THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER
Raspberry Island Lighthouse Station November 13, 1924
2nd Assistant returned from town with news that Keeper Lee E. Benton of this Station was dead at Ashland hospital. (Station Log, Raspberry Island Lighthouse, United States Lighthouse Service)
Lee Benton (1872-1924), born in Villisca, Iowa was the son of Anson M. Benton (1832 - 1915), and English Canadian, Eleanor Huff. Lee was descended from the Bentons who were original settlers in the New Haven Colony, which later became a part of the Colony of Connecticut. His Great Grandfather was Zebulon Benton, a Continental Soldier, who served in the American Revolution.
Lee himself served in the Spanish American War in 1898 and is listed in the 1900 Census as serving aboard the USS Vixen, ( formerly the Josephine, a luxury yacht owned by, Railroad Barron, P.A.B. Widener, who sold the boat to the U.S. government when his wife died on it in 1896).
In 1905 Lee entered the Lighthouse Service, serving as the Second Assistant Keeper at Devil's Island. Soon after his entry into the Lighthouse Service, on April 7, 1906, Lee married Anna Kline, (b. Holland 1879) daughter of John Kline and Orpha Dykema Kline. Lee and Anna had one son, Harold John Benton (1907 – 1975). In 1910, Lee relocated to the Split Rock Station on the other side of Lake Superior where he served as the First Assistant. He also served as Keeper at Two Harbors from 1912-1914 before returning to the Apostle Islands in 1914 to serve as the Raspberry Island Station Keeper until his death in 1924.
Lee's first wife Anna died in May of 1920 after a long battle with tuberculosis. Left to raise Harold alone, Lee remarried on August 28, 1923. His second wife, Bess Grimm, a Wisconsin school teacher, became a step-mother to Anna and Lee's only son Harold.
Children, of Apostle Island lighthouse keepers usually left the islands during the winter to attend school and during the winter of 1924, Harold Benton went away to Northland College in the nearby town of Ashland, Wisconsin. On November 9th of the same year, Lee Benton became ill with a digestive system ailment. Three days later, he was dead at the age of 52.
Raspberry Island Lighthouse Station November 13, 1924
2nd Assistant returned from town with news that Keeper Lee E. Benton of this Station was dead at Ashland hospital. (Station Log, Raspberry Island Lighthouse, United States Lighthouse Service)
Lee Benton (1872-1924), born in Villisca, Iowa was the son of Anson M. Benton (1832 - 1915), and English Canadian, Eleanor Huff. Lee was descended from the Bentons who were original settlers in the New Haven Colony, which later became a part of the Colony of Connecticut. His Great Grandfather was Zebulon Benton, a Continental Soldier, who served in the American Revolution.
Lee himself served in the Spanish American War in 1898 and is listed in the 1900 Census as serving aboard the USS Vixen, ( formerly the Josephine, a luxury yacht owned by, Railroad Barron, P.A.B. Widener, who sold the boat to the U.S. government when his wife died on it in 1896).
In 1905 Lee entered the Lighthouse Service, serving as the Second Assistant Keeper at Devil's Island. Soon after his entry into the Lighthouse Service, on April 7, 1906, Lee married Anna Kline, (b. Holland 1879) daughter of John Kline and Orpha Dykema Kline. Lee and Anna had one son, Harold John Benton (1907 – 1975). In 1910, Lee relocated to the Split Rock Station on the other side of Lake Superior where he served as the First Assistant. He also served as Keeper at Two Harbors from 1912-1914 before returning to the Apostle Islands in 1914 to serve as the Raspberry Island Station Keeper until his death in 1924.
Lee's first wife Anna died in May of 1920 after a long battle with tuberculosis. Left to raise Harold alone, Lee remarried on August 28, 1923. His second wife, Bess Grimm, a Wisconsin school teacher, became a step-mother to Anna and Lee's only son Harold.
Children, of Apostle Island lighthouse keepers usually left the islands during the winter to attend school and during the winter of 1924, Harold Benton went away to Northland College in the nearby town of Ashland, Wisconsin. On November 9th of the same year, Lee Benton became ill with a digestive system ailment. Three days later, he was dead at the age of 52.
THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER
Raspberry Island Lighthouse Station November 13, 1924
2nd Assistant returned from town with news that Keeper Lee E. Benton of this Station was dead at Ashland hospital. (Station Log, Raspberry Island Lighthouse, United States Lighthouse Service)
Lee Benton (1872-1924), born in Villisca, Iowa was the son of Anson M. Benton (1832 - 1915), and English Canadian, Eleanor Huff. Lee was descended from the Bentons who were original settlers in the New Haven Colony, which later became a part of the Colony of Connecticut. His Great Grandfather was Zebulon Benton, a Continental Soldier, who served in the American Revolution.
Lee himself served in the Spanish American War in 1898 and is listed in the 1900 Census as serving aboard the USS Vixen, ( formerly the Josephine, a luxury yacht owned by, Railroad Barron, P.A.B. Widener, who sold the boat to the U.S. government when his wife died on it in 1896).
In 1905 Lee entered the Lighthouse Service, serving as the Second Assistant Keeper at Devil's Island. Soon after his entry into the Lighthouse Service, on April 7, 1906, Lee married Anna Kline, (b. Holland 1879) daughter of John Kline and Orpha Dykema Kline. Lee and Anna had one son, Harold John Benton (1907 – 1975). In 1910, Lee relocated to the Split Rock Station on the other side of Lake Superior where he served as the First Assistant. He also served as Keeper at Two Harbors from 1912-1914 before returning to the Apostle Islands in 1914 to serve as the Raspberry Island Station Keeper until his death in 1924.
Lee's first wife Anna died in May of 1920 after a long battle with tuberculosis. Left to raise Harold alone, Lee remarried on August 28, 1923. His second wife, Bess Grimm, a Wisconsin school teacher, became a step-mother to Anna and Lee's only son Harold.
Children, of Apostle Island lighthouse keepers usually left the islands during the winter to attend school and during the winter of 1924, Harold Benton went away to Northland College in the nearby town of Ashland, Wisconsin. On November 9th of the same year, Lee Benton became ill with a digestive system ailment. Three days later, he was dead at the age of 52.
Raspberry Island Lighthouse Station November 13, 1924
2nd Assistant returned from town with news that Keeper Lee E. Benton of this Station was dead at Ashland hospital. (Station Log, Raspberry Island Lighthouse, United States Lighthouse Service)
Lee Benton (1872-1924), born in Villisca, Iowa was the son of Anson M. Benton (1832 - 1915), and English Canadian, Eleanor Huff. Lee was descended from the Bentons who were original settlers in the New Haven Colony, which later became a part of the Colony of Connecticut. His Great Grandfather was Zebulon Benton, a Continental Soldier, who served in the American Revolution.
Lee himself served in the Spanish American War in 1898 and is listed in the 1900 Census as serving aboard the USS Vixen, ( formerly the Josephine, a luxury yacht owned by, Railroad Barron, P.A.B. Widener, who sold the boat to the U.S. government when his wife died on it in 1896).
In 1905 Lee entered the Lighthouse Service, serving as the Second Assistant Keeper at Devil's Island. Soon after his entry into the Lighthouse Service, on April 7, 1906, Lee married Anna Kline, (b. Holland 1879) daughter of John Kline and Orpha Dykema Kline. Lee and Anna had one son, Harold John Benton (1907 – 1975). In 1910, Lee relocated to the Split Rock Station on the other side of Lake Superior where he served as the First Assistant. He also served as Keeper at Two Harbors from 1912-1914 before returning to the Apostle Islands in 1914 to serve as the Raspberry Island Station Keeper until his death in 1924.
Lee's first wife Anna died in May of 1920 after a long battle with tuberculosis. Left to raise Harold alone, Lee remarried on August 28, 1923. His second wife, Bess Grimm, a Wisconsin school teacher, became a step-mother to Anna and Lee's only son Harold.
Children, of Apostle Island lighthouse keepers usually left the islands during the winter to attend school and during the winter of 1924, Harold Benton went away to Northland College in the nearby town of Ashland, Wisconsin. On November 9th of the same year, Lee Benton became ill with a digestive system ailment. Three days later, he was dead at the age of 52.
Inscription
Lee E. Benton
1872 - 1924
Gravesite Details
Benton Family Grave Marker
Family Members
Parents
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
