Benjamin Buller 9

We pick up today where the last post left off, with the question of what we can learn about Benjamin Buller from the 1839 Waldheim list. To recap, the 1839 list of “Mennonites Who Transferred from Volhynia to Waldheim and Were Assigned Land in 1839” (here; translated by Steve Fast) records the names of heads of household who had arrived at Waldheim in 1839 and thus were eligible for a grant of land, a Wirtschaft of 65 dessiatines.

The complete entry for Benjamin includes the following information:

Number	Name and Nickname         of Mennonites	At what number they were     counted and status at census	Dessiatines of  land allotted
7	Benjamin Benjamin Buller [possibly Busher]	at number 45	65

Two important facts stand out.

1. The father of David Buller was named Benjamin Benjamin Buller. Those who have been following Buller Time for any time at all know what this means: Benjamin’s father was also named Benjamin. In other words, we have stepped back one generation. Beginning with Grandpa Chris, our family line now extends back six generations:

Cornelius (Chris) Buller

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Peter P Buller

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Peter D Buller

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David Benjamin Buller

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Benjamin Benjamin Buller

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Benjamin X Buller (X for unknown)

We know little about our earliest-identifiable ancestor Benjamin X, but we can offer a few informed guesses. First, since Benjamin X’s son had the same first name, Benjamin Benjamin was likely the firstborn son. Second, knowing that Benjamin Benjamin was born around the year 1789, we might reasonably infer that Benjamin X was born sometime between 1765 and 1770. Third, based on all that we know about the broader Buller history, we would expect that Benjamin X lived in Poland, probably in the Culm/Schwetz area. More specifically, I would imagine him being associated with Schönsee (see here). Fourth and last, thus far we have no hint that Benjamin X emigrated to Russia, so until evidence indicates otherwise, we can assume that he lived and died in Poland/Prussia (after the partition of Poland).

To be clear, the paragraph above is not known fact, merely reasonable hypothesis, as is our current view that our line of Bullers is descended from George Buller. We do not know that to be a fact, but it seems plausible. If it is true, then with the discovery of Benjamin X we are one generation closer to linking back to George.

Chris Buller (1906–1982)	—	Malinda Franz (1906–1980
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Peter P Buller (1869–1964)	—	Margaretha Epp (1870–1951)
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Peter D Buller (1845–1897)	—	Sarah Siebert (1847–1922)
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David B Buller (1818–1904)	—	Helena Zielke ????–1855?
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Benjamin Benjamin Buller (ca. 1789–????)	—	Helena  ????? (????–????)
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Benjamin X Buller ca. 1765/1770–????
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????? Buller 1730s?
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????? Buller 1700s?
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George Buller	—	????? (not Dina Thoms)

2. The second fact evident in the 1839 Waldheim list is that our ancestor Benjamin Benjamin did become a Molotschna landowner. Like other Mennonite settlers, he was assigned a Wirtschaft of 65 dessiatines.

As always, each new discovery raises another new question. In this case we must ask: If Benjamin Benjamin owned land in Waldheim, why was our ancestor David landless for much of his life in the colony? The answer to that question will come later on, after additional posts discuss other primary source documents recently made available.

For now, we must we satisfied with the knowledge that our ancestor Benjamin was both a landowner in the village of Waldheim and the son of another Buller named Benjamin. Both known facts can be added to our family timeline.

Year	Person(s)	Event
1765–1770	Benjamin X	birth (X signifies unknown middle name)
ca. 1789	Benjamin Benjamin	born to Benjamin X
1817	Benjamin B and family (4)	emigrated from Prussia to Volhynia
1818	David Benjamin	birth on 25 January to Benjamin B
1819/1820	Benjamin B, Helena, David, Dominik, nephew David	listed on census living at Zofyovka, Rovno, Volhynia
1828	Benjamin B and family (?)	moved from Zofyovka to Ostrowka, Lutsk, Volhynia
1833	Benjamin B and family (11)	expressed desire to emigrate from Ostrowka to Molotschna colony
1839	Benjamin B and family	relocated to Waldheim, Molotschna colony