William Earl Benson was born to William A. & Della Mary Magdeline Redmond Benson in Louisville, KY on 10 NOV 1896. William Earl was the oldest of six children of record born to this union. The 1900 US Census shows that by age 4, Earl, Della, William and brothers, Harry & Joseph are residing in the Osage & Kaw Indian Reservation, Osage County Oklahoma.
Earl continued living on the Osage Reservation until sometime after 1910. William Earl's WW-I Draft Registration card cites his residence as the Oklahoma Hotel, Pawhuska, OK. It also cites his mother, Della Benson's address as Rt. 1 Diamond, Missouri. By 1916, Earl is living in Drumright, Creek, OK and is married to Irene Cunningham. In 1918, Earl's only child of record, Edward Rodman Benson is born in Drumright. Family oral history holds that Earl & Irene were married and divorced twice. We do know that Edward grew up in Kansas City estranged from his father, Earl. Edward states that he only met Earl once, after seeking him out as an adult.
Another tantalizing but problematic fact is that another Earl William Benson, was born 21 FEB 1919 and is buried in the same Pawhuska City Cemetery as Celia Mozingo & William A Benson, our William Earl's grandparents. This second William Earl died in 1970. The congruence of dates, names and places tempts one to conclude that the William Earl, born in 1919 was our William Earl's son also. This, however, is only conjecture and is not backed up by any documentation. The US Indian Census Rolls for the Osage Dated June 30, 1926 cites this second William Earl Benson living with a Geneva Mosier, who is cited as "Head" and the only other listed member of the family. Hence one might also conclude that Geneva was wife # 2 after Irene Benson. Geneva appears to be a member of a prominent Osage family. Thomas S. Mosier (1842-1912) is hailed as a "Warrior of Note, ... who was an Osage Indian tribal historian, interpreter, compiler of citizenship rolls and soldier...Mosier, with many of his tribe, belonged to the Ninth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry." (The Lamont Valley News, 08 FEB 1912). While other William Earl Bensons are documented in turn of the century Oklahoma, none exhibit the congruence of our William Earl to these known facts.
By the early 1940's our William Earl Benson is residing in Los Angeles, CA. On 14 NOV 1942 he marries Virena Anna Cruzan, with whom he probably moved to Los Angeles from Drumright, OK, since both William Earl and Virena lived in Drumright in 1920. Vienna Cruzan Benson died in Los Angeles on 04 JUL 1958, William Earl predeceased Virena by less than one month, succumbing on 10 Jun 1958. Both are interred in the Pomona Cemetery & Mausoleum in Ponoma CA.
Earl continued living on the Osage Reservation until sometime after 1910. William Earl's WW-I Draft Registration card cites his residence as the Oklahoma Hotel, Pawhuska, OK. It also cites his mother, Della Benson's address as Rt. 1 Diamond, Missouri. By 1916, Earl is living in Drumright, Creek, OK and is married to Irene Cunningham. In 1918, Earl's only child of record, Edward Rodman Benson is born in Drumright. Family oral history holds that Earl & Irene were married and divorced twice. We do know that Edward grew up in Kansas City estranged from his father, Earl. Edward states that he only met Earl once, after seeking him out as an adult.
Another tantalizing but problematic fact is that another Earl William Benson, was born 21 FEB 1919 and is buried in the same Pawhuska City Cemetery as Celia Mozingo & William A Benson, our William Earl's grandparents. This second William Earl died in 1970. The congruence of dates, names and places tempts one to conclude that the William Earl, born in 1919 was our William Earl's son also. This, however, is only conjecture and is not backed up by any documentation. The US Indian Census Rolls for the Osage Dated June 30, 1926 cites this second William Earl Benson living with a Geneva Mosier, who is cited as "Head" and the only other listed member of the family. Hence one might also conclude that Geneva was wife # 2 after Irene Benson. Geneva appears to be a member of a prominent Osage family. Thomas S. Mosier (1842-1912) is hailed as a "Warrior of Note, ... who was an Osage Indian tribal historian, interpreter, compiler of citizenship rolls and soldier...Mosier, with many of his tribe, belonged to the Ninth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry." (The Lamont Valley News, 08 FEB 1912). While other William Earl Bensons are documented in turn of the century Oklahoma, none exhibit the congruence of our William Earl to these known facts.
By the early 1940's our William Earl Benson is residing in Los Angeles, CA. On 14 NOV 1942 he marries Virena Anna Cruzan, with whom he probably moved to Los Angeles from Drumright, OK, since both William Earl and Virena lived in Drumright in 1920. Vienna Cruzan Benson died in Los Angeles on 04 JUL 1958, William Earl predeceased Virena by less than one month, succumbing on 10 Jun 1958. Both are interred in the Pomona Cemetery & Mausoleum in Ponoma CA.
