Benitz: Endingen Ancients
(1600-1850)
(Last updated: Wednesday December 05, 2007)
Given the complexity of keeping
track of the various family branches, their ancestors and descendants, the
genealogical
information on this web site is organized around the adults who lived at the time of
emigration from Germany during 1830-1860. It provides a convenient
"bottle-neck", between the old world and the new world, between the truly
ancient and more recent ancestors.
This page traces the truly ancient ancestors, the parents and ancestors of those Benitz who lived in and emigrated from Endingen during 1830-1860. It includes more recent generations for short branches, branches of the family which died out or for which at this time we do not have information. Branches with more information have their own pages (see the index to the left). A description of the origin of the name Benitz is found on page Benitz: Origins.
It is fortunate that Benitz (and Böniz) is a fairly unique surname and that our ancestors remained in one place (Endingen) for several generations. Most of this information was gathered by James Bell, with contributions from Peter & René Benitz.
When perusing the tree, please keep in mind the family tree is a work in progress (by James Bell, Peter & René Benitz - slow digging at best). As more information comes to light, anything may change, including relationships. The tree begins with Lorenz Benitz and at present does not include other cousins and relatives at each generation, nor the ancestors of the non-Benitz spouses. There were several other Benitz's (Böniz's) present in Endingen who will be included in due course. For current simplicity, the surname has been standardized upon Benitz - we add 'AKA' (also-known-as) where applicable (e.g., early spellings are inconsistent for any one person, varying between birth, marriage, and death records). As a general rule, after 1840 the surname locked into 'Benitz'. Prior to 1840 the spelling was often 'Böniz' or variants thereof (see Benitz Origins for more details). Also, in old German women's surnames were often given female endings:
 | Beniz => Benizin |
| Kolmer => Kolmerer |
| Wagner => Wagnerin |
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The outline diagram is followed by a
matching more detailed text list. The same colors for each generation were used for the
diagram boxes and
the text fonts. The diagram provides a visual
image, however the text list contains more details, including the
next 2 generations of
descendants - if known. In the text list, a
 beside a
name provides a link to further information. |
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Click on diagram to enlarge [Source: James Bell 01Jan'01] |
1) Lorenz BENITZ
AKA: Laurentius Boenitz
b: Abt. 1695 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 7 September 1756 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Anna Catharina SCHWOBTHALER
m: 6 May 1732
d: 30 March 1734 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) Maria Rosa BENITZ
b: 14 February 1732/33 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 26 June 1801 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Johannes Michial WISSERT
b: Abt. 1729 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
m: 17 April 1752 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) Lorenz BENITZ
b: 29 March 1734 in Endingen, Baden, Germany +Francisca WAGNER (2nd Wife of Lorenz BENITZ)
b: 1 September 1711 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
m: 15 June 1734 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) Johannes Phillip BENITZ
b: 29 May 1735 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) Maria Ana BENITZ
b: 12 June 1738 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) Franz Joseph BENITZ
b: 17 March 1739/40 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) David Adam BENITZ
b: 31 December 1741 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) Laurentius BENITZ
b: 7 August 1743 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 2 January 1811 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Anna Maria BIECHELE
b: 9 October 1743 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
m: 2 January 1776 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 18 November 1810 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
3) Josef BENITZ
b: 2 February 1777 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
3) Maria Rosina BENITZ
b: 13 March 1778 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
3) Laurentius BENITZ
b: 30 July 1781 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
3) Johannes BENITZ
AKA: Joannes Beniz
b: 9 December 1782 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Maria Barbara HERB
b: 28 October 1785 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
m: 28 October 1809 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 22 October 1845 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
4) Maria Lugardis BENITZ AKA: Lugarda Benitz
b: 10 September 1810 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
Emigration: 12 December 1842, to Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
5) Wilhelm BENITZ
b: 3 January 1833 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
Emigration: 1851 to Colonia Tovar, Venezuela 4) Rosa BENITZ
b: 19 February 1812 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 2 June 1872 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Joseph HILDEBRAND
b: 1813 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
