Erhard Buenzli (1831 - 1871)

Born 10 Oct 1831 in Ehrikon, Zurich, Switzerland

Husband of Elizabeth (Bamberger) Buenzli — married 27 Jan 1856 in Ehrikon, Zürich, Schweiz

Descendants

Died 31 Oct 1871 at age 40 in Randolph, Rich, Utah Territory, United States

Biography

Erhard Buenzli migrated from Switzerland to USA.

Immigration

John Gillespie captained a company of emigrants comprised of about 500 people in 54 wagons. Gillespie, who was from Tooele, left Salt Lake on June 18 with a contingent of out-and-back teamsters to assist the emigrants. They reached the end-of-track terminus at Benton, Wyoming, before late July. Most of the emigrants who joined his company had crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the ship Constitution. That ship reached New York on August 6, and the emigants left the next day on the Hudson River Railroad for the West. They traveled on trains (including cattle cars on some stretches of track) through Albany, New York, crossing into Canada and past Niagara Falls, Detroit, Chicago, and arriving in Omaha, Nebraska, on August 13. They reached Benton on August 16 and found Gillespie's teamsters and wagons waiting for them. The company's departure was delayed waiting for luggage, so they left Benton on August 24. Some of the wagons traveling with the company carried merchandise and freight destined for stores in Salt Lake City. They traveled in a northwesterly direction from Benton through Whiskey Gap and northward from there until they reached the Sweetwater River and joined the old emigrant road 10 miles west of Devil's Gate. Upon reaching Echo Canyon, many of the men left the company to work on the railroad. A portion of the company traveled ahead and arrived in Salt Lake on September 3. The majority of the company entered the valley via Parley's Canyon and arrived in Salt Lake on September 15. There were 6 deaths. John Gillespie Company

U.S. Census

1870 - Morgan, Utah Territory

Earhart Bensley, 34, farmer, Switzerland

Elizabeth Bensley, 33, Switzerland

John Bensley 14, Switzerland

Jacob Bensley, 4, Utah Territory

Edward Bensley, 5/12, Utah Territory^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ 1870 Census: "1870 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1870; Census Place: Morgan, Utah Territory; Roll: M593_1611; Page: 377A
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7163 #11053674 (accessed 25 July 2022)
   John Bensley (14), Laborer, in Morgan, Utah Territory. Born in Switzerland.