Harold "Sime" Leroy Benkelman

1897 - 1981  (83 years)

• Name	Harold "Sime" Leroy Benkelman  [1, 2]
  Nickname	Sime
  Birth	27 Nov 1897	St. Francis, Cheyenne County, Kansas   [3]
  Gender	Male
  Death	8 Apr 1981	Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan   [3, 4]
  Burial	Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan
  Notes	Ben Benkelman reported that after seing a production of Uncle Tom's Cabin, his brother, Harold, was nicknamed "Sime" by his siblings, who considered him as mean as Simon Legree. The January 17, 1908 Cass City Chronicle had a brief mention of the upcoming "Mason Brother's Uncle Tom's Cabin company at the Opera House," most likely this was the production that inspired Sime's lifelong nickname. Harold would have been around age 11 at the time. He played basketball in High School. Bob Benkelman wrote that his father was drafted into the army signal corps, where he worked as an airplane mechanic, and was stationed at Rockwell Field near San Diego. According to Wikipedia, the Signal Corps Aviation School was named Rockwell Field, on July 20, 1917, in honor of Second Lt. Lewis C. Rockwell, killed in a crash at College Park in 1912. Also in July, the United States Congress authorized the President to proceed with the taking of North Island for Army and Navy aviation schools. There was a need for trained military pilots as the United States had entered World War I earlier in the year. President Woodrow Wilson signed an Executive Order in August 1917 for condemnation of the land, which was still privately owned. The Army turned over the north end of the island to the Navy and relocated to the south end of North Island, the location of the Rockwell Field Historic District. The Navy's first occupancy of North Island occurred on September 8, 1917, but Congress did not authorize the purchase of North Island, for $6,098,333, until July 1919. The Army selected well-known Detroit industrial architect, Albert Kahn, to develop a site and building designs. Permanent construction of Kahn's design began in mid-1918. During World War I, Rockwell Field provided training for many of the pilots and crews sent to France. It also was the source of men and aircraft for the Sixth and Seventh Aero Squadrons, which established the first military aviation presence in Hawaii and the Panama Canal Zone, respectively. After his military service, Sime was a Studebaker dealer, and later worked for E.B. Schwaderer, a contractor who built highways throughout the state, and constructed airports all over the midwest during World War II. Before retirement, Harold, worked as head of maintenance of all of the road equipment for the Tuscola County Road Commission. Cass City Chronicle Friday, November 24, 1933 Local Happenings Page Four Mr. and Mrs. Harold Benkelman and Mrs. Curtis Hung spent a few days last week hunting at Fairview. The 1941 issue of the Striffler-Benkelman Broadcast showed that Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Benkelman and sons had spent the winter holidays in Florida. Cass City Chronicle Thursday, April 16, 1981 Benkelman Funeral Held Harold Leroy (Sime) Benkelman, 83, of Cass City died Wednesday, April 8, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Pontiac. He was born Nov. 27, 1897, in St. Francis, Kansas, the son of Benjamin F. and Minnie (Jesse) Benkelman. He returned to Cass City as a small child with his parents. They made their home on the family homestead farm. He married Isabel Fletcher Sept. 14, 1918 in Detroit. Following their marriage, they made their home in Sandusky where he was an auto dealer. They later lived in Cass City, where he was employed as equipment supervisor by the E.B. Schwaderer Construction Company and then Tuscola County Road Commission until his retirement. He servied with the Army Air Corps during World War I. He was a member of the Salem United Methodist church of Cass City and a life member of Custer Lodge No. 393, F and AM, Sandusky. Benkelman is survived by his wife; two sons, Bill Benkelman of Bloomfield Hills and Robert Benkelman of Caro; six grandchildren, three great grandchildren; one brother, Benjamin Benkelman of Clearwater, Fla. (sic) and two sisters, Mrs. Eustis Ball of Clearwater, and Mrs. Lois Pease of Pompano Beach, Fla. One sister, Ruth, preceded him in death. Funeral services were conducted Friday afternoon at Little's Funeral Home, Cass City, with Rev. Eldred Kelley of the Salem United Methodist church officiating. Burial was in Elkland Cemetery. (Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007) He was one the family members BonnieMargaret Jacobs personally interviewed when preparing her history of the Benkelman family.
  Person ID	I35	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Father	Benjamin Franklin Benkelman, Sr.,   b. 24 Sep 1863, Bowmansville, Town of Lancaster, Erie County, New York d. 7 Sep 1952, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan (Age 88 years)
  Mother	Wilhelmina "Minnie" Johanna Friederika Jesse,   b. 27 Sep 1865, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan d. 18 Jun 1961, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan (Age 95 years)
  Marriage	26 Dec 1892	St. Francis, Cheyenne County, Kansas   [5, 6, 7]
  Photos » Slide Show		Benkelman General Store (Ben F. Benkelman, Sr. Proprietor), Cass City, Michigan, ca 1901-1924 After retiring from ranching, Ben Benkelman Sr. owned and operated a dry goods store in his hometown of Cass City for approximately twenty years. Ben Sr. is standing in the background of this photo. In the foreground is Mr. Philo S. Rice, who clerked at the Benkelman store for 19 years, and was proprietor of his own grocery store for nearly six years thereafter. He was born on Stuben, NY on 5 Dec 1863, and died in Cass City on 8 Oct 1928, leaving behind his widow, Carrie Fancher Rice and two children, Mrs. A. C. Atwell of Cass City and Roy F. Rice of Los Angeles. (Cass City Chronicle, 12 Oct 1928, page 1).
  		Benkelman General Store (Ben F. Benkelman, Sr. Proprietor), Cass City, Michigan ca 1920's The interior of Ben Benkelman's general store in Cass City, with store clerk Philo S. Rice standing on the left. The lady to the right is unknown. PLEASE EMAIL US IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY HER.
  		Benkelman, Benjamin F. Sr. ca 1913 and Minnie (Jesse) Family of Cass City, Michigan Back, L to R: Ruth, Mae, Harold "Sime" and Ben, Jr. Front, L to R: Ben, Sr., Lois, Minnie
  		Benkelman, Benjamin F. Sr. ca 1917 and Minnie (Jesse) Family of Cass City, Michigan Standing (L To R): Ruth, Mae, Harold, Ben Jr., Lois Seated (L to R): Ben Sr. and his wife, Minnie
  		Benkelman Home (Ben and Minnie Family), Cass City, Michigan, sometime after 1901 The home of Ben and Minnie Benkelman family of at 1454 Maple Street, Cass City, Michigan.
  Documents		Jesse, Minnie 1892 Marriage to Benjamin Benkelman,Sr. Copy of Marriage License as filed in 1892 in Cheyenne County, Kansas in 1892
  Family ID	F16	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Isabel Lizzie Fletcher,   b. 25 Oct 1895, Bad Axe, Huron County, Michigan d. 3 Nov 1993, Caro, Tuscola County, Michigan (Age 98 years)
  Marriage	14 Sep 1918	Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan   [2, 4]
  	Cass City Chronicle Vol. 14, No. 22. Friday, September 27, 1918 Fletcher-Benkelman Miss Isabelle Fletcher, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archie Fletcher of Bad Axe and Harold Benkelman, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Benkelman, were united in marriage Saturday evening, Sept. 14, by Rev. Henderson, formerly a pastor of the bride. The ceremony took place at the Presbyterian manse on Grand River avenue in Detroit. Following the ceremony the bridal couple were entertained at dinner at the Hotel Statier by Mr. and Mrs. Russell Newbold, of Philadelphia, cousins of the bride. Mr. and Mrs. Benkelman arrived in Cass City on Tuesday after visiting with relatives and friends in Detroit and other cities. \\ (Transcribed by Melinda McLemore, Strong, Summer 2007)
  Children	1. Robert Benkelman,   b. Abt 1922, Michigan d. Abt 1922, Michigan (Age ~ 0 years)   2. Robert Fletcher Benkelman,   b. 1 Oct 1926, Sandusky, Sanilac County, Michigan d. 22 Sep 2006, Saginaw County, Michigan (Age 79 years)   3. William Donald Benkelman,   b. 23 Oct 1928, Royal Oak, Oakland County, Michigan d. 6 Aug 2002, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan (Age 73 years)
  Family ID	F33	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	12 Sep 2008