m: 19 November 1835 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
5) Adolph HILDEBRAND
b: 29 August 1836 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
5) Ludwig HILDEBRAND
b: 5 May 1838 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
5) Rosa HILDEBRAND
b: 31 October 1839 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 1892 in Reno (Washoe County), Nevada, USA
+STEINMANN 5) Wilhelmina HILDEBRAND
b: 27 February 1841
5) Julius HILDEBRAND
b: 8 March 1842 4) Alexander BENITZ
b: 19 November 1813 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 15 November 1865 in Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
Emigration: 18 December 1842, to Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
+Josepha HILDEBRANDT
b: 1832 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
m: 3 March 1859 in Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
5) Alexander BENITZ
b: 1862 in Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
5) Carlos Federico BENITZ
b: 1864 in Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
d: Bef. 1870 in Venezuela4) Maria Barbara BENITZ
d: 26 June 1843 in Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
Emigration: 18 December 1842, to Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
4) Ludwig Wilhelm BENITZ
AKA: Louis Benitz, mentioned in WOB letters
b: 23 May 1819 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Unknown
b: in Mexico
5) Unknown female BENITZ
b: 1848 4) Karl Freidrich BENITZ
b: 2 June 1821 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 19 April 1883 in Caracas, Venezuela
Emigration: 18 December 1842, to Colonia Tovar, Venezuela
+Emilia BRECHT
m: 1854 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA4) Maria Karolina BENITZ
3) Maria Anna BENITZ
AKA: Maria Anna Beniz
b: 28 December 1785 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 11 October 1840 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Johann Georg ZIEGLER
m: 28 April 1811 in Endingen, Baden, Germany 2) Lorenz BENITZ
b: 7 August 1743
2) Maria Anna Genoveva BENITZ
b: 25 July 1745 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) Judas Thaddeus BÖNIZ
AKA: Thedoj Böeniz (son Franz's birth record) b: 6 April 1747 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 24 October 1784 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Ana Maria FREYTAG
AKA: Ana Freytagin (son Franz's birth record) b: Abt. 1749
m: 6 February 1770 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
3) Mathias Carolus BENITZ
b: 1771
d: 1775
3) Franz Antonius BÖNIZ
AKA: Bet. 1800 - 1815 Anton Böniz
AKA: 1836 Anton Bönitz
b: 13 June 1773 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: in Germany
+Maria Anna WAGNERIN
AKA: Wagnerin is the female version of Wagner
b: Abt. 1778 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
m: 18 February 1800 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: in Germany
4) Anton BENITZ
AKA: Anthony Benitz, WOB letters
AKA: 1860 Anthony Bennetz, Pittsburgh Census
b: 1803 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
Immigration: Bef. 1830 Arrived Pennsylvania, USA, per children d: 1852, Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville), Pennsylvania, USA
+May
b: Abt. 1815 in Germany
5) Francis BENITZ
AKA: 1860 Francis Bennetz, Pittsburgh Census
b: Abt. 1830? in Pennsylvania, USA
5) Anna BENITZ
AKA: 1860 Anna Bennetz, Pittsburgh Directory
b: Abt. 1840 in Pennsylvania, USA
5) John BENITZ
AKA: 1860 John Bennetz, Pittsburgh Census AKA: 1861 John J. Benitz, 61st. Pennsylvania Infantry (Civil War)
b: Abt. 1842 in Pennsylvania, USA
5) Joseph BENITZ
AKA: 1860 Joseph Bennetz, Pittsburgh Directory
b: 1844 in Pennsylvania, USA 5) Anthony E. BENITZ
b: 1847 in Pennsylvania, USAd: 1910, Pittsburgh (Lawrenceville), Pennsylvania, USA
4) Judas Thaddaeus BÖNITZ
4) Joseph BENITZ
AKA: 1865 Joseph Böniz, birth & death records, Endingen, Germany AKA: 1860 Joseph Bennitz, Pittsburgh Census
b: 1807 in Germany
d: 1807?
Emigration: Bet. 1844 - 1848 Left Germany
+Susan
b: Abt. 1820 in Germany
5) Charles BENITZ
AKA: 1860 Charles Bennitz, Pittsburgh Census
b: Abt. 1842 in Germany
5) Leopold BENITZ
AKA: 1860 Leopold Bennitz, Pittsburgh Census
b: Abt. 1844 in Germany
5) Mary BENITZ
AKA: 1860 Mary Bennitz, Pittsburgh Census
b: Abt. 1850 in Pennsylvania, USA
4) Maria Rosa BÖNIZ
b: 1809
4) Johann Evangelist BENITZ
AKA: 1860 John Benitz
b: 12 December, 1812, in Endingen, Baden, Germany
Immigration: Bef. 1860 Arrived Pennsylvania, USA, per census.4) Wilhelm BENITZ
4) Franz Xaver BENITZ
b: 16 October 1816 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 14 October 1880 at Estancia "La California", Las Rosas, Santa Fé, Argentina
Emigration: (1) To the USA in 1838? early 1840's?(2) 1867, co-founder Colonia California, San Javier, Santa Fé, Argentina
(3) 1874, moved permanently to Argentina w/brother Wilhelm
+Alexandrina Josephine SEEGER AKA: Alexandrine Josephine SEIGER b: 14 July 1818 in Sutthausen, Germany d: 3 April 1888 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA Emigration: 1837 to USA5) female BENITZ
5) Elizabeth BENITZ b: Abt. 1843 in Ohio d: 24 January 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA + William McNamara b: Abt. 1839 in Ireland m: Abt. 1859 d: 6 January 1915 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA 5) William BENITZ
b: 1845 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA
4) Maria Anna "Nany" BENITZ
b: 1819 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
Emigration: 1874 w/husb. U.S. to Argentina w/WOB, later returned to U.S.
