William James Kienzle was born on Tuesday, May 31, 1859, in Ehningen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany to George Frederick and Frieda Mayer-Kienzle. He immigrated to the United States in 1881 at 22 years old and worked as a carpenter.

When he was 26, he married German immigrant to the United States, Dorothea Vetter, in New York City on Saturday, December 19, 1885. They had 7 children together in 13 years.

William died of a heart attack on his way to work on the New York City I.R.T. subway line at the South Ferry Subway Station on Friday, December 14, 1928, at 7:40 a.m. in New York, New York at the age of 69. The South Ferry Subway Station is a New York City subway station in the Manhattan neighborhood of the Financial District, under Battery Park.

The authorities were unable to contact his immediate family because William was not carrying any identification on him.

His body was taken to the New York Police Department's 1st Precinct where he was pronounced dead. He was later brought to the New York City morgue where he stayed one day later.

It was then on Saturday, December 15, 1928, his daughter found him there and claimed his body. This fact was confirmed on William's New York City Death Certificate wherein it stated on page two that his body was claimed on Saturday, December 15, 2018.

Undertaker George H.D. Jardin of 2160 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York handled the arrangements, as was also noted on William's New York City death certificate.

William was interred on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at Mount Hope Cemetery, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

He was survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Dorothea Vetter-Kienzle and his dear children Pauline Wilhelmina Kienzle-Kuchenmeister, Wilhelmina Fredericka Kienzle-Eckhard, William Kienzle, Jr., Frederick Christian Kienzle , Henry Francis Kienzle, Sr., Dorothea Margaret Kienzle-Brooks , and Arthur Harry KienzleArthur Harry Kienzle.

William was also survived by his eight granddaughters: Pauline Margaret Kuchenmeister, Josephine Sara Eckhard, Ruth Kienzle, Dolores E. Kienzle, Dorothea Muriel Brooks, Dorothy Margaret Kienzle, Barbara Ruth Kienzle and Mathilda Eleanor Kienzle, and his six grandsons: Frederick Eckhard, William Christopher Kienzle, Thomas Edwin Kienzle, Douglas Frederick Kienzle, Walter S. Kienzle and Henry Francis Kienzle, Jr.

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William's granddaughter Dorothea Brooks-Jandrucko, his daughter Dorothea Margaret Kienzle-Brooks' daughter, in an email to her cousin CJP on March 30, 1999, wrote of her Grandpa Kienzle's wake, "I must have been 3 or 4 when he died. They had the wake at home. It's one of my earliest memories. My Dad was just taking me home when they arrived with the casket and I remember they had to stand it on end to get it around a corner in a long hallway."

According to his daughter Dorothy Kienzle-Brooks, in a letter written to her niece EK-W, Dorothy states, " There were --Millers, Bakers-Kingsley Kingslee (My dad (WILHELM JAMES KIENZLE) -(your (great) grandpa) trained to be a carpenter, boat builder, a stone mason. He had a place where he went to do his thing at City Island (East side, in the Bronx, per Dottie), in later years, weather allowing--We had some very unpredictable seasons (as we do today.) Also he knew an amount of and the handling of horses. His Grandfather (JOHANN GEORG KIENZLE b. MAY 13, 1786, Ehningen, Germany; d Feb 15 1847, Germany, or, if mother's father: JACOB MAHER*) was a person who could have been shot at sunrise!! The Spanish Riding School had these animals, which were in the area of their home. He heard they were all going to be killed; he was so beside himself-without much thought of his family, etc. (he) stole out and captured a pair of these exquisite creatures. Brought them safely to a hiding place. These were, we believe, what is a Lippizan breed we may see in our best shows."

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Biography written by Find A Grave Member GWTWQUEENIE.

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