Benson, Alvin, 1859-1942

Person

Staff Only

Dates

Existence: 1859 - 1942

Biographical History

Alvin Benson (1859-1942) was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California, farmer, and mayor of Parowan, Utah.

Alvin Benson was born on November 17, 1859, in Parowan, Utah, to Richard Benson and Phoebe Forrester. He married Elizabeth Ellen Orton on November 16, 1881, in the St. George Temple and they had eight children together. He served a misson for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California from 1897-1899, and when he returned he became mayor of Parowan, Utah in 1899. He later turned to farming after his days in office were over. Alvin Benson died on March 10, 1942, in Cedar City, Utah.

Citation:

Find-A-Grave, via WWW, Sept. 11, 2014 (Alvin Benson; b. Nov. 17, 1859, in Parowan, Utah, to Richard Benson and Phoebe Benson; d. Mar. 10, 1942, in Cedar City, Utah; nine childern)

FamilySearch, via WWW, Sept. 11, 2014 (Alvin Benson; m. Elizabeth Ellen Orton on Nov. 16, 1881, in the St. George Utah Temple; served a misson for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Calif. from 1897-1899, when he returned he became Mayor of Parowan city in 1899)

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Alvin Benson papers, 1898-1903

Series

Identifier: MSS 8555 Series 3

Scope and Contents

Contains the personal papers of Alvin Benson (1859-1942), including two missionary journals and a letter written to him. All documents are dated between 1898-1903.

Dates: 1898-1903

Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / 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

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...

Dates: 1842-1965