George Lawrence Benning (1898 - 1946)
updated March 12, 2020
George Lawrence Benning, father to 2 children, was born on April 21, 1898 in Boone, Iowa United States of America. He was born to Immogene Nelson (Millard) Benning and William Joseph Benning, with siblings Lloyd, Lois, William, Henry, Walter, Cora, Mabel, and Grace. He married Mildred (Wilson) Benning in 1922 and they later divorced in 1926. They gave birth to Lois (Benning) Ewen. George married Eileen Tasker and George died in 1946. They gave birth to Marian Joyce (Benning) Kroetch. He died c. August 23, 1946 in Bremerton, Washington United States of America at age 48.
George was my grandmother's Marian Joyce Kroetch, who later was known as Joyce Vandever, father. He died when grandma was only sixteen and that made a big impact on her life. Over the years certain stories were passed down to me that define what I know about the type of person George was.
George was married twice and in his second marriage had my grandmother. The family lived in Bremerton Washington, a small port town big during WW2, during the 1940s and owned the Chevrolet car dealership. George inherited the car dealership when his boss randomly died in a fishing trip together. I'll have to get more details about that one :) He was very active in the business, social and political components of the community. I know that he was a Freemason and that he had some strong relationships with State politicians.
One cool story about George: He had a bit of real estate in Bremerton and rented two(?) homes to his employees. Upon George's death his will stipulated that the deeds to the homes get passed along to the employees.
Note from Kathy Pinna: George didn't inherit the Reed Chevrolet dealership. He and Micky Reed were on a (local) fishing trip and Micky drowned. Micky's widow, Meeka (who I knew - she and my grandmother were friends until they died), sold the dealership to George. He called it Reed-Benning dealership as a homage to Micky. Chevrolet didn't like the fact that a woman (oh lordy, a WOMAN!) sold the dealership on her own so they made new rules. The upshot? When George, my grandfather, died, my grandmother couldn't sell the dealership!
Also, the story my Mom told me re: the homes - the people weren't employees but simply people who lived in Bremerton at the time. Since George was a Mason, he was also involved in charitable activities. Mom said that no one (including family) knew that he had bought (I heard 3) houses for people who had problems paying rent and were going to be evicted. (This was probably around the end of the Depression.) He didn't charge the tenants rent and when he died (within a few years), he left the homes to the tenants. However, my sister (who says she has a copy of George's will), says that she can find no record of this.
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George Lawrence Benning
Most commonly known name
Male
Gender
Unknown
Nickname(s) or aliases
Unknown.
Did George move a lot?
Where was his last known location?
Last known residence
George Benning was born on in Boone, Iowa United States of America
Birth
George Benning died in Bremerton, Kitsap County, Washington United States of America
Death
George Benning was born on in Boone, Iowa United States of America
George Benning died in Bremerton, Kitsap County, Washington United States of America
Birth
Death
I'm not positive exactly how George died. However, I believe it might have been alcohol related as he was a heavy social drinker.
Note from granddaughter: He was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and was treated for it for at least a year before he died. That is the cause of death on his death certificate.
Note from granddaughter: He was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and was treated for it for at least a year before he died. That is the cause of death on his death certificate.
Cause of death
Forest Lawn Cemetery, 5409 Kitsap Way, in Bremerton, Kitsap County, Washington United States 98312
Burial / Funeral
Unknown
Obituary
Ethnicity & Lineage
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Nationality & Locations Lived
Unknown
Religion
Unknown. Was George a religious man?
Education
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Personal Life & Organizations
Unknown
Military Service
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Average Age
George Lawrence Benning lived
24 years shorter than
the average Benning family member
when he died at the age of 48.
