Benson

   The "Benson" surname is patronymic, created from the Medieval given name Benne ("son of Benne"), which comes from the Latin word "benedictus," which means "blessed." Some instances of the surname may also be derived from the name of the village of Benson (or Bennesingtun) in Oxfordshire. It was there that a Peter de Bensinton was recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1208. (Curia regis is a Latin term meaning "royal council" or "king's court." It was the name given to councils of advisors and administrators who served early French kings as well as to those serving Norman and later kings of England.)
   The English branch of the family's Coat of Arms features a Quartered ermine and gold a red bend with three black trefoils. The Crest is a boar's head. The Family Motto is, "Si Deus quis contra?" meaning "If God be with us who can be against us?"
   The line of the Benson family that we are following can be traced back to a man who followed in the political work of his forefathers:

L-R: Alice Benson, Marjorie Marchant Hause, Lillian Marchant Benson, and Sen. Henry Benson. Benson, Henry Nathaniel Senate 1911-14 (District 20); Senate 1915-22 (District 15) Party when first elected:  Republican Counties Served: Brown, Nicollet, Redwood, Sibley Henry Nathaniel Benson, Sr. (1 Aug 1872 - 10 May 1960) was born in Nicollet County, Minn., the son of Peter Benson and Malena (Pehrson) Benson; Benson graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College¹ in 1893 and from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1895. He was married 27 Sep 1904 to Lillian M. Marchant. He had his own law practice in St. Peter. He served in the Minnesota State Senate from 1910-1922 and was the state's Attorney General from 1929-1932. He was also a Nicollet County Probate Judge and organized and served as President and director of the Nicollet County Historical Society, as well as being President of the Minnesota State Historical Society from 1902-1944. GENERAL NOTES He was born on a farm. He moved to St. Peter, Minnesota in 1895. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for Gustavus Adolphus College for more than 40 years.¹ BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION Date of Birth: 8/1/1872 Date of Death (if known or applicable):  05/10/1960 Birth Place: Minnesota Birth County:     Nicollet Birth Country:   United States Town:     Norseland (Source: Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, 1912) Gender:   Male Religion:   Lutheran City of Residence (when first elected):   Saint Peter Occupation (when first elected):   Practicing Law EDUCATION Nicollet County District Schools; Elementary School; Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota; College Graduate; 1893 University of Minnesota, Law School; Law Degree; 1895; Admitted ot Practice, 1895

   Henry's wife, LILLIAN "LILLIE" MAUD MARCHANT, was born on 11 Jan 1878 in London, Ontario, Canada. She moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA with her family, then became a music and art teacher in Minnesota. She married Henry in 1904. "In 1899 Miss Marchant was called to Saint Peter to take the position of supervisor of music and drawing in the public schools of that city and she was thus engaged, performing a most admirable service in behalf of the youth of St. Peter, until her marriage to Mr. Benson, since which time she has been a most competent and valuable helpmate to him. Both Senator and Mrs. Benson take an active and warm interest in various social and cultural activities of St. Peter and are held in the highest esteem throughout the whole community." (History of Nicollet and LeSueur Counties, Minnesota; Their People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II, by Hon. William G. Gresham, Editor-in-Chief²). They had three children: Alice Merle (1908-1986), Margaret Lucille (1909-1993), and Henry (1917-1993), and lived in St. Peter, Nicollet, Minnesota. Lillian died in 1942 and is buried with Henry at Woodlawn Cemetery in Saint Peter, Le Sueur County, Minnesota.

CHILDREN OF LILLIAN MARCHANT AND HENRY N. BENSON, JR.

ALICE MERLE BENSON was born on 31 Jan 1907 in St Peter, Nicollet, Minnesota. In the 1940 U.S. Federal Census she is a single proofreader working at the Department of Motor Vehicles. She died on 9 Nov 1986 in Spicer, Kandiyohi, Minnesota. She is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Saint Peter, Le Sueur County, Minnesota.

MARGARET LUCILE BENSON was born on 4 Nov 1908 in St. Peter City, Nicollet, Minnesota, and baptized on 17 Jan 1909 in St Peter, Nicollet, Minnesota. She married Walter William Weigelt (27 Dec 1906 - 13 Nov 1966) and they had the following children: Mary Lillian (de los Santos) (b. 1935), John Walter (b. 1946) and William Henry Weigelt (1948-2016). Margaret died on 8 Dec 1993 in Thief River Falls, Pennington, Minnesota and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls, Pennington County, Minnesota.

HENRY NATHANIEL BENSON, JR.³ was born on 4 Jun 1916 in St. Peter City, Nicollet, Minnesota. On 25 Oct 1952 he married Gloria Elizabeth Martell (31 Aug 1929 - 25 May 2016) and they had the following children: Julie Elizabeth (Italiano) (b. 1953), Melanie Marchant (b. 1955), Todd Henry Winfield (b. 1957) and Craig Peter Benson (b. 1960). Henry Jr. died on 30 Nov 1993 in Spicer, Kandiyohi, Minnesota, and is buried at the Resurrection Cemetery in Saint Peter, Nicollet County, Minnesota, Section D, Row 2, Lot 133, Grave 9.

