The Bentz Families

-- My maternal grandmother was Irene Mary Wrightstone. Her parents were Edwin Underwood Wrightstone and Hattie Amelia Arnold

--  Hattie was born, out of wedlock, to Anna Mary Sollenberger and Luther H. Arnold. Anna and Luther never married.

-- Anna did eventually marry Tobias Bentz, and his family research papers, and the Bentz photos are a great collection.

-- So, I am not directly related to the Bentz family. However, Anna and Tobias Bentz's children would be my half cousins through Anna.


Connecting the Sollenberger family with the Bentz family involves Tobias Bentz and his two wives who were from two different 1870 Sollenberger families of Northern York County Pennsylvania. One wife is related to Cyrus Sollenberger, and the other relates to Jacob M. Sollenberger.

-- Cyrus and Jacob are 3rd cousins, whose great-great grandfathers were brothers; Michael and Samuel, who were the sons of Ulrich Sollenberger (1717-1767).

-- Michael Sollenberger (1745-1810), is my Sollenberger lineage through Jacob M. Sollenberger (1832-1899). Jacob's daughter, Anna Mary, is my great-great grandmother who was the 2nd wife of Tobias Bentz.

-- Samuel Sollenberger (1760-1811) is the lineage through Cyrus Sollenberger (1820-1904), and his daughter Alice Barbara was the 1st wife of Tobias Bentz.


Tobias Bentz married Alice Barbara Sollenberger about 1874 in York County Pennsylvania. Alice was born in 1855 to Cyrus Sollenberger and Martha Fortney while the family was living in Carroll Township York County Pennsylvania.

Tobias and Alice lived in Monaghan Township, York County. Alice died June 2nd 1887 from complications with the birth of her son, William M. Bentz, who also died June 2nd 1887.

After Alice died Tobias hired Anna (Annie) Mary Sollenberger to help him around the house. Annie got pregnant, and on March 18th 1890 Tobias and Annie where married by Reverend Heisler.

-- Here's the Sollenberger ~ Diller ~ Bentz family photos, which is a nice collection in our library.

Michael Bentz (1830-1895)

-- Here's a paper on Michael Bentz (1830-1895).

-- The Bentz family directory


Michael Bentz was born March 8th 1830 to Jacob Lau Bentz and Elizabeth Slothour.

Michael married Susanna Heiges, who was born in 1835.

Michael died March 13th 1895, and Susanna in 1925. They were both laid to rest at the Barrens Church, 232 Kralltown Road, York County Dillsburg Pennsylvania.

Michael's will, dated May 3rd 1887, indicated he had four children. Tobias and Erwin Bentz were named as Administrators.

His daughters were Cordelia who was intermarried with John Hartman, and Bertha who was intermarried to George Firestone, who bought Michael's farm for $2000.00.

Michael and Susanna Bentz had four children.

i. Tobias Bentz (1853-1934). He 1st married Alice B. Solleneberger, and 2nd to Anna Sollenberger.

ii. Cordelia Bentz born about 1857, she married John Hartman and lived in Mechanicsburg.

iii. Ervin Heiges Bentz was born 1858 to Michael Bentz and Susanna Heiges in Warrington Township York County Pennsylvania. Ervin married Louise Hershey on March 10th 1881. She was born March 28th 1858 to Edward Hershey and Sara Detter. iv. Bertha Albertis Bentz was born April 9th 1865, and married George M. Firestone of Mount Airy area of Monaghan Township on August 22nd 1882.


Tobias Bentz (1853-1934)

-- Here's a paper on Tobias Bentz (1853-1934), and the Bentz family directory.

. -- The family photos, are a good collection, and here is a Tobias and Anna Bentz family photo taken in 1905.


--  Our grandmother, Annie Sollenberger's grand-daughter, wrote on the back. Front Row Left to Right: Tobias and Anna's first daughter Nettie; Tobias and Anna Bentz; Back Row Left to Right: Tobias and his first wife's children: Gertrude (Gertie); Albert; and Laura


Tobias Bentz was born December 5th 1853 to Michael Bentz and Susan Heiges in Warrington Township York County Pennsylvania. He had a confirmation on May 3rd 1884.

Tobias married Alice Barbara Sollenberger about 1874 in York County Pennsylvania. Alice Barbara Sollenberger was born 1855 to Cyrus Sollenberger and Martha Fortney in Carroll Township, York County.

Tobias and Alice lived in Monaghan Township, York County.

Alice died June 2nd 1887 resulting from the birth of her son, William Michael Bentz, who also died June 2nd 1887.

After Alice died Tobias hired Anna (Annie) Mary Sollenberger to help him around the house. Annie got pregnant, and on March 18th 1890 Tobias and Annie where married by Reverend Heisler. Anna was born November 22nd 1864 near Churchtown, Monroe Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania to Jacob M. Sollenberger and Mary Ann Diller.

