Buller Chart, Updated Edition

This post could arguably be titled Seaching for Benjamin’s Father 13, but it will be easier to find in the future by describing more accurately what it contains: an updated version of the Buller chart that we have periodically considered. 

The updated chart represents visually the conclusions formed on the basis of the evidence collected as we examined Glenn Penner’s hypothesis about the identity of Benjamin 1 Buller. Important points are summarized immediately below the chart, although one will find it profitable to consider the chart against the background of the entire series, especially the last post here. 

1. The basic chart remains unchanged. We begin with George Buller and Dina Thoms, followed by their three sons Hans, George, and Peter (generation 2), the sons’ male descendants (generation 3), and the known males of generation 4. 

2. Based on our findings in the Seaching for Benjamin’s Father series, we are able to identify which of George and Dina’s descendant lines is (probably) ours. The names are highlighted in red to make them easy to spot. According to our understanding, we are descended from the Hans line, by way of Hans’s third (?) son Heinrich.

3. We know the relations of the first four generations because they are all listed in the Przechovka church book. George was the father of Hans, who was the father of Heinrich, who was the father of Benjamin.

4. The chart adds three more generations to the George > Hans > Heinrich > Benjamin line: another Benjamin (generation 5) > David (generation 6) > Peter D (generation 7). (Of course, we could add Peter P and Grandpa Chris to the line; they are omitted only to save space.)

5. We know the relations of the last names of the line, based on various records, including our family book: Benjamin > David > Peter D.

6. We have two Benjamins in the line, so we label the first one Benjamin 1 and the second Benjamin 2.

7. Most important of all is the question mark in the background of the line between Benjamin 1 and Benjamin 2. This signifies that we cannot document the father–son relationship of these two persons. We regard it as highly likely, but we cannot consider it certain. 

We have every reason to believe that our ancestor Benjamin 2 (father of David) was himself the son of Benjamin 1, the Benjamin Buller listed in the Przechovka church book, but because Benjamin 2 is not listed in the church book (which is what the “not PCB” below his name signifies), and because we have at present no other documentary evidence that Benjamin 2 was born to Benjamin 1 circa 1789–1791, we should keep the question mark in the chart and in our minds.

I do believe that the chart accurately represents the history of our family line, which means that I, for example, can count thirteen generations from my grandkids to George and Dina, roughly 350 years from the birth of George to the present day. That is a remarkably long period of history, a full century longer than the United States has existed as a country. Not to be flippant, but … Wow!