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 27 Nov 1897 - St. Francis, Cheyenne County, Kansas Marriage - 14 Sep 1918 - Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan Death - 8 Apr 1981 - Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan Burial - - Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Benkelman Family Sod Hut (Ben and Minnie Family), Cheyenne County, Kansas ca 1902 (L to R): Harold "Sime" on horseback, Ben Benkelman holding the hand of his son Ben Jr., Minnie Benkelman nee Jesse, and daughters Ruth and Mae. This picture was taken in Kansas shortly before the family moved to Ben's home town of Cass City, Michigan where he opened a general store. After spending twenty years as a cowboy and rancher at the Kansas/Nebraska/Colorado border, Ben was again ready for the comforts of civilization.
  		Benkelman, Adam and Anna Catherine (Schaufele) Descendants ca 1912 Family Reunion Back, Standing, l to r: Mae Benkelman, Kate Schwegler, John Benkelman Sr., Ester Ackerman Benkelman, Minnie Jesse Benkelman, Joe Benkelman, Augusta Krehl Benkelman, Dorus Benkelman, Will Schwegler, Ward Benkelman, Ben Schwegler, Sam Benkelman Middle Row, kneeling, l to r: Alvin Benkelman, Harold Benkelman, Ruth Benkelman, Marie Benkelman (standing), Lena Benkelman Schwegler, Barbara Rommel Benkelman, Louisa Benkelman Schwegler Bottom Row, seated, l to r: Bertha Benkelman, Glen Benkelman, Ida Benkelman, Lottie Benkelman, Ben Benkelman Sr. behind his nephew John Donald Benkelman, Lois Benkelman, Ben Benkelman Jr., Alice Ross Schwegler with her baby Edward William Schwegler, and ,facing left, Mary Striffler Benkelman (Mrs. Sam) (Legend Courtesy of Bonnie-Margaret Benkelman Jacobs)
  		Benkelman, Benjamin F. Sr. ca 1920's with his children and their spouses Back Row, L to R: Wilmot "Bill" Carpenter, Ben Benkelman, Sr., Ben Benkelman, Jr., Jim Pease, Minnie Benkelman, Eustace Ball, Harold Benkelman in the late 1920's. Front Row, L to R: Mae Benkelman Carpenter, Lois Benkelman Pease, Ruth Benkelman Ball, Isabel Fletcher Benkelman, Avis Smith Benkelman
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Benkelman, Harold ca 1939 with his son Bob and father Ben, Fishing in Florida Ben and Minnie spent the winter in Florida most years after their retirement, escaping from the cold and snow in Michigan
  		Benkelman, Robert F. wedding to Lorraine Smith Miss Lorraine Smith of Kalamazoo became the bride of Robert F. Benkelman Saturday evening, September 30, 1950, at eight o'clock in a ceremony at the First Congregational Church at Kalamazoo. The couple will live in Lansing. The bride, a graduate of State High School in Kalamazoo, attended Michigan State College. Her husband, who was graduated from Cass City High School, received a B.A. degree in speech, dramatics and radio from MSC. l to r: Clarence and Cora Smith, Lorraine Smith and Robert Benkelman, Isabel and Harold "Sime" Benkelman
  		Jesse, Minnie ca 1960, with her children on her 95th birthday L to R: Ben Jr standing behind his sisters Lois and Ruth, Minnie, Mae and Sime The paintings behind the group were all done by Minnie herself, who took up painting as a hobby shortly after her 87th birthday.
  		Benkelman, Harold "Sime" ca 1960 with his wife, Isabel (nee Fletcher) Sime and Isabel at their Lake House in Caseville, Michigan
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Benkelman, Harold "Sime" This is a photo of Sime "in his element at the Benkelman cottage in Caseville." It was selected by his granddaughters Carole and Susan, as the way he would wish to be most remembered.

