William H. Bien

Bef 1867 - Abt 1895  (28 years)

• Name	William H. Bien  [1, 2, 3]
  Birth	Bef 1867	Ontario, Canada
  Gender	Male
  Death	Abt 1895	Huron County, Michigan   [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 d. 26 Jan 1922, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan (Age 55 years)
  Marriage	25 Nov 1891	Kilmanagh, Huron County, Michigan   [2]
  Children	1. John Stanley Bien,   b. 8 Dec 1892, Pigeon, Huron County, Michigan d. 5 Dec 1967, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan (Age 74 years)   2. Paul Preston Bien,   b. 4 May 1894, Pigeon, Huron County, Michigan d. 27 Apr 1955, Houston, Harris County, Texas (Age 60 years)   3. William Daniel Bien,   b. 23 Dec 1895, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan d. 24 Apr 1964, Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York (Age 68 years)
  Photos		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

  Birth - Bef 1867 - Ontario, Canada Marriage - 25 Nov 1891 - Kilmanagh, Huron County, Michigan Death - Abt 1895 - Huron County, Michigan  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

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