John E. Benge

BANKS, BENGE, DANFORTH, KING, LYON, NEEDS, PAISLEY, YODER

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/7/2004 at 10:16:01

John E. Benge is a hardware merchant of Winterset who has been identified with the city from pioneer times. His business career indicates what may be accomplished when determination points out the way and energy insists upon the pursuit of a persistent purpose. He was born in Madison county, Indiana, September 3, 1851, his parents being Alfred and Margaret (Banks) Benge. The family comes of German ancestry in the paternal line. Both Thomas Benge and his wife, the grandparents of our subject, were born in North Carolina, as was Alfred Benge. They removed to Indiana during pioneer times, when Alfred Benge was but a young lad, and there Thomas Benge carried on general agricultural pursuits.

Alfred Benge was reared in the Hoosier state and in early manhood learned the shoemaker's trade. In 1855 he left Indiana, bringing his family to Iowa. They traveled by boat to Burlington and there hired a man to haul them to Madison county. Alfred Benge also engaged a man to haul his furniture from Indiana and the expenses of the trip to the west exhausted all of his capital. He
settled near Buffalo Mills, on a small place belonging to his father-in-law, and began working at his trade in connection with a partner, who furnished the capital to buy stock, while Mr. Benge did the work. That connection was continued until the latter had sufficient money to buy stock for himself. He afterward followed his trade and operated a small farm until October 15, 1861, when, feeling that his duty to his country was paramount to all else, he enlisted as a member of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, with which he served until the 24th of January, 1863, when he was honorably discharged at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, on account of physical disability. While at the front he was with the Western army. As soon as able he resumed work at his trade, which he continued to follow until his death in 1870, when he was fifty years of age.

The republican party received the political indorsement of Alfred Benge, while his religious faith was indicated in his membership in the Christian church. His wife was born in Indiana, while her parents, John and Eunice (James) Banks, were natives of North Carolina. They went to Indiana in the early days of the history of that state and in 1855 made their way to Iowa, traveling across the country with horse teams and wagon. They settled in what is now Scott township, Madison county, where their remaining days were. passed, Mr. Banks dying at the age of ninety-three years and his wife when about eighty-three years of age. Their daughter Margaret was reared and married in her native state and in 1855 came to Iowa with her husband and family, her death here occurring. She became the mother of the following children besides our subject: Anderson M., who is now a retired hardware merchant of Winterset; Lydia A., the wife of William R. Danforth, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Mary M., who died at the age of twenty years; Melissa, the wife of John T. Lyon, of Winterset; Margaret A., who passed away at the age of twenty-two; Elmira,
living in Winterset; Minnie, who married Chris C. Yoder and died at the age of forty years; Armintie, who died at the age of seven years; and Perry Annon, who died in infancy.

The youthful days of John E. Benge were spent upon the home farm, his time being divided between the work of the fields and the acquirement of an education in the district schools. When twenty years of age he began working in a tin shop, in which he was employed for about ten years. He then embarked in the hardware business in partnership with his brother, A. M. Benge, which relationship was continued until 1904, when John E. Benge purchased his brother's interest and has since conducted the store alone. This is one of the old established commercial concerns of Winterset and has long enjoyed a liberal patronage. The business methods have ever been such as would bear the closest investigation and scrutiny and at all times Mr. Benge has kept in touch with the advancement of the trade, carrying an attractive and well selected line of shelf and heavy hardware which he has sold at reasonable prices.

On the 23d of May, 1877, Mr. Benge was united in marriage to Miss Mahala Needs, a native of Wales and a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Arden) Needs, who came to Madison county in 1873, spending their remaining days here. Mrs. Benge was reared and educated in this county and by her marriage has become the mother of three children: Nina, now the wife of A. A. Paisley, of Spokane, Washington; Albert, who works for his father in the store; and Faith, the wife of Ray King, of Winterset.

Mr. Benge is a democrat and for two years has served as a member of the city council. He is also connected with the Odd Fellows lodge at Winterset. Almost his entire life has been passed in Madison county, as he was but four years of age at the time of his parents' removal to this state. For about six decades he has witnessed the changes which have here occurred and his memory
forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. His life has been that of an active business man and his well directed efforts have not only been a source of individual success but have contributed to the general prosperity of the community.

Taken from the book, "The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915"