¹—Benson, Henry N., Sr. served on the Gustavus Adolphus College Board of Trustees from 1902-1944. He was Treasurer from May 1903 - March 1906 and President from December 1916 - May 1944, after which he elected President emeritus. He was also Chairman of the Committee for the Augustana Pension Fund and as the founder and first President of the Lutheran Brotherhood of the Augustana Lutheran Church.

²—History of Nicollet and LeSueur Counties, Minnesota; Their People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II, by Hon. William G. Gresham, Editor-in-Chief; Published by B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916: Henry N. Benson biography, pages 184-186.

³—Henry Nathaniel Benson, Jr. (4 June 1916 - 30 November 1993) graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1937 and attended the University of Minnesota Law School. After graduation he worked at West Publishing Company in Ohio before serving in the army. He spent four and a half years in the army, participating in the Tunisian campaign and spending time in Europe. He returned to St. Peter where he became a partner in his father's law firm. He was elected to the Gustavus Adolphus College Board of Trustees in 1951 and served as Secretary until 1957.

TOP PHOTO: The Benson clan at the memorial for the late, great Gloria Martell Benson in 2016. TOP ROW, L-R: Brittany Benson, Craig Benson, Julie Italiano, Todd Benson, Becca Benson, Peter Yager, Maria Benson; BOTTOM ROW, L-R: Mark Nelson, Melanie Marchant Benson, Rush Benson, Nikko Benson, Ian Cook, Anna Marie Italiano, Dominick Italiano. RIP, Gloria, and THANK YOU forever!

SESSIONS SERVED

Legislative Session: 42nd (1921-1922) (second half of Senate term)   Body: Senate Elected: 11/5/1918 Term of Office: 1/7/1919 to 1/1/1923 District: 15 Residence: Saint Peter Counties Represented: Nicollet, Sibley Occupation: Lawyer Party: Nonpartisan Election Committees: Agriculture and Agricultural Markets Education Elections (Chair) Finance Judiciary Public Highways Rules

Legislative Session: 41st (1919-1920)   Click to enlarge Body: Senate Elected: 11/5/1918 Term of Office: 1/7/1919 to 1/1/1923 District: 15 Residence: Saint Peter Counties Represented: Nicollet, Sibley Occupation: Lawyer Party: Nonpartisan Election Committees: Banks and Banking Corporations Education (Chair) Finance Judiciary Rules

Legislative Session: 40th (1917-1918) (second half of Senate term)   Click to enlarge Body: Senate Elected: 11/3/1914 Term of Office: 1/5/1915 to 1/6/1919 District: 15 Residence: Saint Peter Counties Represented: Nicollet, Sibley Occupation: Lawyer Party: Nonpartisan Election Committees: Banks and Banking Education and Educational Institutions (Chair) Finance Judiciary Public Institutions and Buildings Rules and Legislative Expenses

Legislative Session: 39th (1915-1916)   Click to enlarge Body: Senate Elected: 11/3/1914 Term of Office: 1/5/1915 to 1/6/1919 District: 15 Residence: Saint Peter Counties Represented: Nicollet, Sibley Occupation: Lawyer Party: Nonpartisan Election Committees: Education and Educational Institutions (Chair) Finance Judiciary Judiciary Subcommittee: Courts, Judicial and Public Officers Judiciary Subcommittee: Insurance Judiciary Subcommittee: Railroads (Chair) Public Institutions and Buildings Rules and Legislative Expenses

Legislative Session: 38th (1913-1914) (second half of Senate term)   Click to enlarge Body: Senate Elected: 11/8/1910 Term of Office: 1/3/1911 to 1/4/1915 District: 20 Residence: Saint Peter Counties Represented: Nicollet Occupation: Practicing Law Party: Republican Committees: Corporations Education Finance Hospitals for the Insane (Chair) Judiciary Normal Schools Railroads Reapportionment

Legislative Session: 37th (1911-1912)   Body: Senate Elected: 11/8/1910 Term of Office: 1/3/1911 to 1/4/1915 District: 20 Residence: Saint Peter Counties Represented: Nicollet Occupation: Practicing Law Party: Republican Committees: Corporations Finance Hospitals for Insane (Chair) Insurance Judiciary Normal Schools Printing Railroads Roads and Bridges

Municipal Attorney St. Peter, Minnesota (City Attorney and Clerk)   ??/??/1898 to ??/??/1911 State Attorney General Minnesota   11/20/1929 to 01/??/1933

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The Benson family poses for a Christmas portrait in 1959 (click on image to enlarge). Gloria Benson poses at Adolphus College in 2012 (click on image to enlarge).