Benita was the daughter of a well-to-do family in Owensboro, Kentucky. Her father, M.V. Monarch, was a huge distiller who was known all over the country by the time Benita was born. She lived in a big home on the outskirts of Owensboro, which burned down when she was only 6 years old. Her father rebuilt an even grander home soon afterwards, one of the four mansions built on a hill on 4th St. on the east side of town. The area became known as "Distillers' Row." Three of those homes (owned by Sylvester Monarch; P. Edwin Payne; and Benita's father, M.V. Monarch) were in a line at the top of the hill. All three of the men's wives were sisters, so their children--cousins--had an easy time running across the crest of the hill to play with each other. The families even put in a brick walkway between the homes to make it easier to visit each other. Benita's home no longer remains, but the other two are still there.
Benita was the youngest of six children. Her oldest sister, Jessie, died in 1873, before Benita was born. She also had three older brothers and another older sister. Like several of her cousins, Benita was a musician. She was performing at school events by the time she was nine years old.
In 1890, her family was one of several who donated a bell for their newly built church, St. Paul's in Owensboro. Benita's name was one of the names carved onto the bell. The church is still there, but is now called Sts. Paul and Joseph.
She also traveled a lot with her family from an early age, so she was exposed to a world beyond the limits of Owensboro. As she matured, Benita became a talented musician, often outscoring her classmates. At the end of January, 1900, Benita left home to to enter St. Mary's College at Notre Dame in Indiana to study music. She became sick with consumption (Tuberculosis) around 1902 or 1903 at the age of 22, which may have affected her studies. An obituary says she was "accomplished and very proficient in music, in which study she had taken an extended course at St. Mary's Academy, Notre Dame, Indiana. She would have completed her classical course there this year had not ill-health interfered." (The Kentucky Irish American, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, Saturday, July 11, 1903)
Tuberculosis brought much sadness to the Monarch family and her cousins in the Payne family. Within the space of one year, Benita's cousin, Hugh Payne (who lived right next door), died in August of 1902 at the age of 18. Her cousin, Mary Louise Payne (who also lived right next door) died just one month after Benita, in August of 1903, also at the age of 22.
Benita came home ill from St. Mary's Academy in 1903 but later she seemed to recover, even spending some time with relatives in the East for a short time, thinking that might help. Some newspaper accounts state she went there after graduating from St. Marys Academy in June. Another says she did not graduate due to ill health. Whichever it was, when she returned home after visiting relatives she seemed to be better. However, suddenly just 10 days before her death, she became weak enough to be bedridden.
One of her obits describes her in the most beautiful way: "No social affair, no matter how small or how grand, was complete without her presence. Her disposition was most lovable, and this with her gentle beauty made her the idol of here many friends." (Owensboro, KY, Messenger-Inquirer, Friday, July 3, 1902, p.2) She was loved, and she was missed, so much so that there is a street in Owensboro named after her, right near where her father's home used to be.
Biography by Aileen Goulding Blomgren
Benita was the youngest of six children. Her oldest sister, Jessie, died in 1873, before Benita was born. She also had three older brothers and another older sister. Like several of her cousins, Benita was a musician. She was performing at school events by the time she was nine years old.
In 1890, her family was one of several who donated a bell for their newly built church, St. Paul's in Owensboro. Benita's name was one of the names carved onto the bell. The church is still there, but is now called Sts. Paul and Joseph.
She also traveled a lot with her family from an early age, so she was exposed to a world beyond the limits of Owensboro. As she matured, Benita became a talented musician, often outscoring her classmates. At the end of January, 1900, Benita left home to to enter St. Mary's College at Notre Dame in Indiana to study music. She became sick with consumption (Tuberculosis) around 1902 or 1903 at the age of 22, which may have affected her studies. An obituary says she was "accomplished and very proficient in music, in which study she had taken an extended course at St. Mary's Academy, Notre Dame, Indiana. She would have completed her classical course there this year had not ill-health interfered." (The Kentucky Irish American, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, Saturday, July 11, 1903)
Tuberculosis brought much sadness to the Monarch family and her cousins in the Payne family. Within the space of one year, Benita's cousin, Hugh Payne (who lived right next door), died in August of 1902 at the age of 18. Her cousin, Mary Louise Payne (who also lived right next door) died just one month after Benita, in August of 1903, also at the age of 22.
Benita came home ill from St. Mary's Academy in 1903 but later she seemed to recover, even spending some time with relatives in the East for a short time, thinking that might help. Some newspaper accounts state she went there after graduating from St. Marys Academy in June. Another says she did not graduate due to ill health. Whichever it was, when she returned home after visiting relatives she seemed to be better. However, suddenly just 10 days before her death, she became weak enough to be bedridden.
One of her obits describes her in the most beautiful way: "No social affair, no matter how small or how grand, was complete without her presence. Her disposition was most lovable, and this with her gentle beauty made her the idol of here many friends." (Owensboro, KY, Messenger-Inquirer, Friday, July 3, 1902, p.2) She was loved, and she was missed, so much so that there is a street in Owensboro named after her, right near where her father's home used to be.