William Earl Benson was born to William A. & Della Mary Magdeline Redmond Benson in Louisville, KY on 10 NOV 1896. William Earl was the oldest of six children of record born to this union. The 1900 US Census shows that by age 4, Earl, Della, William and brothers, Harry & Joseph are residing in the Osage & Kaw Indian Reservation, Osage County Oklahoma.
Earl continued living on the Osage Reservation until sometime after 1910. William Earl's WW-I Draft Registration card cites his residence as the Oklahoma Hotel, Pawhuska, OK. It also cites his mother, Della Benson's address as Rt. 1 Diamond, Missouri. By 1916, Earl is living in Drumright, Creek, OK and is married to Irene Cunningham. In 1918, Earl's only child of record, Edward Rodman Benson is born in Drumright. Family oral history holds that Earl & Irene were married and divorced twice. We do know that Edward grew up in Kansas City estranged from his father, Earl. Edward states that he only met Earl once, after seeking him out as an adult.
Another tantalizing but problematic fact is that another Earl William Benson, was born 21 FEB 1919 and is buried in the same Pawhuska City Cemetery as Celia Mozingo & William A Benson, our William Earl's grandparents. This second William Earl died in 1970. The congruence of dates, names and places tempts one to conclude that the William Earl, born in 1919 was our William Earl's son also. This, however, is only conjecture and is not backed up by any documentation. The US Indian Census Rolls for the Osage Dated June 30, 1926 cites this second William Earl Benson living with a Geneva Mosier, who is cited as "Head" and the only other listed member of the family. Hence one might also conclude that Geneva was wife # 2 after Irene Benson. Geneva appears to be a member of a prominent Osage family. Thomas S. Mosier (1842-1912) is hailed as a "Warrior of Note, ... who was an Osage Indian tribal historian, interpreter, compiler of citizenship rolls and soldier...Mosier, with many of his tribe, belonged to the Ninth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry." (The Lamont Valley News, 08 FEB 1912). While other William Earl Bensons are documented in turn of the century Oklahoma, none exhibit the congruence of our William Earl to these known facts.
By the early 1940's our William Earl Benson is residing in Los Angeles, CA. On 14 NOV 1942 he marries Virena Anna Cruzan, with whom he probably moved to Los Angeles from Drumright, OK, since both William Earl and Virena lived in Drumright in 1920. Vienna Cruzan Benson died in Los Angeles on 04 JUL 1958, William Earl predeceased Virena by less than one month, succumbing on 10 Jun 1958. Both are interred in the Pomona Cemetery & Mausoleum in Ponoma CA.
Earl continued living on the Osage Reservation until sometime after 1910. William Earl's WW-I Draft Registration card cites his residence as the Oklahoma Hotel, Pawhuska, OK. It also cites his mother, Della Benson's address as Rt. 1 Diamond, Missouri. By 1916, Earl is living in Drumright, Creek, OK and is married to Irene Cunningham. In 1918, Earl's only child of record, Edward Rodman Benson is born in Drumright. Family oral history holds that Earl & Irene were married and divorced twice. We do know that Edward grew up in Kansas City estranged from his father, Earl. Edward states that he only met Earl once, after seeking him out as an adult.
Another tantalizing but problematic fact is that another Earl William Benson, was born 21 FEB 1919 and is buried in the same Pawhuska City Cemetery as Celia Mozingo & William A Benson, our William Earl's grandparents. This second William Earl died in 1970. The congruence of dates, names and places tempts one to conclude that the William Earl, born in 1919 was our William Earl's son also. This, however, is only conjecture and is not backed up by any documentation. The US Indian Census Rolls for the Osage Dated June 30, 1926 cites this second William Earl Benson living with a Geneva Mosier, who is cited as "Head" and the only other listed member of the family. Hence one might also conclude that Geneva was wife # 2 after Irene Benson. Geneva appears to be a member of a prominent Osage family. Thomas S. Mosier (1842-1912) is hailed as a "Warrior of Note, ... who was an Osage Indian tribal historian, interpreter, compiler of citizenship rolls and soldier...Mosier, with many of his tribe, belonged to the Ninth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry." (The Lamont Valley News, 08 FEB 1912). While other William Earl Bensons are documented in turn of the century Oklahoma, none exhibit the congruence of our William Earl to these known facts.
By the early 1940's our William Earl Benson is residing in Los Angeles, CA. On 14 NOV 1942 he marries Virena Anna Cruzan, with whom he probably moved to Los Angeles from Drumright, OK, since both William Earl and Virena lived in Drumright in 1920. Vienna Cruzan Benson died in Los Angeles on 04 JUL 1958, William Earl predeceased Virena by less than one month, succumbing on 10 Jun 1958. Both are interred in the Pomona Cemetery & Mausoleum in Ponoma CA.
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