Albert Charles Benninger

Other Events:

• Honoured: Park named for him.
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-134200
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic
• Military: 1898; He joined the United States Marine Corps and served during the Spanish-American War (1898-1899).

Notes:

Benninger Playground

Located on Madison Street between 60th Place and Fresh Pond Road, Benninger playground is named after former Queens Parks Commissioner Albert C. Benninger (1885-1937). Benninger was born in the town of [New] Germany, Canada, and moved to the United States at the age of four. He joined the United States Marine Corps and served during the Spanish-American War (1898-1899). In 1905, after leaving the military, Benninger moved to the Glendale section of Queens, New York. Seven years later, he was elected Queens Assemblyman, and he later served on the Board of Aldermen. In 1916, he served briefly as Commissioner of Public Works. Two years later, Mayor John F. Hylan (1869-1936) appointed Benninger Commissioner of the Queens Parks Department. In 1928, Benninger retired from this position, but was re-appointed two years later and served until 1933. Between 1933 and 1937, he served as Federal Marshal for the Eastern District of New York.

Benninger Playground is located in Ridgewood, a neighborhood that straddles the Brooklyn-Queens border near Myrtle Avenue. The community is bounded by Metropolitan Avenue to the north, the Long Island Railroad to the east, Central Avenue to the south, and Flushing Avenue to the west. Dutch farmers displaced the region's original inhabitants, the Mespachtes Native Americans, in the early seventeenth century. Later, English colonists gave the area the name Ridgewood for its wooded topography. In the 150 years after the area's first European settlement, the larger surrounding communities of Queens and Brooklyn took shape. During this time, many people argued over which of these future boroughs rightly held Ridgewood. In 1769, English colonists settled the dispute by placing the "Arbitration Rock" at the intersection of Montrose and Onderdonk Avenues, officially defining Ridgewood as a part of Queens.

The City of New York acquired this property by condemnation on August 20, 1936; Parks assumed jurisdiction on the same day. In 1937, the Board of Alderman passed a resolution that named the property Albert C. Benninger Playground. When the playground opened, it featured a handball court, play equipment, and a basketball/volleyball court that could be used as a wading pool during the summer months.
Fifty years later, the playground underwent a $623,000 renovation and Parks shortened the property's name to Benninger Playground. New handball and basketball courts, play equipment, safety surfacing, drinking fountains, fencing, and benches were added. In 1995, the playground received an $85,000 perimeter steel fence funded by Council Member Thomas V. Ognibene. Today, the facility features two handball courts, a full basketball court, assorted swings, modular play equipment, safety surfacing, a spray shower, and game tables. An inscribed bronze, bas-relief plaque, located on the outer wall of the comfort station, honors the life of Albert C. Benninger and serves as a reminder of the important contributions he made to the New York City park system.

www.nycgovparks. org 2010

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Obituary of Albert Benninger

Albert C. Benninger. Brought from his home at Glendale, Long Island, New York, the body of U. S. Marshall Albert C. Benninger was laid to rest beside the grave of his mother in St. Boniface Cemetery at New Germany yesterday afternoon. The funeral was from the Lippert-Hunter funeral home at 2 o'clock with a short service conducted by Father Joseph Diemert.

At Glendale prominent political leaders and public officials paid tribute to the dead marshal who also fought with U.S. Marines in the Spanish-American War. More than 5,000 lined the streets of Ridgewood and Glendale, suburbs of Brooklyn, N.Y., as the funeral cortege proceeded to St. Pancras R.C. Church on Monday. Flanking the hearse as it proceeded from the funeral home to the church were Aldermanic President Wm. F. Brunner, Justices William Carswell and Frank F. Adel of the Appellate Division, District Attorney Charles P. Sullivan, Police Inspector Michael J. Murphy and city court Justice Charles W. Froesel, the casket bearers. A squad of marines followed the hearse.

paper unknown

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-85027
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic
• Occupation: 1871, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Occupation: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Catholic
• Occupation: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic
• Retired: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1911, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer, Street
• Residence: 1911, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic

Martin — Magdalena Rellinger. Magdalena (daughter of Philip Rellinger and Elizabeth Dauber) was born 1845, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 2 Jun 1899, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Saint Boniface Roman Catholic Cemetery, Maryhill, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Magdalena Benninger
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-85028
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Catholic
• Residence: 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic

Notes:

Mrs. Martin Benninger of New Germany died very suddenly on Thursday evening. Her children had gone over to call on a neighbor's family and stayed later than they expected. Mrs. Benninger started. across the fields to this neighbors house for them. In walking she way overcome by an attack of heart failure and sat down on the way side. Her children, returning, saw her but did not recognize their mother. They spoke but received no answer. Going closer they discovered that it was their mother and that she was unable ot speak. One of them hurried to the house for Benninger and the lady was carried home where five minutes later she died, having never regained speech or consciousness.

The physician describes the cause of death as heart disease. Mrs. Bennington was about 60 years of age and leaves a large family to mourn her demise.

Other Events:

• Name: Francis Joseph Benninger
• Name: Joseph Benninger
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-28289
• Occupation: 1851, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Occupation: 1860, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic

Franz — Regina Schwoob. Regina (daughter of Joseph Schwoob and Maria Elizabeth Roemer) was born 1804, , France; died 16 Dec 1871, Maryhill (New Germany) Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario; was buried , Saint Boniface Roman Catholic Cemetery, Maryhill, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Regina Benninger
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-28290
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-31316
• Occupation: 1852, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic

Philip married Elizabeth Dauber 12 Oct 1841, St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church, Maryhill, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Elizabeth was born 8 Jan 1807, , Alsace Lorraine, France; died 22 Jan 1882, Maryhill (New Germany) Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario; was buried , Saint Boniface Roman Catholic Cemetery, Maryhill, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Giller
• Name: Elizabeth Rellinger
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-31317
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Roman Catholic
• Residence: 1881, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Catholic

Notes:

She was one of the first settlers in this area.
Survived by 6 children and 36 grandchildren.

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-28299

Notes:

George lived with his son in Waterloo Township, Ontario in 1851

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-31346

Joseph — Maria Elizabeth Roemer. Maria was born Abt 1770; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Maria Elizabeth Schwoob
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-111452