Benjamin Kuhnagel. Mystery of the Cemetery by Larry Holtzman, Director, Hebrew
Cemetery of Brownsville, TX.
A few weeks ago, I received a telephone call from Matamoros, Mexico, asking to see the grave
of Benjamin Kuhnagel in the Hebrew Cemetery. The caller was Monica Tapia Kuhnagel.
Benjamin was her great, great Grandfather. She said that he died in 1888.
I checked the Hebrew Cemetery map and found no one by that name. Interestingly, Benjamin
Kuhnagel was one of the members of the Hebrew Benevolent Society which founded the Hebrew
Cemetery in 1868. He is listed with the other members on the deed granting the Society the land
for the cemetery for $1.00 from Charles Stillman, founder of Brownsville. He is listed as “B.
Kunagel” on the deed. If he died in Brownsville, he should have been buried in the Hebrew
Cemetery.
The mystery deepened when I checked the City of Brownsville Index of Burials. A two-volume
alphabetical listing is at the Stillman Museum downtown. Benjamin Kuhnagel’s name is there.
The index shows that he was born in France and died in Brownsville on July 2, 1888, at 56 years
old of bronchitis. The index very clearly states that he was buried in the “Jewish Cemetery”.
The only Jewish Cemetery in Brownsville is the Hebrew Cemetery.
I conclude that he was buried in the Hebrew Cemetery. Sadly, his grave has been lost as has his
tombstone. I called Monica and told her my findings. She asked if she and other family
members could come to the cemetery and look around. There were five of them who spent about
an hour looking at each tombstone. They found it very interesting but left knowing that there
was no marker for their relative.
I did further research on Benjamin Kuhnagel in newspapers from the late 1800’s. Benjamin
immigrating from France to New Orleans. He was living in Alexandria, Louisiana, when the
Civil War broke out. Benjamin Kuhnagel was recruited as a Confederate soldier. He served
with the 3 rd Louisiana Cavalry.
After coming to Brownsville, Benjamin joined with other prominent Jewish businessmen in the
Hebrew Benevolent Society of Brownsville and Matamoros. The Society provided funds to help
widows, orphans, and others.. Benjamin’s business was at the corner of 12 th and E, Washington,
near market square. His store sold clothing, boots, and other items.
He had a brother who lived in Alexandria, Louisiana. The death announcement here is from a
newspaper in that city.
The photograph here of Benjamin Kuhnagel was shared by Monica Tapia Kuhnagel. With her
great, great grandfather is his son Adolpho, Monica’s great grandfather. The girl is Adolpho’s
sister, Carolina.