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William H. Bien

Male Bef 1867 - Abt 1895  (~ 28 years)


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  • Name William H. Bien  [1, 2, 3
    Birth Bef 1867  Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death Abt 1895  Huron County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    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. "

    Person ID I4884  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 17 Aug 2014 

    Family Salome Striffler,   b. 19 Sep 1866, Elkland Township, Tuscola County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Jan 1922, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 55 years) 
    Marriage 25 Nov 1891  Kilmanagh, Huron County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Children 
     1. John Stanley Bien,   b. 8 Dec 1892, Pigeon, Huron County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Dec 1967, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years)
     2. Paul Preston Bien,   b. 4 May 1894, Pigeon, Huron County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 27 Apr 1955, Houston, Harris County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 60 years)
     3. William Daniel Bien,   b. 23 Dec 1895, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Apr 1964, Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 68 years)
    Photos
    Bien, Salome (Striffler) and sons, Stanley (b. 1892), Paul (b. 1894) and William (b. 1895)
    Bien, Salome (Striffler) and sons, Stanley (b. 1892), Paul (b. 1894) and William (b. 1895)
    Salome Striffler was born in 1866, on the parental farm near Cass City. She was united in marriage with Wm. Bien in Kilmanagh, Mich in 1891. This happy union was of short duration, for Mr. Bien preceded his wife in death 26 years ago. Three sons came to bless the home for whom their mother toiled and sacrificed these many years to make possible their education and welfare and whose privilege it became, in her later days, for them to reciprocate their love and devotion in caring for her.
    Family ID F2480  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 23 May 2010 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - Bef 1867 - Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 25 Nov 1891 - Kilmanagh, Huron County, Michigan Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - Abt 1895 - Huron County, Michigan Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • 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/, February 3, 1922 (Reliability: 3).

    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. 157 (Reliability: 3).