-- Anna Sollenberger and Alice Sollenberger are 4th cousins; they share the same 4th great grandparents.


Tobias and Anna lived in the Siddonsburg area of Monaghan Township about five miles away from the Sollenberger farm where Hattie lived with her grandparents.

For a time Tobias and Anna lived in Warrington Township, York County. By 1915 the family moved to 518 Forrest Street in Harrisburg Pennsylvania, where Tobias worked as a Stable Boss for the local Coal Company.

On March 25th 1920 Anna was visiting her daughter, Hattie, and her new born baby at the Wrightstone farm in New Cumberland.

Anna returned home on the local Trolley, and later that evening Anna died at age 54 of heart failure. She was laid to rest with Tobias's 1st wife and children at the Barrens Lutheran Church and Cemetery, Warrington Township York County Pennsylvania.

After Anna died, Tobias began working as a janitor for the local school, and Anna's sister, Julia Sollenberger, moved in with Tobias.

Both Tobias and Julia would continue to live at 518 Forrest Street in Harrisburg, when Tobias went to visit his daughter in Kralltown, York County.

While visiting Tobias was suddenly stricken Friday afternoon at his daughter's home in Kralltown, and died of cerebral apoplexy the next day, July 14th 1934, without regaining consciousness.

Tobias was 80 years, 7 months, and 9 days old when he died. He was laid to rest with his family at Barrens Lutheran Church and Cemetery, Warrington Township York County.

-- "...Tobias was a well known retired farmer of Kralltown. He had been visiting with a friend Cornelius Krall, a local blacksmith. He then left for home, and stopped across the street from his daughter's home, to talk to her neighbor, Daniel Wonders. After a brief conversation, Tobias said, "I must go home as we're going to Dillsburg tonight to hear the Loysville Orphans' Band." His grandson was a member of the band.

-- As Tobias crossed the street, he fell to the ground. He was carried to his daughter's home, and Dr. H. B. Hetrick of Wellsville was summoned. Tobias was a son of the late Michael and Susan Bentz, of near Wellsville, and was the first of the four children to die.

-- Tobias leaves a brother and two sisters, all of whom are past the three score and ten year mark.

-- Surviving are four daughters; Mrs. Joseph Smith at whose home death occurred; Mrs. Roy (Nettie) Firestone, Mechanicsburg; Mrs. Harry (Gertrude) Burgard, Dillsburg R. D.; and Mrs. Samuel (Margaret) Sweigert, New Cumberland; one son Albert Bentz, Homestead; seven grandchildren; a brother, Ervin H. Bentz, Dillsburg; two sisters, Mrs. Bertha Firestone, Dillsburg, and Mrs. Cordella Hartman, Mechanicsburg.

-- Funeral services were at the home Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock with further services at 2:30 o'clock in Barrens Lutheran Church. Reverend J. O. Weigle, pastor of the Mechanicsburg Church of God, assisted by the Reverend George A. Livingston of the Dillsburg Lutheran church, will officiate. Burial will be in the cemetery adjoining the church."


Tobias Bentz and Alice B. Sollenberger had five children.

i. Berta A. Bentz was born 1875 and died in 1878.

ii. Albert Earl Bentz (1878-19)

iii. Gertrude V. Bentz was born March 1881. She was 21 years old when she married 27 year old Harry Jacob Burgard on June 25th 1903 in Dillsburg York County Pennsylvania. Harry was born April 1875 to John and Mary Burgard.

-- Gertie and Harry lived at the Burgard home on the Mountain Road area of Monaghan Township York County Pennsylvania.

-- Harry and Gertie were laid to rest in the Fileys Church Cemetery, near Siddonsburg and Dillsburg Pennsylvania.

vi. Nettie A. Bentz was born September 4th 1890. Here's a photo of Nettie as a teenager. Nettie married Roy Henry Firestone on March 29th 1908. They made their application for marriage on March 24th 1908. Roy was born April 6th 1888 in Dillsburg York County Pennsylvania to Jacob A. and Addie M. Firestone. Jacob and Addie married in 1883.

-- Nettie and Roy lived with Roy's parents on Stevenstown Road Carroll Township York County Pennsylvania. Nettie and Roy were laid to rest in the Mechanicsburg Cemetery.

vii. Margaret L. Bentz was born on August 15th 1905. Here's a photo of Maragret as a young girl.

--  Margaret married Samuel Henry Sweigert Jr. August 30th 1929 in Harrisburg Dauphin County Pennsylvania. Samuel was born May 13th 1908 to Samuel H. Sweigert Sr. and Emma M. Nicholson. Samuel died July 18th 1981.

--  Margaret was 95 years old when she died December 2nd 2000 while living in Carlisle Pennsylvania. She and Samuel were laid to rest in the St. Johns Church Cemetery in Hampden Township, Cumberland County.