Show ideath death claims last of parowan carowan s pioneers impressive funeral services were wen held thursday afternoon in the par owan east ward chapel for richard heber benson 92 tile the last of the original pioneers to parowan carowan and iron county and prominent citizen of this community all his lite life s mr benson died at his home here after being bedfast for almost a year after an eye operation for the removal of a cataract the operation was unsuccessful and infection set in making it necessary to remove one eye he never re regained gaind his strength and was confined to his home until death came monday evening the services were conducted by W clair rowley of the east ward bishopric and commenced with a double mixed quartet consisting of rula D orton golda guymon della delia marsden florence joseph ivan decker ray adams ray D gerer and claude orton singing oh my father with orna oma johnson at the piano the opening prayer was offered by john L lowder after which the quartet sang proud yes of our home in the mountains speakers were walter C mitchell john J banks an officer in the black hawk war veterans organization of spanish fork and mary M marsden who also read a poem written by mary B orton in honor of her father and closing remarks by mr rowley minnie A burton read sentiments from the daughters Daugh teis of the pioneers and a poem contributed tri buted by herself other musical numbers were a vocal solo ill go where you want me to go dear lord by ray lyman with mary lyman at the piano a vocal solo mid scenes of confusion by grace gurr a violin solo A perfect day by ormon R weight with florence marsden at the piano and the closing song lead me gently home by the quartet the closing prayer was offered by john P orton and at the cemetery the grave was dedicated by silas J ward pallbearers Pall bearers were ross mitchell melburn and grant benson ivan orton and S AL A halerman terman and a group of granddaughters were in charge of the flowers mr benson came to parowan carowan in 1851 and has spent his entire ilfe here he was actively engage engaged das as a carpenter and builder upon his arrival having built many of the old homes that are still standing in Pa rowan later he operated a shingle n mill in parowan carowan canyon he also engaged in the farming and live stock business and has been active during his long and prominent career in church and civic organizations having served as city marshal and city councilman an and d was a high priest in the L D S church at the time of his death at the age of 17 he joined with other white settlers and fought a long ong side of them in the black hawk wars he was born in atlon illinois on oil july 17 1949 a son of richard and phoebe forester benson lie he married elizabeth grimshaw on october 24 1868 in the old salt lake endowment house twelve children were born to them eight of whom survive him his first wife di died ed in 1922 and he laterman later married emeline grimshaw be benson the he wife of nathan benson an uncle who had died previously his second wife died in 1936 surviving him are one son albert benson of salt lake C city ity and seven daughters mrs elizabeth B johnson johnso n and mrs mary 13 orton of parowan carowan Pa rowan mrs eua ella hensel of seattle wash mrs lena johnson mrs dora meeks an and d mrs alice dalton of cowley wyoming and mrs maude mcdonald of hayward calif a brother alvin benson 0 of f parowan carowan Pa rowan 28 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren all of his children were here for the funeral except mrs hensel and acid mrs mcdonald |