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Bertha C. Benkelman

Female 1883 - 1929  (45 years)


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  • Name Bertha C. Benkelman  [1, 2, 3, 4
    Birth 1 Aug 1883  Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Female 
    Death 16 May 1929  Almena, Norton County, Kansas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3
    Notes 
    • Cass City Chronicle
      Friday, July 21, 1911
      Local Happenings
      Page 4


      Misses Bertha Benkelman of this place and Lottie Benkelman of St. Francis, Kansas, left Saturday morning on a trip to Detroit and Buffalo.


      Cass City Chronicle
      Friday, May 24, 1929
      Obituaries

      Mrs. Bruce Williams

      The remains of Mrs. Bruce Williams were brought from her home in Almena, Kansas to Cass City, arriving heer Sunday morning. Funeral services were conducted in the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel G. Benkelman, on Third street, by Rev. Geo. Hill, pastor of the M.E. church on Monday afternoon. Interment was made in Elkland cemetery.

      Bertha Benkelman was born in Cass City on August 1, 1883, and graduated from Cass City High School with the class of 1900. She was employed as a compositor in the plant of the Cass City Chronicle for several years and later entered the employ of the Herald at St. Francis, Kansas. On her return to Cass City from Kansas, she was employed as bookkeeper in the implement store of J. A. Caldwell.

      On December 11, 1912, Miss Bertha Williams was united in marriage with Bruce Williams. While Mr.Williams was employed as a railway mail clerk on the Rock Island R.R. they made their home at Republic and Omaha, Nebraska. About seven years ago, they moved to Almena, Kansas, where they devoted their attention to the interests on their large farm there. Mrs. Williams had been ill about eight months previous to her death on Thursday, May 16. Death was due to cancer. Funeral services at Almena were held at the M.E. church Friday afternoon. Besides her parents she is survived by two brothers, Joseph and Ward Benkelman, both of Cass City.

      Mrs. Williams was a member of the M.E. church at Almena and was affiliated with the Order of the Eastern Star and the Rebekahs. Her cheerful helpful life will linger long as a fragrant memory with the large number she won as friends.
    • (Research):
      Census Information

      At the time of the 1910 Michigan Census, she was living with Benjamin Benkelman, Sr, her Uncle, in Tuscola County.

      1920 Census
      Nebraska, Douglas County, Omaha, Ward 10
      Enumerated 10 Jan 1920
      SD 2, ED 113, Sheet 5A
      620-87-105
      Williams, Edwin B Hd M W 41 M Pa Pa Mo Mail Clerk Railway
      Williams, Bertha C Wf F W 36 M Mich NY Mich

      1930 Census
      Edwin B. Williams, 51 and widowed, was shown as being born in Pennsylvania, with his father also being born in that state and his mother in Missouri. He was living alone, in Almena, Norton County, Kansas (ED 69-3, SD 1, Sheet 8A, stamped 15).
    Person ID I12009  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 18 Dec 2022 

    Father Samuel G. Benkelman,   b. 26 Aug 1857, Bowmansville, Town of Lancaster, Erie County, New York Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Dec 1940, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years) 
    Mother Lydia Striffler,   b. Jan 1859, Sturgis, St. Joseph County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 May 1887, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 28 years) 
    Marriage 17 Oct 1882  Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 5, 6
    Family ID F618  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Edwin Bruce Williams,   b. 29 Jul 1878, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Jan 1963 (Age 84 years) 
    Marriage 11 Dec 1912  Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 4, 7
    • Cass City Chronicle
      December 13, 1912

      Benkelman-Williams

      Miss Bertha Benkelman Married to Young Man from the West

      The house of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel G. Benkelman, decorated with carnations and yellow chrysanthemums, was the scene of a pretty wedding Wednesday noon, Dec. 11, when their daughter, Bertha, was united in marriage with Edwin B. Williams of Orleans, Nebraska. Rev. J.A. Schweitzer of the Cass City Evangelical church performed the ceremony after which a delicious wedding dinner was served.

      The bride was attired in a pretty gown of beaded netting over white silk. Her travelling suit was of gray and the hat of red velvet trimmed with a large black plume. The couple was unattended.

