IVAN JESSE BENSON
Ivan Jesse Benson was born on 30 September 1908. His mother was Lucy


Amanda Atkinson, his father, Issac Benson. he was welcomed to the
family by a sister Devine and brothers Darcy and Lynn.
The family lived in Newton, in the home Peter Benson built, and Isaac


completed with the east rooms. Isaac had promised his father he
would always take care of his mother. Kersten lived with them and
they were very close.
Lucy's parents, Alfred Henry Atkinson, and Mathilda Petterson
Atkinson lived in Clarkston, where they were neighbors to the Benson
family before they moved to Newton. Both of Isaac's grandmothers
were very good friends.
Kersten had a pre-sentiment before her death in October of 1910, that


Isaac would soon be called home. This proved to be true, as he died
just seven months later, 6 May 1911, his 36th Birthday.
At the time, Ivan was just two years old. His mother became a widow
at age 32, with four children. Lucy's family helped care for them
and Isaac's brothers were close and Lucy's sister Clara Larsen was
her best friend.
The day after Ivan's fifth birthday, Lucy married James Stewart in
the Salt Lake Temple. His first wife had died, leaving him with a
family of eight children.
Lucy closed the Benson home, storing what she couldn't take with her
in the east upstairs bedroom, and rented the home to the Larson
family. Then she moved with her family to Teton, where there were
six Stewart children living at home. Dean and Frank were the same
ages as Ivan and Lynn. So Lucy had ten children to care for. There
must have been a lot of busy times. Lucy's mother wrote in her
journal of her visits with the family when Lucy's other children
arrived. Jessie, Ila and Alta were born to Lucy and James Stewart.
She remembered the many bottles of fruit and vegetables canned, the
sewing that had been done, and the wonderful home Lucy had made for
her family.Uncle Jim worked in the mountains to get timber and was
away from home a lot.
He was serving in the Bishopric of the Teton Ward, so he was away
from home a lot. Lucy was a good mother, industrious and loving,
providing a good home for all her children.
She remained close to her first Benson Family, and in December of
1921, when her sister-in-lay, Magna Benson died, she made a train
trip to Cache Junction to be with Mark and his family. She attended
Magna's funeral and visited with her family and friends. Lucy's
mother wrote that Lucy stayed at Clara Larsen's home and she was able


to visit all her friends and family before she returned to Teton.
Lucy died unexpectedly on the 11 January 1922, just two weeks after
Magna's death. She was then returned to Newton for burial beside
Isaac and her baby daughter, Clara.
Ivan was not quite fourteen years old and had lost both his parents.


Devine was married in 1918. Darcy married in 1923, to Myrl Hughes.
She had worked for, and was very fond of Lucy. They were very good
to Ivan and Lynn. They stayed in Teton with the Stewart family about


two years.
They lived on the ranch outside of Teton, and during the summer,
Jessie, Ila, and Alta stayed there with Ivan and Lynn. They took
care of these special sisters, and did the ranch work. In the fall,
when Jessie started school, Uncle Jim took the girls bact to town.
Ivan never forgot the sadness of that parting.
Ivan and Lynn returned to Newton and lived with Aunt Clara's family.


They worked and went to school. Ivan graduated from the ninth grade.
In 1928, Lynn, Ivan's closest brother died. He had been living with
Darcy and Myrl at the time. He had the flu and died in the Rexburg
Hospital. Then he was returned to Newton for burial with his parents


and sister.
At this time the Stewart family had moved to Rupert, Idaho. Jessie
was in High School and had a good friend, Ella Ree Llewellyn. She
felt so bad that Jessie was not able to go to Teton for her brother's


funeral. Later, when Ivan went to visit the Stewart family, he met
Jessie's friend, Ella Ree. They soon were good friends, and about
six years later, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple, on 10
January 1935. That same day, Ivan did the Endowment work for his
brother, Lynn. They visited with Ella Ree's family in Springville,
then returned to Newton, where she met the Benson family and friends.
They went to Teton where they lived on the ranch. The potato crop
froze, and they had a poor harvest that year. They moved back to
town and lived with Myrl and Darcy. Ivan worked at the Sugar Factory


that fall. Peggy Mae was born 20 October 1935, at Darcy and Myrl's
home.
Ivan was anxious to return home, so in January of 1936, they moved to


Newton, arriving there for their first wedding anniversary. Ella Ree


was so happy to have her own home again, and Ivan was glad to be in
his old home and close to his Benson relatives. They put a new roof
on the home together. There was a lot of work to do to get the home,


garden, and fields all taken care of. He was always good to his
animals, and his dog, Pal, was his constant companion.
Darcy died the day before Ivan's twenty ninth birthday, 29 September
1937. Ella Ree, Ivan, and Uncle Mark went to Teton, and Ivan had a
visit with Darcy at the hospital. He was able to twll himm that he
and Ella Ree had a little boy ordered. Darcy was buried on 4 October


1937. It was a sad time for their family. It was also Devine's
birthday.
That special little boy, Jesse Lynn Benson, was born 17 August 1938,
in the Benson home. Ivan was so proud of him, and was a wonderful
father. Darcy and Devine's children loved to come to stay and work
with Ivan. Ford, Max, Wayne Nelson, and Jay Benson and Melba were
always welcome visitors. Melba has said many times she thought of
him as a brother and best friend. All of Ivan's family looked
forward to the time we were able to spend with our cousins.
Another heartache came for the family when baby Ann was born almost
two months prematurely. She died the day after her birth, 20 October


1945. It was Peggy Mae's tenth birthday. Ivan always worried and
grieved for this baby. It helped him to work and he surely did.
He built the bathroom in the corner of the kitchen, put in the
plumbing and new sink. What a luxury for the family. He also helped
Junior Larsen put the plumbing and bathroom for their family. He
bought a milking machine, it was surely a great help in doing the
chores. Milking the cows didn't take so long.
He was called to be a stake missionary in January of 1947. He
accepted the call and was set apart at a very spiritual meeting, 20
January 1947. He told Ella Ree later that he knew the Lord had a
greater call for him. He knew then that his mission was not here,
that he would soon be called home. He felt that he needed to go and
care for Baby Ann. When he became ill, he was taken to the Provo
hospital, where he died 20 February 1947, just a month after the
stake mission call. He was returned home for burial in the Newton
Cemetery with his family.
Just two months later, Ivan Joe Benson was born, 21 April 1947. Our
family was so happy to have this special new baby, who, I am sure,
met his father before we met him. He was such a blessing for us all.


Ella Ree's mother, Elsie Llewellen came and stayed with the family
until after Joe's birth. It was a great help for all the family.
Ella Ree continued to provide a good home for her family. She stayed


at home with her family until Joe was three years old, then she was
able to go to work at the Mode O'Day dress factory in Logan, wher
eshe worked for thirty three years. We all worked to help her and we


had good help from friends and relatives.
In 1954, Ellar Ree married Lester D. Dahle. The continued to live in


the Newton home until they sold the Benson home in 1963 to Katheryn
Rasmussen. They built a new home in Preston, Idaho, where Les was a
building contractor.
Peggy Mae married Bill Smith of Logan, 5 November 1954. They live in


Logan and have three sons, Reese Smith, David Smith, and Robert
Smith.
Lynn married Lola Rothwell in October of 1960. they live in Salt
Lake City and have two daughters, Cindy Lynn, and Vicky.
Joe married Tammie Keller 27 October 1967 and they live in Logan with


their two daughters, Andrea and Ashley.