Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Van Benschoten, Harvey Lee 1918
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Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net August 27, 2010, 5:31 pm

The Portland Observer, Tuesday, September 17, 1918


Harvey L. Van Benschoten died at his home on Lincoln street at 6:00 o’clock 
Sunday morning.  Funeral services are to be held at the house Wednesday at 
2:00 p.m.  Revs. Galt and Stewart will officiate and Ionia Commandery No. 11, 
Knights Templar, will attend in a body and have charge of services at the 
grave.

Tuesday noon Mr. Van Benschoten was sitting in the Webber State Savings Bank.  
He had just witnessed a paper for Frank Badgley, assistant cashier, and 
complained that his arm was paining him.  He asked Mr. Badgley to rub it but a 
moment later his head dropped backward and he sank to the floor.  Several 
weeks ago he suffered a stroke of paralysis and that this was a second and 
more severe stroke was the opinion of the doctors.  Shortly before 1:00 he was 
taken to his home in an automobile.  There were occasional signs of returning 
consciousness but they lasted but a moment.

Mr. Van Benschoten was born in Sebewa township, January 27, 1863.  He 
completed his high school education in Portland and later graduated from the 
law department of the U. of M.  For a short time he practiced in Portland, 
having as a partner Chas. W. Thomson, of St. Clair.  Changing vocations 
frequently he settled at Belding and then went to Mercer county N. D. where he 
took up government land.  He influenced others of his acquaintance to do 
likewise and there is now quite a colony from this vicinity who reside not far 
from Krem, N. D.  He was one of the pioneers of the county and instrumental in 
building it up.

Recently he disposed of his holdings there, which amounted to many hundred s 
of acres, and returned to Portland to reside.  While he was planning what work 
he would engage in in the future he was stricken with paralysis.  This 
affected his mind somewhat, as well as his speech, and although he rallied 
sufficiently to be up and around his mind lacked the brilliancy that had 
always been one of its characteristics.  He was a careful student and well 
informed on almost every subject.  There was also much philosophy in his make 
up and many of his views were new and original.  He was prominent in the 
politics of North Dakota and had held several important offices there, such as 
judge of the County Court, U. S. Commissioner and State’s Attorney for Mercer 
County.

The family name had been Benschoten for several generations, but in delving 
into his ancestry deceased found that it was originally Van Benschoten and 
years ago he adopted the old name.  His father was George Benschoten, an early 
settler of Sebewa.  This delving into the past afforded him much satisfaction 
and he was familiar with the early conditions of the family and knew many of 
the descendants of the Van Benschotens who are scattered over this country.  
He was a member of the Sons of the Revolution and had written a history of the 
Van Benschotens which goes back 200 years.  The family came from Holland 
originally.

Nov. 15, 1888 Mr. Van Benschoten married Miss Mary Staley who had been a 
classmate in Portland high school.  There are three children—Maurice of 
Saginaw, who with his wife came from Saginaw Monday; Harvey and Cornelius Van 
Benschoten, who reside at home.

Mr. Van Benschoten was a member of Portland Chapter No. 39, as well as of …
(illegible…)Commandery.



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