William Beneke was born in Hannover, Germany to Johann Henry & Catherina Dorthea (Burmester) Beneke on January 9, 1871 (which was his father’s 31st birthday.) He was their first child. Three years later his parents had another son, Henry. Sadly when he was 5 years old his mother passed away. Two years later his father remarried to Elizabeth Backhaus, who has been described as a kind and devoted woman.
William attended school in Germany until he was 12 years old. Then in 1883 he left Germany with his father, step-mother, brother, and two half-brothers to move to America. Tragically the youngest boy who was nearly two, Gustav, died just before they reached America, and was buried in New York City.
The Beneke family settled in Jefferson Township, MN, where William attended school for a short period and worked on his father’s farm until he was 22.
William, his brother Henry, half-sisters Helena & Dorthea, stepmom Elizabeth holding Adolph, Adolph’s twin Alfred in his father Henry’s lap, & Herman.William’s father’s farm where he lived from age 12-22.
William with his brother Henry and other siblings.
He then moved to North Dakota for two years before returning home. He bought a 120 acre farm and in April of 1897 he was married to Mary Meyer, who was 16 at the time, and he was 26.
William & Mary’s wedding photo.
Mary Meyer was born on October 10, 1880 in Hannover, Germany to Wilhelm & Katherine (Westermain) Meyer. She came to America with her family when she was two years old, and grew up in Winnebago township.
William eventually grew their farm to 320 acres, and according to the History of Houston County (1919) his farm had “a fine residence, barns and outbuildings, the estate as a whole being one of the best farms in Jefferson township, an example of successful industry that has won the admiration of all his neighbors.
He breeds Black Poll Angus cattle and Poland-China swine, and is a stockholder in the Eitzen Creamery and the Stock & Produce Company of New Albin, Iowa.”
William & Mary are on the right-hand side of this photo with William’s family in the summer of 1908. Mary is holding Hilda, Ella, Edwin, & Alma are standing in front of their parents, and Frieda is in her grandmother’s lap. (The other people in the photo, left to right, are Alfred & his wife Caroline holding their daughter Lydia, Henry Jr, Lena, Adolph, & Dora; sitting in the front are Henry, Herman, & Elizabeth.)
William also held public office, as a town clerk for five years, town supervisor six years, and town treasurer one year. He was also a trustee of their church, St. John’s Evangelical in Union City.
William and Mary had 12 children: Ella, Edwin, Alma, Freida, Hilda, William, Louis, Olga, Norma, Hanna, Walter, and Martin.
Their granddaughters remember him as being a very tall, upright man. They said William & Mary were a traditional German couple who were very quiet, and that William was always in charge and Mary was always in the kitchen cooking. They recall she normally made them lunches of bread with butter, luncheon meat, and some kind of sauce, like peaches or berries in a sugar sauce. She always wore her apron, except when she went to church and then always wore a hat. They also remembered her as being very soft when you hugged her. William was described as a good old soul, and so kind, to people and to his animals. He treated his horses like people, and never said a bad word to anybody. His granddaughters also remembered that he always ate his dessert first.
William & Mary are my great-great grandparents.
Full Biography from the History of Houston County (1919)
William Beneke (page 727-728)
“William Beneke, who owns and operates an excellent farm of 320 acres in sections 29, 30, and 32, Jefferson township, was born in Germany, January 9, 1871*, son of Henry and Dorathea Beneke. When he was 5 years old his mother died, and his father subsequently married Elizabeth Backhouse, and in 1883 brought William and his brother Henry** to America. William had attended school in his native land until about 12 years old, and after coming to this country he attended an English school for about three months. After working on the home farm with his father until about 22 years old he went to North Dakota, where he remained two years. Then returning he spent one year at home, at the end of which time he bought 120 acres in section 32, the land having an old building on it, but there being few other improvements. From that small beginning he has developed his present farm of 320 acres, provided with a fine residence, barns and outbuildings, the estate as a whole being one of the best farms in Jefferson township, an example of successful industry that has won the admiration of all his neighbors. He breeds Black Poll Angus cattle and Poland-China swine, and is a stockholder in the Eitzen Creamery and the Stock & Produce Company of New Albin, Iowa. At times he has served in public office, having been town clerk five years, town supervisor six years, and town treasurer one year. He is a trustee of St. John’s Evangelical church, of Union City, Iowa. Mr. Beneke was married, April 24, 1897, to Mary Meyer, a native of Winnebago township, Houston county. They are the parents of nine children: Ella, Edwin, Alma, Freda, Hilda, William, Louis, Olga, and Norma.”