Louis Benitz  &  Quirina Villegas

(Source: D. Woerner)

VILLEGAS – In this city, April 26, Quirina Villegas, mother of the late Mrs. David Woerner, a native of Chihuahua, Mexico, aged 68 years.

Notice of funeral hereafter.

David Woerner & Carmelita Benitz

David & Carmelita Woerner
Family, bef. 1889
(Source: D. Woerner)

Per inscription on the 25th anniversary gift given them by their offspring, they were married on 20 March, 1864, in Mazatlán, México.  David Woerner, a cooper from Würtemberg, Germany, founded a large cooperage in San Francisco - see the following short bio.  The business he founded is still operated today by his descendants, however plywood has replaced barrel making.

David and Carmelita had many children, twelve of whom reached adulthood, there may have been others who died as infants - see the above family tree.

Note: William “Willie” A. Benitz from Argentina, a 4th cousin to Carmelita’s children, visited his Woerner cousins in California in about 1935 when touring the US.  See what he wrote about meeting them in his account of his trip.

Brief biography of David Woerner, published in 1892:

(from: Bay of San Francisco, The Metropolis of the Pacific Coast and its Suburban Cities. A History. Vol I. 1892, pgs. 702-3.)

DAVID WOERNER, proprietor of the large cooperage establishment on the corner of Main and Harrison streets, San Francisco, is a native of Würtemberg, Germany, born in 1833. His boyhood was passed in his native land, where he secured his education, and also learned the trade of cooperage and brewing. At the age of nineteen years he started out in life and came to the United States, landing at New York: he then proceeded to Philadelphia where he worked at his trade until 1858, then returning to New York he took passage on the steamer "Moses Taylor" for Chagres, crossed the Isthmus to Panama, re-embarked on the steamer John L. Stephens, and arrived in San Francisco in May of the same year.

As competent men were in great demand in those early days, Mr. Woerner soon found occupation with the Philadelphia Brewing Co., with whom he remained for five years; then going to Mexico he became interested in mines and mining securities and remained for several years. Returning to California he was employed as foreman of the Santa Clara brewery for about two years, and then came to San Francisco and in 1868 started his cooperage business on the corner of Spear and Mission streets, having purchased the property and erected a three-story building 40 x 100 feet. Enjoying a fine trade at the start, he occupied the entire building and employed about sixty men in the manufacture of barrels, casks and tanks for wineries, breweries and distilleries. With the passage of time, his business increased and greater facilities were required. He then purchased his present desirable location, on the corner of Main and Harrison streets, and erected his present building 137 x 137 feet, two stories high, to which he removed in 1881, and has since employed a force of about eighty-five hands. His factory is fully equipped with light and heavy machinery adapted to his particular purposes, altered and improved after his own ideas.

In 1885 he took a trip East to look over similar manufactories to gather knowledge of any desirable improvements which were then in use, but he discovered that his own factory was far ahead of Eastern establishments in machinery adapted to heavy work, which is a specialty with Mr. Woerner, as he manufactures tanks to contain thousands of gallons, and from his factory were fitted up the leading wineries, distilleries and breweries of the State, in tanks, tubs and casks; also manufacturing extensively for the Mexican trade.

He was married in Sonora, Mexico, in 1864, to Miss Carmal Benitz, a native of Mazatlan, but of German descent.  To the union has been added twelve children, nine boys and three girls, all living. Mr. Woerner is a member of the I. O. O. F., the F. & A. M., and the A. O. U. W. He is a Republican in politics, though in local matters voting for men and not party.

Carmen Benitz’s Death Notice - 21 June, 1894:

(Source: D. Woerner)

WOERNER – In this city, June 21, Carmelita, beloved wife of David Woerner and mother of Adolph, Gustave, Fred, David, Teresa, Louis, Lizzie, Charles, Henry, Johny, Carmelita and Willie Woerner, native of Mazatlan, aged 46 years.

☞ Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral this day (Sunday), at 11 o’clock, from her late residence, 2908 Washington street; thence to St. Dominic’s Church, corner of Bush and Steiner streets, where a solemn requiem mass will be celebrated for the repose of her soul, commencing at 11:30 o’clock. Internment, Mount Calvary Cemetery.

David & Carmen Woerner’s Headstone
Holy Cross Cemetery
Colma, California, USA
(Source: D. Woerner)