Julia Maria (Tyrel) Sweeney Benjamin (1841-1931)

TYREL, SWEENEY, BENJAMIN, FUNK, LAYCOCK, FRY, BLANCHARD

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 9/17/2021 at 19:09:41

From Nevada Evening Journal April 28, 1931 (page 1)

MOTHER BENJAMIN DIED EARLY TODAY

FUNERAL WILL BE HELD AT MORFOOT'S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

Mrs. Julia M. Benjamin, 90, died at the home of her son, G. A. Benjamin, 235 J avenue, at 4:10 a. m., today from the effects of injuries sustained in a fall on April 21, when she suffered a compound fracture of the hip.

The funeral service will be held at the Morfoot Funeral home Wednesday afternoon, at 3:00 with her pastor, W. O. Benthin of Central Presbyterian church, in charge.

The body, accompanied by relatives will leave here over the Rock Island, that night, for Winfield, Kansas, where interment will be by the side of the husband, who died March 7, 1908.

Following the accident, Mrs. Benjamin was hurried to Iowa sanitarium, where an X-ray examination determined the serious nature of her injuries. Proper appliances were used and she was returned to her home, where she was place under the care of a nurse and everything don to make her as comfortable as possible.

From the start it was feared that there was no hope of one of her so advanced years recovering from injuries of that serious nature. All that could be done was to make it as easy for her as possible during the last hours of her long life.

Mrs. Benjamin was born in Oneida county, New York, May 30, 1841, her maiden name being Julia M. Sweeney*.

She came west with her family as a girl and was married to Jediah H. Benjamin at Peoria, Illinois, October 13, 1868. They made their home on a farm near Princeville, Ill., where their four children were born and where the elder daughter, Edna I. Benjamin, was born April 1, 1874 and died February 10, 1882.

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin and their daughter, Lethia, moved to Winfield, Kansas, in 1893 and it was there that the husband died March 7, 1908, at the age of 74 years, 7 months and 15 days.

Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin. The two sons, Oscar John Benjamin and George A. Benjamin, publishers of the Evening Journal, have lived in Nevada for over 36 years.

The one daughter Edna I., died in Illinois, while the younger, Leitha D. Funk, who was born in Illinois September 6, 1885, died at her home in Winfield, Kansas, October 24, 1918.

There were also three stepdaughters, daughters of Mr. Benjamin by a former marriage. One of them, Mrs. Emma Laycock, lives at McAllen, Texas. The others are Hattie E. Benjamin-Fry who died in Illinois, June 22, 1888, and Mrs. Ida Benjamin-Blanchard who died in California in 1929.

Mrs. Laycock, who with her husband had com up from Texas recently for a visit with Iowa relatives, was at Sioux City when the accident occurred. She was notified at once and as soon as she was able to get away from Sioux City, came to Nevada to be with other members of the family and assist in the care of the aged lady.

Besides the two sons and one stepdaughter, she leaves 4 grandsons and a number of grandchildren through her stepdaughters.

Shortly after the death of the husband in March, 1908, Mother Benjamin came to Nevada and she has continued to make this her home, alternating between the homes of the two sons.

For a number of years she was able to make occasional visits with the daughter and family in Kansas, and also visited in the home of the stepdaughter, Mrs. Laycock, while that family had their home in Iowa, and with the stepdaughter in California before her death.

Of more resent years her declining strength had prevented her from getting about much, although she had been able to enjoy occasional auto rides and her attendance at church had been regular as long as her strength would permit.

Mrs. Benjamin had united with the Presbyterian church during the time the family home as in Illinois and after coming to Nevada had become affiliated with Central Presbyterian church.

Mother Benjamin, known to the writer for nearly thirty years, was a wonderful character, a woman of the finest characteristics. Kindly, patient, forbearing==she had full faith in the future and in the people of the world. With a kindly word for all and critical of none, it was her mission in life to scatter words of kindness and sympathy wherever it was due. The world is better for such women as Mother Benjamin having lived.

*SUBMITTER'S NOTE: The maiden name of Mrs. Benjamin was Julia Maria Tyrel. She married (1) James Sweeney 1 March 1860 at Peoria County, Illinois. She married (2) Jedediah Hitchcock Benjamin on 13 October 1868 at Peoria County, Illinois.