Benson, Richard, 1816-1895

Person

Staff Only

Dates

Existence: 1816 - 1895

Biographical History

Richard Benson (1816-1895) was a pioneer and early missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from England.

Richard Benson was born on March 29, 1816, in Wrightington, England to Thomas Benson and Margaret Marsden. He was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1837 by Elder Heber C. Kimball. Richard served his first mission in Newcastle, England from approximately 1841 to 1842, where he baptized forty-seven people including his future wife Phoebe Forrester. After his mission he traveled to Nauvoo, Illinois to be with the main body of the church. In 1844 he returned to England and married Phoebe on June 20, 1844, in Cheshire, England, and in 1845 they returned to Nauvoo. They traveled with the saints to Salt Lake City in approximately 1850, and they settled in Parowan, Utah, where they had the last of their nine children. Then in 1866 Richard was called to serve his second mission in England, which he did from 1866 to 1868. After his mission he became a buisnessman in Parowan, Utah. Richard died on August 2, 1895, in Parowan, Utah.

Citation:

Find-A-Grave, via WWW, Sept. 11, 2014 (Richard Benson; b. Mar 29, 1816, in Wrightington, England to Thomas Benson and Margaret Marsden; d. Aug 2, 1895, in Parowan, Utah)

Familysearch, via WWW, Sept. 11, 2014 (Richard Benson; m. Phoebe Forrester on June 20, 1844, in Cheshire, England; nine children)

Black Family Genealogy website, via WWW, Sept. 11, 2014 (baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1837 by Elder Heber C. Kimball; served his first mission in Newcastle England from approximately 1841 to 1842; baptized fouty seven people including his future wife Phoebe Forrester; After his mission he traveled to Nauvoo, Ill.)

UPB files, Sept. 11, 2014 (in 1866 Richard was called to serve his second mission in England, which he did from 1866 to 1868)

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Richard Benson papers, 1842-1965

Series

Identifier: MSS 8555 Series 1

Scope and Contents

This series includes the personal papers of Richard Benson (1816-1895), such as his missionary journal and patriarchal blessing, mission letters, a journal from 1868, letters written to him over the course of his life, his business journal, his business papers, and a map of the railways of Great Britain and Ireland. All included papers and maps date between 1842 and 1965.

Dates: 1842-1965

Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 8555, Lorraine Rowley Thompson collection on Benson family

Schmid and Topham family collection of Richard Benson, Alvin Benson, and William Richard Smith missionary journals

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSS 8535

Scope and Contents Materials include the original missionary journals of Richard Benson, Alvin Benson, and William Richard Smith, collected by Afton Rowley Topham and Nancy Schmid Topham. Richard Benson's journals contain information and stories from his first mission to England and second mission to Europe; the first journal goes from 1840 to 1842 and his second journal goes from April 1866 to October 1867. Alvin Benson's journal documents his mission to California from 1897 to 1898. William Richard Smith's...

Dates: 1840-1909

Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Schmid and Topham family collection of Richard Benson, Alvin Benson, and William Richard Smith missionary journals

Lorraine Rowley Thompson collection on Benson family

Collection

Identifier: MSS 8555

Scope and Contents Contains journals and correspondence related to the Richard and Phoebe Benson family. Includes journals kept by Richard during his Mormon missions to England, and letters he wrote to his wife Phoebe. Includes Phoebe's correspondence with Richard regarding his second mission to England, and a journal of family history information. Includes two journals of Alvin Benson that he kept during his service in the California Mission and a letter from his uncle, James Kay. Also included are records...