegler PLEASE HELP US IDENTIFY THE UNKNOWN WOMAN IN THIS PHOTO
  		Benkelman, Lena and Leonhard, ca 1900's, Probably Denver, CO l to r: UNKNOWN, Lena Benkelman Schwegler of Michigan and Leonard Benkelman of Wisconsin It appears from the hilly terrain that siblings Lena and Leonhard may have been visiting their brother George's family in Denver, Colorado PLEASE EMAIL IS YOU CAN HELP US INDENTIFY THE UNKNOWN WOMAN TO THE LEFT
  		Benkelman, Maria Magdalena "Aunt Lena" ca 1900's or later (Mrs. M. M. Schwegler), with Cattle Hides Aunt Lena Schwegler, on a visit from Cass City to the Benkelman ranch near Denver, posing with cattle hides, possibly with her elder brother Leonard Benkelman of Wisconsin

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		Benkelman, Leonhard, Certificate of Naturalization Issued in Mantiowac county, Wisconsin
  		Benkelman, Leonhard, Civil War Enlistment papers Volunteer enlistment papers for the Army of the United States of America, U. S. Civil War
  		Benkelman, Leonhard, Commemorative 48th Regiment Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers State Historical Society of Wisconsin Certificate of Service
  		Benkelman, Leonhard, Civil War Pension Papers, ca 1898 Pension Application, 1898, for his service to the Union Army during the Civil War. Emma Benkelman Bowdin was shown as his only living child at the time of his application.
  		Benkelman, Leonhard, Civil War Pension Papers, ca 1908 An additional pension application for his service to the Union army during the Civil War
  		Benkelman, Leonhard, Wisconsin Death Certificate Issued by the State of Wisconsin

  
  

  Headstones		Benkelman, Leonhard Civil War Marker
  		Benkelman/Horne/Clark Family Marker This is what is engraved on the back of the headstone of William and Mary Jane (Clancey-Benkelman) CLARK. It marks not only the burial place of Leonhard Benkelman and his wife, Jane McCormick; but also of presumed son-in-law John E. Horne and grandson, Willie Horne. The lot itself was purchased by John E. Horne. Leonhard Benkelman's step-daughter, Mary Jane Clancey, married first a HORNE and later William Clark.

  
  

• Sources

  [S469] Williams, Dorothy Ball--Family Researcher (dotwfl@comcast.net) 3331 Southwest Villa Place, Palm City, FL 34990 ; based in part on BonnieMargaret Benkelman Jacob's unpublished typescript, THE FAMILY BENKELMAN. [S690] Zimmerman, Jane-Family Researcher (zimnero@tm.net). [S1610] Jacobs, BonnieMargaret McDonald "The Family Benkelman" Unpublished Manuscript, 276 pages, October 1981 Version, (Copy owned by Barney Benkelman, Helena, Montana; which he xeroxed and sent to Melinda McLemore Strong in San Antonio, Texas), p. 95 (Reliability: 3). [S311] Bonnell, Kathy Brandt (kbonnell@byu.edu) "G?ppingen, W?rttemberg, Germany and surrounding villages" http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=kbonnell, (RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: G?ppingen, W?rttemberg, Germany and surrounding villages. This database is one large family tree; everyone is connected by birth or marriage. Many of the families were inputted from the family books which were compiled by the pastors of each village beginning in 1808. Villages include Heiningen, Bartenbach, Gruibingen, Faurdau, Schlat, Hattenhofen, Eislingen, Holzheim, Auendorf , D?rnau, Bezgenriet, Ebersbach , Maitis, Gammelshausen, B?rtlingen, Boll, and others. Kathy Brandt Bonnell work directly from German records to the computer.). [S653] Cass City Chronicle, P.O. Box 115, Cass City, Michigan 48726, Published continously since 1899, archived from 1899 through 2005 at http://newspapers.rawson.lib.mi.us/chronicle/, Friday, May 30, 1913 (Reliability: 3). [S1610] Jacobs, BonnieMargaret McDonald "The Family Benkelman" Unpublished Manuscript, 276 pages, October 1981 Version, (Copy owned by Barney Benkelman, Helena, Montana; which he xeroxed and sent to Melinda McLemore Strong in San Antonio, Texas), p. 104, she cites Manitowoc County Records Vol. 12, page 12 (date of death 25 May 1913) with the obituary using the later date of 30 May 1913 (Reliability: 3). [S492] Peck, Edward Arthur THE TEN BENKELMANS WHO EMIGRATED TO AMERICA Ca. 1850s AND CERTAIN OF THEIR DESCENDANTS, 1982. [S1610] Jacobs, BonnieMargaret McDonald "The Family Benkelman" Unpublished Manuscript, 276 pages, October 1981 Version, (Copy owned by Barney Benkelman, Helena, Montana; which he xeroxed and sent to Melinda McLemore Strong in San Antonio, Texas), p. 102 (Reliability: 3).