1850 Eli Breniger (age 17, born in Pennsylvania) lived in Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois with John Breniger (age 53), Catherine Breniger (age 49), John Breniger (age 19), Sarah Breniger (age 15), Elizabeth Breniger (age 13), Josiah Breniger (age 11), Calisra Breniger (age 9), and Susanna Breniger (age 7). [1]
1863 Eli K Brenizer was registered for the draft in June 1863, at age 26, unmarried farmer, born in Pennsylvania, living in Rock Grove, Illinois. [2]
1913 Eli Knisley Brenizer died on January 1 and was buried at Lester Township Cemetery, Dunkerton, Black Hawk County, Iowa. [3]
An obituary for Eli Brenizer reported [4]:
Eli K. Brenizer, a resident of Black Hawk county for nearly fifty years, died New Year's day at the home of his son, E. F. Brenizer, at Grantsburg, Wisc.
Mr. Brenizer had made his home as late with his son and for some time had been in failing health. The cause of death was old age.
Mr. Brenizer had came west about 1866, and was one of the earliest residents of Lester township. Mrs. Brenizer had died about twenty years ago, but there are five children, John L. of this city, B. E. and George of Wolf Creek, Wisc., E. F. of Grantsburg and A. H. Dickey of Hinton, Okla.
The funeral services will be held at Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Baptist church. Burial will be in the North Lester cemetery.
A biosketch reported [5]:
Eli K. Brenizer was born in Wayne County, Ohio, February 8th 1833, the seventh child of John and Catherine (Kneisley) Brenizer, who were both born, reared and married in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, the father born January 5th, 1797, and the mother August 27th 1801. Several years after their marriage they moved to Wayne County, Ohio, and in 1849 they removed to Stephenson County, Illinois, where the father died in October, 1878. The mother died in Dakota, Stephenson County, in October, 1880. The Brenizer and Kneisley families are both of German descent. His Grandfather Brenizer died in Wayne County, Ohio, at the advanced age of eighty-one years. Eli K. Brenizer came to Black Hawk County, Iowa in August, 1866, when he bought 120 acres of his present farm, to which he has since added till he now owns 198 acres, on section 21, where he resides, and forty acres on section 23, making in all 238 acres. Most of his land is seeded with grass, and he devotes the greater part of his time to stock-raising. He has at present about forty head of cattle and eight horses, beside a number of hogs and sheep. Mr. Brenizer was married December 31, 1874 to Martha A. Fentiman, born in Will County, Illinois, October 25th, 1854, a daughter of John and Christiana (Holderman) Fentiman. They have five children-John L., born January 16, 1876; Bert F., born February 20, 1877; Elery K., born January 24, 1879; Elsie M., born December 24, 1881, and Eli F., born November 25, 1884, all natives of Lester Township, this county. In politics Mr. Brenizer affiliates with the Republican party. Mrs. Brenizer is a member of the Baptist church. Her father was a native of Yorkshire, Englalnd, born September 23, 1822. He came to America when about twenty-one years of age and settled in Will County, Illinois, where he was married, living there till 1865. He then came to Waterloo, Iowa. Mrs. Brenizer's mother was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1833. Her Grandfather Holderman was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Will County, Illinois. His widow is still living in Will County, now in her eighty-seventh year.
[1] United States Federal Census, 1850, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[2] National Archives and Records Administration, Civil War Draft Registration Records (Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865) (Washington, D.C.), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[3] Find A Grave Memorial 23821940, [FindAGrave].
[4] Newspaper, Waterloo Evening Courier, Friday, 03 January 1913, Waterloo, Iowa.
[5] Find A Grave Memorial 23821940, citing Historical & Biographical Record of Black Hawk County, Iowa - The Interstate Publishing Co. Chicago, July 1886 - Page 319, [FindAGrave].