Quite a few uncertainties regarding the lineages and branches of the former Riga city council family Benckhausen / Bönninghausen, descending from Kersten Bonninghusen remain, mainly for the 17th century where it is unclear how the 16th century family members are related to one another, to their ancestors and to their descendants.
The existence of several disputes in the church courts (St. Petri, Riga) throughout the 17th century (e.g. an argument between [Johann Benckhausen, der Jüngere Johann Benckhausen] and his immediate family against the descendents of the ennobled branch of the family of [Johann von Benningshausen Johann von Benningshausen] regarding ownership of an "Erbbegräbnis", i.e. an inherited family grave/vault in the church) clearly indicate that they are members of the same family, but exact relationships are rarely stated and thus remain tentative. The records of the Riga blackheads (that were accessible on the old Raduraksti website but are missing from the new one) could possibly help with some of this, as many family members were also members of the blackheads.
Particularly difficult to resolve questions:
Is there evidence for the parentage of [Reinhold Benckhausen Reinhold Benckhausen]? There are indications (based on the forename) that he might have been a son of [Jordan Benckhusen Jordan Benckhusen] and his wife [Anna Benckhusen Anna Benckhusen Anna Benckhusen (von Karpen)], as Anna might have been a daughter of [Reinhold von Karpen Reinhold von Karpen].
Through which family members are the 17th century (ending with the cildren of [Johann Benckhausen, der Jüngere Johann Benckhausen]) and the 18th century branches (starting with [Jakob Benckh(a)usen Jakob Benckhausen]) of the family connected?
How do the Courland branches fit into this family, i.e. the family members in Liepaja/Libau ([Susanna Siewert Susanna Bönnighusen]) and Ventspils/Windau ([Rötger Bennighausen Rötger Bennighausen]), and are they actually members of this family?
Eike Anderson