+Arban MAHRER
AKA: Urban Mahrer
b: Abt. 1812 in Germany
5) Leo HART
3) Maria Barbara BENITZ
b: 1777
d: 1781
3) Franz Jacobus BENITZ
b: 14 July, 1779, Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Barbara KOCH
4) Josepha BENITZ
b: 25 December, 1812 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
4) Appolonia BENITZ
b: 8 February, 1815 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
+Xaviar BAUMANN
m: 23 May 1839 in Pfarramt St. Peter, Endingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany 5) Frank Baumann b: 6 February, 1853, in Endingen, Baden, Germany
Emigration: 1874 to USA
+Augusta Schuahmann
b: Prussia
6) Emma Baumann
6) Lizzie Baumann (adopted)
3) Franz Xaverius BENITZ
2) Franz Bernard BENITZ
b: 17 August 1749 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
d: 3 October 1749 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
2) Maria Francisca BENITZ
b: 6 January 1750/51 in Endingen, Baden, Germany
Individuals
Details of individuals who emigrated during the mid-1800's to the Americas are included on pages by destination:
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Details of individuals who did not emigrate (to our knowledge) are included here below.
He was born Andreas Böniz on 1 December, 1783, in Endingen, the son of Thadae (Thaddäus) Boeniz and Maria Anna Freytag. Per the cross beneath his name, he apparently died young.
Andreas Böniz, 1783 Vital Records |
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Andreas Böniz [Cross denotes he died] |
1783 On December 1, Andreas was born and baptized. Parents: The citizen Thadae [Thaddäus] Boeniz and Maria Ana Freytagin. Sponsors: The businessman Josephus Sartori and the esteemed lady Maria Rosa Boenizin - both from this parish. |
Church baptism records, 1783, Endingen, Baden, Germany (source: James Bell, from: LDS (Mormon) BMD records) |
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The daughter of Franz Jacobus Böniz and Barbara Koch, she was born Appolonia or Apollonia Böniz on 8 February, 1815, in Endingen, Baden, Germany. On 23 May, 1839, also in Endingen, she married (Frank) Xaviar Baumann.
They had at least one child. Their son, Frank Baumann, is listed in the "History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania", published in 1889.
Appolonia Böniz, 1815 Vital Records |
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Nr. 16 |
1815 On February 8 at seven o'clock in the evening a girl was born at this location. She was baptized on February 9 at twelve o'clock at noon in the St. Peter's church. She was named Appolonia Böniz. Father: Jakob Böniz master cooper. Mother: Barbara [surname unreadable - also mentioned on record Nr. 9]. Sponsors: Balthasar [surname unreadable - also mentioned on record Nr. 9] master cooper and Maria Anna Böniz, "Bürgersfrau" [middle-class woman]. Witness: Georg Zingler candle maker. Endingen, February 9, 1815. Alois Frech vicar performed the baptism. Alexander Umber pastor |
Church baptismal records, 1815, Endingen, Baden, Germany (source: James Bell, from: LDS (Mormon) BMD records) |
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Church baptismal records, 1815, Endingen, Baden, Germany (source: Peter Benitz, from: Staatsarchiv, Freiburg, Baden, Germany) |
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The son of Judas Thaddeus Beniz and Ana Maria Freytagin, he was born Franz Antonius Böniz on 13 June, 1773, in Endingen, Baden, Germany. He became a master cooper and married Maria Ana Wagner on 18 February, 1800, in Endingen. Many of their children emigrated to the Americas, amongst them Anton, Franz, Nany, & Wilhelm.
