John Ben Benson was born in Sweden. He was a stowaway on a sailing vessel in 1875, according to page one of the book, God Flies Bennie's Flag. Like many in Sweden and Norway, he had friends and relatives who had emigrated out of their homes to America. John wanted to live by the Pacific Ocean, and he found the opportunity to work at Unalaska, in the Territory of Alaska in the early 1900's.
John met, and married, a beautiful Aleut - Russian woman, Tatiana Schebolein, at Unalaska in 1907.
Their oldest child, Elsie was born in 1908. They moved before their first son, John Ben Benson Jr. was born in 1913. John was a skilled carpenter, mechanic and fisherman and was capable of providing well for his young family. Their third child, Carl was born the next year.
When John Ben Benson Jr. was just 4, his mother died of lung disease, a common cause of death of adults in the village. As a matter of information, one source cited her death was early into the Spanish flu.
John Sr. tried, but was not successful keeping the children with him for his call as a fisherman didn't allow tiny children to be accommodated on the boat.
John Sr. found a home for both of his sons at the Unalaska children's home operated by the Methodist church. He visited them on their birthdays, Christmas and any other time he could.
When the Unalaska home closed and moved to Seward, John Sr. kept the boys with him during school breaks, teaching them fishing and all the carpentry and mechanicing skills he had.
John remarried to Annie, a beautiful girl from the same village, Chignik, where his first wife was buried.
John and the boys were working on a project when John fell and injured his leg. Captain Crosby who was in charge, assured John that a hospital in Seattle would be the best help for his swelling leg. John Jr. went to Seattle to be close and help his father.
John Sr. lost his life in the Seattle hospital at Thanksgiving time, in 1937.
Interested parties are invited to contact us:
[email protected]
John met, and married, a beautiful Aleut - Russian woman, Tatiana Schebolein, at Unalaska in 1907.
Their oldest child, Elsie was born in 1908. They moved before their first son, John Ben Benson Jr. was born in 1913. John was a skilled carpenter, mechanic and fisherman and was capable of providing well for his young family. Their third child, Carl was born the next year.
When John Ben Benson Jr. was just 4, his mother died of lung disease, a common cause of death of adults in the village. As a matter of information, one source cited her death was early into the Spanish flu.
John Sr. tried, but was not successful keeping the children with him for his call as a fisherman didn't allow tiny children to be accommodated on the boat.
John Sr. found a home for both of his sons at the Unalaska children's home operated by the Methodist church. He visited them on their birthdays, Christmas and any other time he could.
When the Unalaska home closed and moved to Seward, John Sr. kept the boys with him during school breaks, teaching them fishing and all the carpentry and mechanicing skills he had.
John remarried to Annie, a beautiful girl from the same village, Chignik, where his first wife was buried.
John and the boys were working on a project when John fell and injured his leg. Captain Crosby who was in charge, assured John that a hospital in Seattle would be the best help for his swelling leg. John Jr. went to Seattle to be close and help his father.
John Sr. lost his life in the Seattle hospital at Thanksgiving time, in 1937.
Interested parties are invited to contact us:
[email protected]
John Ben Benson was born in Sweden. He was a stowaway on a sailing vessel in 1875, according to page one of the book, God Flies Bennie's Flag. Like many in Sweden and Norway, he had friends and relatives who had emigrated out of their homes to America. John wanted to live by the Pacific Ocean, and he found the opportunity to work at Unalaska, in the Territory of Alaska in the early 1900's.
John met, and married, a beautiful Aleut - Russian woman, Tatiana Schebolein, at Unalaska in 1907.
Their oldest child, Elsie was born in 1908. They moved before their first son, John Ben Benson Jr. was born in 1913. John was a skilled carpenter, mechanic and fisherman and was capable of providing well for his young family. Their third child, Carl was born the next year.
When John Ben Benson Jr. was just 4, his mother died of lung disease, a common cause of death of adults in the village. As a matter of information, one source cited her death was early into the Spanish flu.
John Sr. tried, but was not successful keeping the children with him for his call as a fisherman didn't allow tiny children to be accommodated on the boat.
John Sr. found a home for both of his sons at the Unalaska children's home operated by the Methodist church. He visited them on their birthdays, Christmas and any other time he could.
When the Unalaska home closed and moved to Seward, John Sr. kept the boys with him during school breaks, teaching them fishing and all the carpentry and mechanicing skills he had.
John remarried to Annie, a beautiful girl from the same village, Chignik, where his first wife was buried.
John and the boys were working on a project when John fell and injured his leg. Captain Crosby who was in charge, assured John that a hospital in Seattle would be the best help for his swelling leg. John Jr. went to Seattle to be close and help his father.
John Sr. lost his life in the Seattle hospital at Thanksgiving time, in 1937.
Interested parties are invited to contact us:
[email protected]
John met, and married, a beautiful Aleut - Russian woman, Tatiana Schebolein, at Unalaska in 1907.
Their oldest child, Elsie was born in 1908. They moved before their first son, John Ben Benson Jr. was born in 1913. John was a skilled carpenter, mechanic and fisherman and was capable of providing well for his young family. Their third child, Carl was born the next year.
When John Ben Benson Jr. was just 4, his mother died of lung disease, a common cause of death of adults in the village. As a matter of information, one source cited her death was early into the Spanish flu.
John Sr. tried, but was not successful keeping the children with him for his call as a fisherman didn't allow tiny children to be accommodated on the boat.
John Sr. found a home for both of his sons at the Unalaska children's home operated by the Methodist church. He visited them on their birthdays, Christmas and any other time he could.
When the Unalaska home closed and moved to Seward, John Sr. kept the boys with him during school breaks, teaching them fishing and all the carpentry and mechanicing skills he had.
John remarried to Annie, a beautiful girl from the same village, Chignik, where his first wife was buried.
John and the boys were working on a project when John fell and injured his leg. Captain Crosby who was in charge, assured John that a hospital in Seattle would be the best help for his swelling leg. John Jr. went to Seattle to be close and help his father.
John Sr. lost his life in the Seattle hospital at Thanksgiving time, in 1937.
Interested parties are invited to contact us:
[email protected]
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