Life Expectancy
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George Lawrence Benning Family Tree
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George's Parents
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Parents:
Sep 17, 1853 - Unknown
1852 - 1930
Siblings:
Unknown - Unknown
Unknown - Unknown
Unknown - Unknown
Unknown - Unknown
Unknown - Unknown
Unknown - Unknown
Unknown - Unknown
Unknown - Unknown
Relationships:
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Cause of Separation: Divorce
George Lawrence Benning & Mildred (Wilson) Benning
1922 - 1926Cause of Separation: Divorce
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Cause of Separation: Death
George Lawrence Benning & Eileen Constance (Tasker) Benning
1946Cause of Separation: Death
Spouse:
Feb 2, 1908 - January 1987
Children:
Oct 11, 1930 - Sep 10, 2017
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Source(s):
Kathy Pinna
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Daniel Pinna
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Daniel Pinna
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Gracia Lionardi
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Mj Benning
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1898 - 1946 World Events
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In 1898, in the year that George Lawrence Benning was born, on February 15th, the USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana harbor. The reason for the explosion has never been found, but it killed 266 men. "Remember the Maine" became a rallying cry and precipitated the United States' declaration of war on Spain two months later - the beginning of the Spanish-American War. On December 10th, the war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. The Treaty gave the U.S. Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam - for $20 million - and, temporarily, Cuba.
In 1906, he was just 8 years old when abolitionist and suffragette leader Susan B. Anthony died, before women's right to vote nationally was realized (in 1920). She, along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, founded the National American Woman Suffrage Association which later became the League of Women Voters. She died at the age of 86 of heart failure and pneumonia in her home in New York.
In 1919, at the age of 21 years old, George was alive when in June, the Treaty of Versailles - officially ending World War I - was signed. The European Allies demanded "compensation by Germany for all damage done to the civilian population of the Allies and their property by the aggression of Germany by land, by sea and from the air.” The requirement of compensation is seen by most as the reason for the collapse of the German economy and gave rise to the rule of Hitler.
In 1938, when he was 40 years old, on June 25th (a Saturday) the Fair Labor Standards Act was signed into law by President Roosevelt (along with 120 other bills). The Act banned oppressive child labor, set the minimum hourly wage at 25 cents, and established the maximum workweek at 44 hours. It faced a lot of opposition and in fighting for it, Roosevelt said "Do not let any calamity-howling executive with an income of $1,000 a day, ...tell you...that a wage of $11 a week is going to have a disastrous effect on all American industry."
In 1946, in the year of George Lawrence Benning's passing, pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock's book "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" was published. It sold half a million copies in the first six months. Aside from the Bible, it became the best selling book of the 20th century. A generation of Baby Boomers were raised by the advice of Dr. Spock.
Other Biographies
Other George Bennings
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c. 1924 - Unknown
c. 1920 - Unknown
c. 1919 - Unknown
c. 1913 - Unknown
c. 1922 - Unknown
1915 - 1977
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1853 - 1904
1894 - 1897
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1892 - 1893
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Other Bennings
Mar 31, 1899 - Unknown
Jan 28, 1922 - Mar 26, 1999
Unknown - Unknown
Oct 16, 1918 - Aug 19, 1991
Nov 6, 1950 - Feb 28, 2003
Sep 9, 1910 - January 1988
Dec 4, 1952 - Sep 15, 2007
Nov 27, 1901 - October 1983
Oct 19, 1950 - Dec 19, 1996
Jun 10, 1896 - March 1968
Mar 31, 1900 - July 1967
Apr 20, 1911 - September 1984
Dec 18, 1906 - Apr 5, 2004
May 2, 1915 - May 23, 1971
Other Bios
Unknown - Unknown
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Oct 20, 1847 - Jun 11, 1929
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1954 - Unknown
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Jan 15, 1891 - 1971
Mar 31, 1899 - Unknown
Jan 28, 1922 - Mar 26, 1999
Moments in Time
Success Stories from Biographies like George Lawrence Benning
Created on Jun 04, 2020 by
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Highlights of just a few of the many successes of sharing memories & family history at AncientFaces. From reuniting lost or 'orphan' photos with their families, seeing the faces of family for the first time, to connecting unknown and lost relatives.
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