Tombstone Tuesday-Henry P. & Mary A. (Allmandinger) Bender

Henry P & Mary A (Allmandinger) Bender, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Henry P. and Mary A. (Allmandinger) Bender, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

BENDER
Mary A.
1872-1949

Henry P.
1866-1946

Till We Meet Again

Heinrich Philipp “Henry” Bender was born in Traiss, Hessen, Germany 6 April 1866, the son of Johann and Elisabeth (Baumback) Bender. [1] Henry immigrated to America about 1886, according to the 1910 census.

Henry Bender married Maria Anna “Mary” Allmandinger in Mercer County, Ohio, on 8 November 1892. They were married by Rev. J.F.C. Soller, a Lutheran Minister. [2]

Mary Allmandinger was born in Ohio on 9 May 1872, the daughter of John Lewis (1829-1888) and Rosina (Schneider) (1833-1915) Allmandinger. Mary’s parents were German immigrants.

In 1880 the Lewis Allmandinger family lived in Blackcreek Township: Lewis, 51; Rosena, 46; Lewis, 23; Michael, 22; John, 17; Jacob, 15; William, 12; Fredrick, 10; Mary, 8; and Lena, 6. All the children were born in Ohio and Lewis was a farmer. [3]

After their marriage in 1892 Henry and Mary Bender lived in Adams County, Indiana. Their family in 1900: Henry, 33; Mary, 28; Rosa, 6; Carl, 4; and Clara, 1. This enumeration indicates that Henry was a day laborer, that Henry and Mary had been married 7 years, and that Mary had given birth to 3 children, all of whom were living. [4]  

By 1910 Henry and Mary Bender had moved to Blackcreek Township: Henry, 44; Mary, 50; Carl, 14; Clara, 11; Harold, 7; and Hugo, 4. Henry was a farmer. This enumeration indicates that Henry was born in Germany and immigrated to America in 1886. His wife Mary had given birth to 5 children, all of whom were living. They lived on “Baker Road” and Henry could speak English. [5]

The Henry Bender family in 1920: Henry, 52; Mary, 47; Carl, 23; Clara, 21; Harold, 16; and Hugo, 13. Henry’s occupation was farmer and truck and stock dealer. [6] 

In 1930 the Benders lived on East Pontiac Street in Fort Wayne: Henry, 63; Mary, 57; Hugo, 24; and Mary, 20, daughter-in-law. Henry worked as a trucker at a steam railroad station. This enumeration indicates Henry immigrated in 1881. [7]

Henry and Mary moved back to Blackcreek Township by 1935 and by 1940 all of the Bender children had left home. Their household in 1940: Henry, 74, and Mary, 67. [8]

Henry Bender died of “old age” on 10 January 1946, aged 78 years, 9 months, and 4 days. He was buried on the 14th.

Mary (Allmandinger) Bender died of a heart attack on 8 Mary 1949 in or near Chattanooga, Ohio, aged 76 years, 7 months, and 29 days. She was buried on the 11th.

Henry and Mary Bender had the following children, all of whom were baptized at Zion Chatt:
Rosa Elisabeth (1893-1982), married Henry Fahncke
Carl Ludwig/Lewis (1895-1972), married Bertha Maury
Clara Rebecka (1898-1980), married Adolph Schaadt
Harold Roman (1903-1974), married Margaret May Lehman
Hugo Edwin (1905-2004), married Mary Lena McClintock

Henry Bender was one of the last living German immigrants in Zion Lutheran, Chatt’s congregation.

While looking through the church records I also noticed that Clara Bender was a baptismal sponsor for my great aunt Clara Miller in 1918.

[1] Germany, Select Births & Baptisms, 1558-1898, Philipp Heinrich Bender; database online, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Feb 2022.

[2] Ohio Marriage Records 1774-1993, Henry Bender & Mary Allmandinger, 8 November 1892; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Feb 2022.

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, Ed 179, p.323A, line 38, Lewis Allmanding; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Feb 2022.

[4] 1900 U.S. Census, Jefferson, Adams, Indiana, ED 4, p.5, dwelling & family 87, Henry Bender; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Feb 2022.

[5] 1910 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio Ed 107, p.4A, dwelling & family 76, Henry P. Bender; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Feb 2022.

[6] 1920 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 124, p.11B, dwelling & family 218, Henry Bender; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Feb 2022.

[7] 1930 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne, Allen, Indiana, ED 41, p.10, dwelling232, family 241, Henry Bender; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Feb 2022.

[8] 1940 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 54-1, p.9A, house visited 184, Henry Bender; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Feb 2022.

2 comments

    • Marc L. Blessing on February 7, 2023 at 6:36 pm
    • Reply

    Hello Karen,

    First of all, thank you for your work. I am a great-grandson of Henry and Mary Bender, as my maternal grandparents were Karl Ludwig /Carl Lewis and Bertha Bender. Today I was going through a trove of family documents and photos and ultimately went to the web to discover your work, which I greatly appreciate. Born in Fort Wayne, I now reside in Westlake, OH.

    I have been through Chatt multiple times and possess numerous memories of my grandfather’s referrals to Chatt. As an aside, I possess a quilt that Great-grandmother Mary stitched. Additionally, as I understand the story, my grandfather Carl changed his name sometime around WWI as a result of intense anti-German sentiment.

    My father’s family immigrated to the States in 1845 and ultimately landed in Allen County, IN. Fortunately, multiple cousins (and me too) have assembled a highly-detailed family genealogy that stirs many memories. Additionally, I still have relatives of my maternal grandmother in Celina.

    Once again, thank you for your work. Perhaps I will visit Chatt this coming summer and tour the cemetery where Henry and Mary rest.

    Very truly yours,

    Marc Blessing

    1. Thank you so much for writing and sharing some of your family history. Wonderful that you have a quilt your great-grandmother stitched. Those are so special. Enjoy your upcoming visit to Chatt.

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