Ezra T. Benson (1811–1869)
Wives and Children
Note: We hope to add items to this list and eventually
provide transcripts for each. If you have histories to contribute, or
if you can help with transcribing or clearing copyrights, please
contact Benson Parkinson, webmaster, at "feedback at bensonfamily.org" (replace "at" with "@").
Pamelia Andrus Benson (first wife)
- “History of Pamelia Andrus
Benson,”
in Donald Benson Alder and Elsie L. Alder, comp., The Benson
Family: The Ancestory and Descendants of Ezra T. Benson (The Ezra
T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc., 1979), 30–34; transcript courtesy
of Jared Parkinson.
- Minnie Egan Anderson, “Pamelia and
Adeline Andrus Benson,” excerpted from John Henry Evans and Minnie
Egan Anderson, Ezra T. Benson: Pioneer—Statesman—Saint (Salt
Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press, 1947), 336–40; transcript courtesy
of Ann Potter.
Adeline Brooks Andrus Benson (second wife)
- “Adeline Brooks Andrus
Benson,” in Donald Benson Alder and Elsie L. Alder, comp., The
Benson Family: The Ancestory and Descendants of Ezra T. Benson (The
Ezra T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc., 1979), 47–59; transcript
courtesy of Jared Parkinson.
- Minnie Egan Anderson, “Pamelia and
Adeline Andrus Benson,” excerpted from John Henry Evans and Minnie
Egan Anderson, Ezra T. Benson: Pioneer—Statesman—Saint (Salt
Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press, 1947), 336–40; transcript courtesy
of Ann Potter.
Desdemona Wadsworth Fullmer Smith Benson (third wife)
- “Desdemona Wadsworth
Fullmer Smith Benson,” in Donald Benson Alder and Elsie L. Alder,
comp., The Benson Family: The Ancestory and Descendants of Ezra T.
Benson (The Ezra T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc., 1979),
139–41; transcript courtesy of Jared Parkinson.
- “‘Quiet,
Unassuming, Faithful’: Desdemona Catlin Wadsworth Fullmer (Smith Benson
McLane),” in Todd Compton, In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives
of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1996), 577–85.
Eliza Ann Perry Benson (fourth wife)
- “The Story of Eliza Ann
Perry (Benson),” in Donald Benson Alder and Elsie L. Alder, comp., The
Benson Family: The Ancestory and Descendants of Ezra T. Benson (The
Ezra T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc., 1979), 148–51; transcript
courtesy of Jared Parkinson.
- Minnie Egan Anderson, “Eliza
Ann Perry Benson and Her Children,” excerpted from John Henry Evans
and Minnie Egan Anderson, Ezra T. Benson: Pioneer—Statesman—Saint
(Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press, 1947), 345–49; transcript
courtesy of Ann Potter.
Lucinda Barton West Benson (fifth wife)
- “Lucinda West Benson,”
in Donald Benson Alder and Elsie L. Alder, comp., The Benson
Family: The Ancestory and Descendants of Ezra T. Benson (The Ezra
T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc., 1979), 224; transcript courtesy
of Jared Parkinson.
Elizabeth Gollaher Benson (sixth wife)
- Karma Benson Parkinson, “Elizabeth
Gollaher Benson,” 2 pages, 1924. Brief history of one of E.T.
Benson’s wives, by a granddaughter. Transcribed by Benson Parkinson
from a handwritten copy from the author.
- ———, “Elizabeth Gollaher Benson, in Donald Benson Alder and Elsie
L. Alder, comp., The Benson Family: The Ancestory and Descendants
of Ezra T. Benson (The Ezra T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc.,
1979), 229–30. Note: This is nearly identical to Karma’s
handwritten version (above). It adds three brief paragraphs by another
author, given here.
- John Henry Evans and Minnie Egan Anderson, “Elizabeth Golliher Benson,”
in Ezra Taft Benson: Pioneer, Statesman, Saint (Salt Lake City:
Deseret News Press, 1947], 351–52. Good complement to Karma’s history.
Transcribed by Ben Parkinson; transcript courtesy of Ann Potter.
- Ezra T. Benson, Letter to
Elizabeth Gollaher Benson, 15 June 1856; transcript by Ben
Parkinson. PDF version,
415K, courtesy of S. Hunter Cannon. (Screen resolution PDF by Ben
Parkinson—write in if you need this in higher resolution.)
- “Elizabeth Gallaher Benson,” in Pioneer Women of Faith and
Fortitude, International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1998,
1:230–31.
Olive Mary Knight Benson (seventh wife)
- “History of Olive
Mary Knight Benson,” in Donald Benson Alder and Elsie L. Alder,
comp., The Benson Family: The Ancestory and Descendants of Ezra T.
Benson (The Ezra T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc., 1979), 272;
transcript courtesy of Jared Parkinson.
- Minnie Egan Anderson, “Olive Mary Knight
Benson and Her Children,” excerpted from John Henry Evans and
Minnie Egan Anderson, Ezra T. Benson: Pioneer—Statesman—Saint
(Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press, 1947), 349–51; transcript
courtesy of Ann Potter.
Mary Larsen Benson (eighth wife)
- “History of Mary Larsen
Benson,” in Donald Benson Alder and Elsie L. Alder, comp., The
Benson Family: The Ancestory and Descendants of Ezra T. Benson (The
Ezra T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc., 1979), 312–15; transcript
courtesy of Jared Parkinson.
- “Mary Larsen Benson
Peterson,” in An Enduring Legacy, vol. 6 (Salt Lake City,
Utah: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1983), 129–36.
Second Generation
- Children's Biographical Sketches from Donald Benson Alder & Elsie L. Alder, comp., The Benson Family: The Ancestory and Descendants of Ezra T. Benson (The Ezra T. Benson Genealogical Society, Inc., 1979). Transcripts courtesy of Ann Potter.
- Charles Benson notes,
details of the tragedy that befell one of the black sheep of the
family.
- Minnie Egan Aderson, George
Taft Benson Sr. and George Taft Benson Jr., excerpted from John
Henry Evans and Minnie Egan Anderson, Ezra Taft Benson:
Pioneer—Statesman—Saint (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press,
1947), pp. 340–41. Transcript courtesy of Ann Potter.
- “George T. Benson,”
in Progressive Men of Southern Idaho (Chicago: A. W. Bowen
& Co., 1904), 690–91.
- Memorial for George
Taft Benson Sr., transcript courtesy of Hunter Cannon (PDF)
- Eleanora Benson Allen, Life
Sketch of Frank Andrus Benson, son of E.T. and Adeline. Transcript
courtesy of Ann Potter.
- J. Sidney Allen Jr., My
Grandfather Frank Andrus Benson, son of E.T. and Adeline.
Transcript courtesy of Ann Potter.
- Eleanora Benson Allen, History
of Amanda Charlotta Eliason Benson, Frank’s wife. Transcript
courtesy of Ken Allen and Ann Potter.
- Benson Y. Parkinson, “Edith Benson Parkinson (1867–1925),”
daughter of E.T. and Elizabeth. Drawn largely from writings of Karma P.
Parkinson. (Forthcoming.)
- Karma P. Parkinson, Autobiography of Karma Parkinson Parkinson
(1979), 48 pages.
- ———, Oral
Interview, Charles Redd Center for Western Studies, Brigham Young
University, interviewed 9 Aug. 1978 by Tillman S. Boxell, 22 pages,
used by permission. Includes memories of Edith. Transcript courtesy of
Ben Parkinson.
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Histories Page