      In Miss Benkelman Cass City loses an accomplished and popular young lady. For the past three years she has filled the position as bookkeeper for J.A. Caldwell and formerly, for several years, was employed as a compositor for the Chronicle. It was while filling a similar position on a newspaper in St. Francis, Kansas, that she met Mr. Williams, her future husband.

      Mr. and Mrs. Williams left on the afternoon train for Orleans, Nebraska, where they will make their home. Mr. Williams has a position as mail clerk on trains running from Orleans to St. Francis, Kansas, and from Orleans to Oberlin, Kansas.

      Besides the family residing at home, Mrs. Louisa Schwegler and daughter, Miss Kate, and Rev. and Mrs. J.A. Schweitzer were guests at the wedding.

      (Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Spring 2007)

      Name Edwin B Williams
      Race (Original):
      Age (Expanded) 34 years
      Birth Year 1878
      Birthplace Jefferson Co., P
      Spouse's Name Bertha C Benkelman
      Spouse's Race (Original):
      Spouse's Age (Expanded) 29 years
      Spouse's Birth Year 1883
      Spouse's Birthplace Cass City, Mich
      Event Date 11 Dec 1912
      Event Place Cass City, Tuscola, Michigan
      Father's Name David K William...
      Mother's Name Frances E. Mitchell
      Spouse's Father's Name Samuel Benkelman
      Spouse's Mother's Name Lydia Streffler
      Marital Status:
      Previous Wife's Name:
      Spouse's Marital Status:
      Spouse's Previous Husband's Name:
      GS Film number 2342698
      Frame Number:
      Digital Folder Number 4209169
      Image Number 619
      Reference ID v 5 p 24 rn 290

      Citing this Record:
      "Michigan, Marriages, 1868-1925," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N32R-RJL : accessed 17 Oct 2013), Edwin B Williams and Bertha C Benkelman, 11 Dec 1912.
    Family ID F5031  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 18 Dec 2022 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 1 Aug 1883 - Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 11 Dec 1912 - Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 16 May 1929 - Almena, Norton County, Kansas Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Photos
    Benkelman, Adam and Anna Catherine (Schaufele) Descendants ca 1912 Family Reunion
    Benkelman, Adam and Anna Catherine (Schaufele) Descendants ca 1912 Family Reunion
    Back, Standing, l to r: Mae Benkelman, Kate Schwegler, John Benkelman Sr., Ester Ackerman Benkelman, Minnie Jesse Benkelman, Joe Benkelman, Augusta Krehl Benkelman, Dorus Benkelman, Will Schwegler, Ward Benkelman, Ben Schwegler, Sam Benkelman

    Middle Row, kneeling, l to r: Alvin Benkelman, Harold Benkelman, Ruth Benkelman, Marie Benkelman (standing), Lena Benkelman Schwegler, Barbara Rommel Benkelman, Louisa Benkelman Schwegler

    Bottom Row, seated, l to r: Bertha Benkelman, Glen Benkelman, Ida Benkelman, Lottie Benkelman, Ben Benkelman Sr. behind his nephew John Donald Benkelman, Lois Benkelman, Ben Benkelman Jr., Alice Ross Schwegler with her baby Edward William Schwegler, and ,facing left, Mary Striffler Benkelman (Mrs. Sam)

    (Legend Courtesy of Bonnie-Margaret Benkelman Jacobs)
    Benkelman, Samuel G with daughter Bertha and wife Mary
    Benkelman, Samuel G with daughter Bertha and wife Mary
    This photo of Sam with his daughter, Bertha, appears to have been shortly after he married his second wife, Mary Striffler, ca 1888, Cass City, Michigan.

    Headstones
    Williams, Bertha C. (Benkelman)
    Williams, Bertha C. (Benkelman)

  • Sources 
    1. [S492] Peck, Edward Arthur THE TEN BENKELMANS WHO EMIGRATED TO AMERICA Ca. 1850s AND CERTAIN OF THEIR DESCENDANTS, 1982.

    2. [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 24, 1929 (Reliability: 3).

    3. [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, December 27, 1940 (Reliability: 3).

    4. [S783] FamilySearch.org, Michigan, Marriages, 1868-1925.

    5. [S577] Dibean, Jack & Marianne "Michigan Marriage Index" http://www.mifamilyhistory.org/dibeanindex/.

    6. [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. 133 (Reliability: 3).

    7. [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/, December 13, 1912 (Reliability: 3).