“Nany” Benitz & Urban Mahrer
1819-1880   &   1802-1891

M. Aña Bönitz
“Nany”
Birth & Baptism Record 44: 12 & 13 May, 1819
Sankt Petri-sankt Martin-katholisch
Endingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
(Source: James Bell)

On May 12, 1819 at five o'clock in the evening a girl was born at this location.  She was baptized at St. Martin's church on May 10 at eleven o'clock in the morning May 13.  She was named Maria Anna Bönitz.
Parents: Anton Bönitz (master cooper) and Maria Anna Wagner.
Sponsors: Joseph Peintner (master saddler) and Maria Anna Müller (married).
Witness: Anton Halbling (farmer).
Endingen, May 13, 1819
The chaplain Wild performed the baptism.
witnessed by: Martin

Translation of church record 44, at left.
(Translator noted May 10 clearly should be May 13.)
(Source: James Bell)

M. Aññ Bönitz
“Nany”
Birth & Baptism Record: 12 & 13 May, 1819
Staatsarchive, Freiburg
Baden-Württemberg, Germany
(Source: P. Benitz)

Urban Mahrer
(Source: Brenda Paulo, 2003)

(Source: Brenda Paulo, 2003)

One of Urban’s clocks
(Source: Brenda Paulo, 2003)

Urban Mahrer, The Inventor

  The light of a Pittsburgh genius has gone out.  Mr. Urban Mahrer, a veteran inventor, scholar and man of mechanical ideas died yesterday [16 April, 1891] at 6:30 AM.
  Though in life, practically unknown to outside world, in scientific circles he received prominent recognition.
  Mr. Mahrer was born in Alsace-Loraine.  Being wedded early in life to a lady of delicate health, he devoted several years to travel with her.  He visited every city of prominence on the globe.
  In 1840, he located in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh.  He built his home on Thirty-ninth Street, doing all the work himself.  Shortly after the completion of the Arsenal, he drafted and made all the machinery for the manufacture of cartridges.  This was the last public work he was employed in.  Soon after he retired he made a workshop of the upper portion of his residence.  Here he devoted all his time to the numerous inventions which now bear testimony to his skill.  An idea can be formed of his collection when his machinery and tools comprise everything from the rough tools used by the stone cutters to those of a watchmaker.  He had implements for drawing, engraving wood and brass turning, and patterns for hundreds of mechanical devices, not considering some fifty completed inventions that no one save himself has feasted his eyes upon.
  One of his hobbies was clocks.  There are some twenty-seven of them scattered in all parts of his house.  At striking times their alarms sound from the ponderous nine footer to the tiny silver piece that hangs over his bed.  They are all his own handiwork, every particle being made in his own workshop.
  Some years ago he was asked to devise and make a clock for the interior of the Allegheny Observatory.  He completed the one that now ornaments his sitting room.  It is a perfect model of the globe, showing the time, and the position of the sun at any moment.  He refused to sell it for less than $900, and when in one of his eccentric moods concluded to not accept any price.  It was one of his notions that his genius could not be bought.  His mechanical ideas such as would have made him independently wealthy, but he never cared to put them into execution for profit.
  In 1873, a delegation of German scientists, who were visiting in Pittsburgh called on him.  He entertained them a whole day.  The wonders of his workshop were marvels to them.  One of the party offered him a salary of $3000 to over see and design in his mechanical department in Berlin but he refused.  He presented each of the party with a unique memento that had taken days and nights of his inventive time.
  Eight years ago he married his second wife.  He has no children.  One of his step-grandsons, Charles Thalheimer is carrier in the Pittsburgh Post Office department.
  In the office of Engineer Lindenthal lies a portion of the last work of the deceased genius.  It is a model in brass of the immense bridge to be erected across the North River, New York.  After Mr. Lindenthal’s plans were completed they were given to two different parties to produce.  The efforts of Mr. Mahrer, bringing out the ideas of Mr. Lindenthal were recognized by compliments.  However the old gentleman was then on the verge of his last illness, and unable to complete them.  Mr. Herman Daub, assistant to Mr. Lindenthal, said today that his genius was shown in every particular.  His equal does not exist in this country.   Pittsburgh Post

(Source & Transcription: Brenda Paulo, 2003)

The Pittsburg Dispatch
October 31, 1889
(Source: RABzGrabz)

Urban Mahrer – 1^st. Enlistment in the US Army: 1833-1837
(Source: RABzGrabz)

Urban Mahrer – 2^nd. Enlistment in the US Army: 1841-1846
(Source: RABzGrabz)

List of passengers
SS Wesser (for Bremen)
New York Times, 28^th August, 1874
(Source: RABzGrabz)

“This afternoon we all were astonished by Mahrer saying he was going in the brig Blitz to Rio Janeiro, and then to the United States.  The Blitz is going tomorrow morning early, so he has to be on board tonight. After supper we went with him to the wharf to see him & wife off.  We had to wait until 8:30 P.M. and then he was in a boat to the ship.  Good Bye Mr. Mahrer and Aunt.”

Diary of Alfred A. Benitz (Nany’s nephew)
12^th December, 1874 — Rosario, Santa Fé, Arg.
(Source: P. Benitz)

Passengers arriving Baltimore
from Rio de Janeiro
Germ. Brig Emmi & Otto
March 12, 1875
(Source: RABzGrabz)

Nany – died 14 April, 1880
Mary Ann (Benitz) Mahrer
Pittsburgh Registration of Deaths, pg. 320
(Source: RABzGrabz)

Urban – died 16 April, 1891
Urban Mahrer
Pittsburgh Registration of Deaths, pg. 192
(Source: RABzGrabz)

Mary Ann – died 12 August, 1895
Mary Ann (Snyder) Mahrer
Pittsburgh Registration of Deaths, pg. 515
(Source: RABzGrabz)

Urban Mahrer
Born in Mahlin Canton
Aarau Switzerland
May 22, 1812
Died April 16, 1891
(Source: Findagrave.com)

Urban Mahrer
Death Notices
(Source: RABzGrabz)

Will of
Mary Ann (Snyder) Mahrer
(PDF - 2mb)
(Source: RABzGrabz)