Biography by Aileen Goulding Blomgren
Benita was the daughter of a well-to-do family in Owensboro, Kentucky. Her father, M.V. Monarch, was a huge distiller who was known all over the country by the time Benita was born. She lived in a big home on the outskirts of Owensboro, which burned down when she was only 6 years old. Her father rebuilt an even grander home soon afterwards, one of the four mansions built on a hill on 4th St. on the east side of town. The area became known as "Distillers' Row." Three of those homes (owned by Sylvester Monarch; P. Edwin Payne; and Benita's father, M.V. Monarch) were in a line at the top of the hill. All three of the men's wives were sisters, so their children--cousins--had an easy time running across the crest of the hill to play with each other. The families even put in a brick walkway between the homes to make it easier to visit each other. Benita's home no longer remains, but the other two are still there.
Benita was the youngest of six children. Her oldest sister, Jessie, died in 1873, before Benita was born. She also had three older brothers and another older sister. Like several of her cousins, Benita was a musician. She was performing at school events by the time she was nine years old.
In 1890, her family was one of several who donated a bell for their newly built church, St. Paul's in Owensboro. Benita's name was one of the names carved onto the bell. The church is still there, but is now called Sts. Paul and Joseph.
She also traveled a lot with her family from an early age, so she was exposed to a world beyond the limits of Owensboro. As she matured, Benita became a talented musician, often outscoring her classmates. At the end of January, 1900, Benita left home to to enter St. Mary's College at Notre Dame in Indiana to study music. She became sick with consumption (Tuberculosis) around 1902 or 1903 at the age of 22, which may have affected her studies. An obituary says she was "accomplished and very proficient in music, in which study she had taken an extended course at St. Mary's Academy, Notre Dame, Indiana. She would have completed her classical course there this year had not ill-health interfered." (The Kentucky Irish American, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, Saturday, July 11, 1903)
Tuberculosis brought much sadness to the Monarch family and her cousins in the Payne family. Within the space of one year, Benita's cousin, Hugh Payne (who lived right next door), died in August of 1902 at the age of 18. Her cousin, Mary Louise Payne (who also lived right next door) died just one month after Benita, in August of 1903, also at the age of 22.
Benita came home ill from St. Mary's Academy in 1903 but later she seemed to recover, even spending some time with relatives in the East for a short time, thinking that might help. Some newspaper accounts state she went there after graduating from St. Marys Academy in June. Another says she did not graduate due to ill health. Whichever it was, when she returned home after visiting relatives she seemed to be better. However, suddenly just 10 days before her death, she became weak enough to be bedridden.
One of her obits describes her in the most beautiful way: "No social affair, no matter how small or how grand, was complete without her presence. Her disposition was most lovable, and this with her gentle beauty made her the idol of here many friends." (Owensboro, KY, Messenger-Inquirer, Friday, July 3, 1902, p.2) She was loved, and she was missed, so much so that there is a street in Owensboro named after her, right near where her father's home used to be.
Biography by Aileen Goulding Blomgren
Benita was the youngest of six children. Her oldest sister, Jessie, died in 1873, before Benita was born. She also had three older brothers and another older sister. Like several of her cousins, Benita was a musician. She was performing at school events by the time she was nine years old.
In 1890, her family was one of several who donated a bell for their newly built church, St. Paul's in Owensboro. Benita's name was one of the names carved onto the bell. The church is still there, but is now called Sts. Paul and Joseph.
She also traveled a lot with her family from an early age, so she was exposed to a world beyond the limits of Owensboro. As she matured, Benita became a talented musician, often outscoring her classmates. At the end of January, 1900, Benita left home to to enter St. Mary's College at Notre Dame in Indiana to study music. She became sick with consumption (Tuberculosis) around 1902 or 1903 at the age of 22, which may have affected her studies. An obituary says she was "accomplished and very proficient in music, in which study she had taken an extended course at St. Mary's Academy, Notre Dame, Indiana. She would have completed her classical course there this year had not ill-health interfered." (The Kentucky Irish American, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, Saturday, July 11, 1903)
Tuberculosis brought much sadness to the Monarch family and her cousins in the Payne family. Within the space of one year, Benita's cousin, Hugh Payne (who lived right next door), died in August of 1902 at the age of 18. Her cousin, Mary Louise Payne (who also lived right next door) died just one month after Benita, in August of 1903, also at the age of 22.
Benita came home ill from St. Mary's Academy in 1903 but later she seemed to recover, even spending some time with relatives in the East for a short time, thinking that might help. Some newspaper accounts state she went there after graduating from St. Marys Academy in June. Another says she did not graduate due to ill health. Whichever it was, when she returned home after visiting relatives she seemed to be better. However, suddenly just 10 days before her death, she became weak enough to be bedridden.
One of her obits describes her in the most beautiful way: "No social affair, no matter how small or how grand, was complete without her presence. Her disposition was most lovable, and this with her gentle beauty made her the idol of here many friends." (Owensboro, KY, Messenger-Inquirer, Friday, July 3, 1902, p.2) She was loved, and she was missed, so much so that there is a street in Owensboro named after her, right near where her father's home used to be.
Biography by Aileen Goulding Blomgren
