My Berninger Album

These are the oldest pictures that I have of this side of the family. I have had great luck with the Berninger family, I have found cousins also researching. And together we have been able to get a lot of information.

The name Berninger is German for "Where the bears abound" and in researching I found that in those days any reference to bears was the sign of the shaman, in Germany, Bavaria and many regions.

Anna Maria was born December 07, 1833 and died after 1860. She was the daughter of Abraham Troxell and his second wife Maria Kemmerer. She married William Berninger about 1845. They lived in Union Twsp. Pennsylvania. We know from stories handed down in the family that they spoke German and Anna Maria never did learn to speak English. She would listen to a conversation in English and answer in German.
Anna Maria Troxell and William Beninger were the parents of the following:
Harrison Berninger, Araminta Berninger Fincher, Charles Berninger, Lucy Berninger, Beanica Berninger, Wilson Amos Berninger, Alice Berninger, Tillie Berninger

Wilson Amos Berninger (1864-1950) and brother standing in front with horse. Wilson had two brothers Charles and Harrison and we are not sure which one is in the picture with him. We do know that they had an ice business in the Shamoken Pennsylvania area. Wilson lived to be 84 years old and died in Williamstown, New Jersey on his daughter Esther Berninger's farm.

Wilson was proudest of the fact that when he was a child of about five years old his father had taken him to the train station to meet a train that had Abraham Lincoln aboard. President Lincoln had decended to the train platform to shake the hands of those who had came to greet him, and Wilson was one of those who shook the hand of the President.

Wilson was the son of William Berninger and Anna Maria (Miriah) Troxell. He was the grandson of Henry Berninger and Nancy Rehr and the great grandson of Jacob Berninger and Salome Yost/Jost. Jacob's father Nicholas Berninger, was born in Germany in 1727.

Araminta was born in Pennsylvania in 1848 died 1940. She was the daughter of William Berninger and Anna Maria Troxell. She married Abel Fincher and moved to Lawrence Kansas.

This information came from her great great granddaughters who have been very helpful in helping find our roots.

We have little information on Harriet. She was the daughter of Casper Abner Tharp b. 1829 in Pa. and Elizabeth Goss b. 1831 in Pa. Both were long time residence of Shamoken Twsp. in Pa. Wilson and Harriet were the parents of the following.
Esther Berninger Linderman, Ira Berninger, Alvin Berninger, Rutherford Berninger.

This is a picture of Harrison oldest son of William Berninger and Mariah Troxell.

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