Franz Antonius Böniz Vital Records |
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Church baptism records, 1773 (source: Peter Benitz, from: Sankt Petri-sankt Martin-katholisch, Endingen, Baden, Germany) |
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Church marriage records, 1800 (source: Peter Benitz, from: Sankt Petri-sankt Martin-katholisch, Endingen, Baden, Germany) |
The son of Thadeus Beniz and Ana Maria Freytagin, he was born Franz Jacobus Beniz on 14 July, 1779, in Endingen. He became a master cooper and married Barbara Koch. They had two daughters, Josepha (1812) and Appolonia (1815).
Franz Jacobus Beniz Vital Records |
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14 July 1779 |
Franz Jacobus |
xxx? |
Thadeus Beniz xxx? Ana Maria Freytagin |
xxx? Joseph Sartori xxx? M. Rosa Benizin |
Birth record book, 1779, Endingen, Baden, Germany (source: James Bell, from: LDS (Mormon) BMD records) |
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The son of of Thadeus Boeniz and Ana Maria Freytagin, he was born Franz Xaverius Böniz on 16 September, 1781, in Endingen, Germany.
Franz Xaverius Böniz, 1781 Vital Records |
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Church baptism records, 1781, Endingen, Baden, Germany (source: James Bell, from: LDS (Mormon) BMD records) |
The daughter of Franz Jacobus Böniz (Beniz) and Barbara Koch, she was born Josepha Bönitz on 25 December, 1812, in Endingen, Baden, Germany.
Josepha Bönitz, 1812 Vital Records |
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Nr. 105 |
1812 On December 25, at ten o'clock at night a girl was born at this location. She was baptized on December 26 in the afternoon at one o'clock. She was named Josepha Bönitz. Parents: The master cooper Jacob Bönitz and Barbara [Koch?]. Sponsors: The master cooper Balthasar [Koch?] and Maria Anna Bönitz "Bürgersfrau" [middleclass woman]. Witness: The farmer Franz Joseph Zingler. Alois Frech vicar performed the baptism. Endingen, December 26, 1812. Alexander Umber pastor |
Church baptismal records, 1815, Endingen, Baden, Germany (source: James Bell, from: LDS (Mormon) BMD records) |
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Rosa was the daughter of Johannes Beniz (master dyer) and Maria Barbara Herb. She married Joseph Hildebrand 19 November, 1835, in Endingen and died there on 2 June, 1872.
It is interesting to speculate why her daughter Rosa Hildebrand died in Reno (Washoe Cty.), Nevada, USA, in 1892. Did she travel there because of her uncle Adolphus Benitz?
The son of Anton Böniz and Maria Ana Wagner, he was born Judas Thadius Böniz on 26 Feb. 1805, in Endingen, Baden, Germany. He continued in the family trade as a cooper. During the early 1850's he was not doing well and his younger brother Wilhelm sent him funds from California. Wilhelm wrote in June, 1853: I will also send you a check for 1250 Gulden [about US$500] through Rothschild, but I can not send it before I go to the bank at San Fco. which will be in a few month's time, but you can rely upon the fact that you will get the money this year; it will be of some help to you. Your letter made me and my wife nearly cry, I've never thought your situation was as bad as that. From the letters, it appears the money may not have arrived until December, 1854! In later letters (1855, 1863) it seems Thad was doing better, though in 1863 Wilhelm gives him his share of an inheritance, amount unspecified but large enough that brother Franz Xavier and sister Nany wanted their shares.
Thad married Magdalena Seilnacht (on 29 Jan. 1836) and they had 5 children, all christened at the Catholic church in Endingen (Sankt Petri-sankt Martin-katholisch, Endingen). His brothers wrote to him of their experiences in America and several of the letters (available on this site) have been translated into English - the originals in German have been lost.
His daughter Barbara was still living when Alfred Benitz (Thad's nephew, son of Wilhelm) visited Endingen in August, 1904. Alfred wrote in his diary: "went ... to the house of Barbara Benitz Werg, an old lady, who is the daughter of Thadeus Benitz, Father's brother. She has a son called Franz, also a daughter (ugly). Theodore Lederle is the son of Anna Benitz Lederlie (dead) who was the daughter of Thady (Thadeus) Benitz. Theodore is a fine chap, and is married with two children." It is almost certain Theodore Lederle is the source of the letters mentioned above.
Judas Thadius Böniz & Magdalena Seilnacht Vital Records |
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Judas Thadius Böniz baptism record, 1805, Endingen, Baden, Germany (source: James Bell, from LDS (Mormon) BMD records) |
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Church marriage records, 1836 (source: Peter Benitz, from: Sankt Petri-sankt Martin-katholisch, Endingen, Baden, Germany) |
