Benefiel - George - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

A familiar figure will be missed from our streets and many men in Montgomery county have lost a quiet, unostentatious, but true friend. Dr. George W. Benefiel died last night shortly before midnight. About 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon he left his office at Bob Davis' livery barn and started for home with a couple of boxes under his arms. Just before turning into the gate at the corner of Walnut and Jefferson streets he was observed by Mrs. Charles Goltra, who lives just across the street, to drop one of the boxes. He made several ineffectual efforts to pick it up again and finally sat down on the box. A moment later he fell over on the sidewalk and then Mrs. Goltra knowing that something was wrong notified his friends. They carried him to the house and called a physician. The patient was still conscious when Dr. Hutchings arrived but shortly after lapsed into a sleep from which he never awakened. He was paralyzed on one side, which was the cause of his dropping the box, and apoplexy at the same time attacked his brain. A little before twelve he passed peacefully away. Dr. Benefiel has always enjoyed most excellent health until about two years ago when in his course of the practice of his profession he was kicked severely on the leg by a horse. He apparently recovered from this but his friends think that it weakened his vitality so that he became an early victim of the disease, which cut him off. Since his accident he lost seventy-six pounds and has not had his usual vigor. Dr. Benefiel was one of the best-known citizens of Montgomery County. He was born nearly fifty-nine years ago on the old Benefiel homestead, now known as the John L. Davis farm and occupied by George Davis, and ever since has lived in and near Crawfordsville with the exception of brief sojourns at Jamestown and Bloomington, Ill. After leaving the farm he went into the livery business and about twenty years ago began the practice of veterinary surgery and dent! istry after taking a course in a Chicago school. For the past eightee n years he has had his office with Bob Davis and has been most successful. Not only in the county but also in the adjoining counties and even further away he had established a reputation for good, conscientious work, which kept him busy all the time. In 1868 he was married to Miss Mary Francis Allen, a cousin of Bob Davis, and about a year ago they both joined Center Presbyterian Church. Since becoming interested in religion he gave it the same careful, sincere consideration that he gave to all things he though worthwhile and there has been no more faithful attendant at church than he. He was also a member of the Masonic order and the Odd Fellows. He was a half brother of the late James H. Benefiel and among his sisters are Mrs. John L. Davis, Mrs. D. H. Gilkey, Mrs. Henry Miller, Mrs. Hattie Stokes, of Lebanon, and Mrs. Boyce Gwin, of Terre Haute, and the late Mrs. R. H. Canine. The funeral will occur tomorrow afternoon at Center church at 2:30 conducted by Rev. C. H.! Wilson. The interment will be at the Masonic Cemetery. - kbz

Note: Martha, wife of Richard Miles Canine, was the daughter of George Washington Benefiel (1795-1854) and Marjorie VanCleave (1801-1873).