In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1872
From An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota (1912)
GEORGE BENSON (1894) is manager of the Western elevator and a dealer in implements at Minneota. He is a native of Iceland and was born July 10, 1872, the son of Bjorn (Hallason) and Sigurbjorg (Sigurdardottir) Benson. The father died in 1874; the mother resides in Minneota. There are five children: Hall, of Lyon county; George, of this sketch; Frank Peterson, of North Dakota; J. S. Peterson, a mining engineer of Guayaquil, Ecuador, South America; S. H. Peterson, a teacher of Corvallis, Oregon.
George came to America when six years of age and settled in Lincoln county, where his step-father homesteaded land. He resided there sixteen years and then moved to Minneota, where he has since lived. The first business our subject engaged in was d paying. He then spent four years in the real estate business with the Globe Land and Loan Company. After that he clerked in the big store of Anderson & Company.
Some time later our subject engaged in managing the grain elevator and machinery business of the Mutual Elevator Company for one year. He then purchased the machinery end of the business and in 1910 sold a half interest to J. H. Jonathan, the firm name now being Benson & Jonathan. They handle a full line of farm machinery and wagons. In 1910 Mr. Benson entered the employ of the Western Elevator Company as buyer at Minneota and has held that position since. The Western elevator was built about twenty years ago by the Western Elevator Company. The main office of the company is at Winona.
Mr. Benson is a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge. He held the office of constable six years and was on the police force one year. He has been a member of the Village Council the past three years.
Mr. Benson was married in Minneota September 30, 1906, to Ella Frost, a native of Minneota. They are the parents of two children. Donald George and Bjorn Frost.
As printed in An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1912. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.