Home > United States of America > Nebraska > Nuckolls County > Nelson > Nelson Cemetery > John A. Benson

John A. Benson

Birth	:	26 Jan 1860 Ohio, USA
Death	:	16 Feb 1904
Burial	:	Nelson Cemetery, Nelson, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate	:	40.2056084, -98.0791702
Plot	:	Block 9, Lot 10
Description	:	DUGOUTS By Charlotte Clabaugh The Nelson Gazette, Thursday, January 19, 1967 One of the greatest terrors to the early settler was the prairie fire. Hundreds upon hundreds of acres of land in Nebraska were covered with nothing but tall prairie grass, which in the autumn was dry and seared. A streak of lightning, a tiny spark from a campfire, or burning wads from a discharge of a gun, could create in seconds a roaring prairie fire leaping across mile after miles of grass. No home was ever without a fire guard (two sets of furrows plowed several rods apart, with the... Read More	DUGOUTS By Charlotte Clabaugh The Nelson Gazette, Thursday, January 19, 1967 One of the greatest terrors to the early settler was the prairie fire. Hundreds upon hundreds of acres of land in Nebraska were covered with nothing but tall prairie grass, which in the autumn was dry and seared. A streak of lightning, a tiny spark from a campfire, or burning wads from a discharge of a gun, could create in seconds a roaring prairie fire leaping across mile after miles of grass. No home was ever without a fire guard (two sets of furrows plowed several rods apart, with the grass between carefully destroyed by burning), and a prudent person traveling alone always carried a few matches to burn a little island on which to stand while the roaring blaze passed on either side. For hours after a prairie fire the black ashes would blow, until the air was full of it. No California smog could match the fine, black dust which settled on everything and everyone, causing severe chocking and coughing. In 1878 perhaps one of the worst of these prairie fires occurred in Nuckolls County, and its consequences are vividly described by one eye witness: "It was in October, 1878, myself (Mr. A.R. Downing) and my brother-in-law, Will Welch, with our families started in a wagon to visit some relatives in Webster County. When we got near the line between Nuckolls and Webster County we noticed a wreck lying perhaps 200 yards from the road. We drove over and found a woman partly covered up with a bed comfort. She was burned to a crisp from her shoulder to her feet. As there was nothing we could do, we started to drive on. We had gone only a short distance when a man we had not seen before called to us saying, "For God's sake, don't leave me here." His face was perfectly black, both eyes were swelled shut, his hands and arms were burned to the elbows, and his feet burned to the ankles. All of his hair was burned off. Next to him was a little book in which his name "Johnnie Benson" was written. We picked Johnnie up and took him to the home of Lee Mayfield, a cousin of Johnnie's. It seems that the young lady was a Miss Crasier, a hired girl of the Benson's Johnnie had been taking her to her home in Webster County when they were overtaken by the fire. The horses became unmanageable and the buggy upset. They were out on the prairie in the condition we found them for 24 hours, wrapped in the bed comfort where they had sought protection from the flames. From all appearances Johnnie had fought manfully against the fire and worked like a hero to save Miss Craiser's life. He did not give up until sightless, and with no use left in his hands, he lay down exhausted to wait for death. After caring as best we could for Benson we joined a party from Nelson who had come looking for the pair, went back after the young lady and took her body to her people. Johnnie Benson, whose home was two miles north of Nelson, recovered from this terrible experience and is today a resident of this county and is well known of Nelson people." The Nelson Gazette (Nelson, NE), Thursday

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is John A. Benson's memorial?
John A. Benson's memorial is located at: Nelson Cemetery, Nelson, Nuckolls County, USA.
When did John A. Benson death?
John A. Benson death on 16 Feb 1904 in
Where are the coordinates of the John A. Benson's memorial?
Latitude: 40.2056084
Longitude: -98.0791702

Family Members:

Parent

Siblings

James Holly Benson

(1870 - 1936)

Myrtle Lenore Benson Housen

(1875 - 1931)

Willie H. “Will” Benson

(1877 - 1898)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Nelson Cemetery
Nelson, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2056084, -98.0791702

2. Oxbow Cemetery
Nelson, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2560997, -98.0280991

3. Salem Cemetery
Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1255989, -98.0658035

4. Smith Cemetery
Nelson, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3078003, -98.0567017

5. Nora Cemetery
Nora, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1394005, -97.9705963

6. Union Cemetery
Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3146706, -98.1236877

7. Phil R Landon Gravesite
Angus, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2703200, -97.9553200

8. Beulah Cemetery
Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1324997, -98.1986008

9. Sacred Heart Cemetery
Lawrence, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2921982, -98.2268982

10. Saint Stephens Cemetery
Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2544899, -98.2562485

11. Assumption Church Cemetery
Deweese, Clay County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3507000, -98.1324000

12. Hannum Graves
Lawrence, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3456500, -98.1766800

13. Oak Grove Cemetery
Oak, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2326889, -97.8739471

14. Liberty Creek Cemetery
Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3361015, -98.2035980

15. Zion Cemetery
Webster County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2277985, -98.2921982

16. Beaver Creek Cemetery
Webster County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1617012, -98.2882996

17. Evergreen Cemetery
Superior, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0374985, -98.0650024

18. Bostwick Cemetery
Bostwick, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0536118, -98.1801071

19. Evergreen Cemetery
Lawrence, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2922401, -98.2723236

20. Edgar Cemetery
Edgar, Clay County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3587200, -97.9700200

21. Spring Creek Cemetery
Ruskin, Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1258011, -97.8756027

22. Saint Martin-Loucky Cemetery
Deweese, Clay County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3652496, -98.1948624

23. Mount Zion Cemetery
Nuckolls County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1974983, -97.8397522

24. OBanion Cemetery
Blue Hill, Webster County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2850000, -98.3020000