  
  

  Headstones

  Benkelman, Harold and Isabel (Fletcher)

  
  

• Sources

  [S469] Williams, Dorothy Ball--Family Researcher (dotwfl@comcast.net) 3331 Southwest Villa Place, Palm City, FL 34990 ; based in part on BonnieMargaret Benkelman Jacob's unpublished typescript, THE FAMILY BENKELMAN. [S653] Cass City Chronicle, P.O. Box 115, Cass City, Michigan 48726, Published continously since 1899, archived from 1899 through 2005 at http://newspapers.rawson.lib.mi.us/chronicle/, Friday, September 27, 1918 (Reliability: 3). [S333] Ancestry.com - U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current [database online], (Ancestry.com. Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration Death Master File contains information on millions of deceased individuals with United States social security numbers whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration. Birth years for the individuals listed range from 1875 to last year. Information in these records includes name, birth date, death date, and last known residence.). [S492] Peck, Edward Arthur THE TEN BENKELMANS WHO EMIGRATED TO AMERICA Ca. 1850s AND CERTAIN OF THEIR DESCENDANTS, 1982. [S452] State of Kansas, Cheyenne County, Marriage License. [S653] Cass City Chronicle, P.O. Box 115, Cass City, Michigan 48726, Published continously since 1899, archived from 1899 through 2005 at http://newspapers.rawson.lib.mi.us/chronicle/, September 15, 1962 (Reliability: 3). [S1610] Jacobs, BonnieMargaret McDonald "The Family Benkelman" Unpublished Manuscript, 276 pages, October 1981 Version, (Copy owned by Barney Benkelman, Helena, Montana; which he xeroxed and sent to Melinda McLemore Strong in San Antonio, Texas), p. 134, instead shows location of marriage as Wano, Kansas (Reliability: 3).