Surname - Fartherson (of German extract)

[Gaie]

1900 also gives her father b. Germany.  It seems she was b. PA 1847 and married sometime in the 1870s - so you should work on tracking down her marriage (may require investigation of church records) and the 1850/1860/1870 census.

Hi

This is the indicator that the surname (whatever it originally was) was from Germany 

As suggested, looking for birth and marriage records for Louisa is the way to go.

KR
Gaie

[carinthiangirl]

there is never proof the name MUST have been GERMAN. there can also have been people of another country who lived for a time in Germany. who knows. but clear - can also have been vice versa and real a german.....

but anyway - not my thing.

[brionne]

How about origins from Scotland,,,,,,MacPherson ,,,,,,could be the answer,easily not transcribed properly.Very common name,found in emigrant families  worldwide.

[jorose]

Based upon his recorded age and the listed length of marriage contained in the 1910 U.S. Census it would appear that the couple was married around 1885.  This seems like a rather late marriage for Benz considering the number of child he sired (unless Louisa had been previously married).

On the pension papers he states December 7, 1872, as the marriage date, and William P. Becker, alderman of Philadelphia, as the person who conducted the marriage.  It looks like what you require is likely to be on microfilm (if you have access to a Family History Center you can rent microfilms in, or it may be available somewhere like the state or city archives).
http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Philadelphia_County,_Pennsylvania#Marriages

[floppyslater]

I want to thank everyone for their input.  I am awaiting a marriage record provided by city of Philadelphia.  The Philadelphia Archives have a very long turn around time.  I hope to get more answers and provide an update when it comes in.  This has been one very difficult mysteries to unravel.