Searching for information on the Benefiel's

[quetta66]

Wife: Sarah Jane Benefiel (Dukes) B: March 1893 - D: 24 Mar 1923 in Howard, KS.
Husband: Isaac Stewart Benefiel: B: 30 Apr 1827 - D: 2 Apr 1911 in Howard, KS
Children:
Ephriam B: 1866 (Great-Great-Grandfather)
Margaret B: 1871
Willam B: 1874
Nellie B: 1878
Mary B: 1857
Oliver B: 1859
Lucy B: 1860
Clara B: 1862
Levi B: 1963

[W. Gray]

The Elk County history book says only that in 1868 and 1869 Isaac Benefiel, among others, settled in Howard County in the vicinity of Howard.

[Marcia Moore]

Don't know if they are related in any way, but there are two Benefiels in Severy's South Lawn Cemetery -
BENEFIEL, Helen L.; Born Oct. 15, 1919; Died Sept. 19, 1987
BENEFIEL, John W.; Born May 12, 1913; Died Oct. 3, 1989

[ddurbin]

Using Ancestry, I've located your Isaac in Pulaski Co. Indiana in 1860; in Howard County, Ks in 1870 (before the county split into Elk and Chautauqua), in Elk Co. in Longton in 1895, then in Howard City in 1905 and 1910.  The 1905 and 1910 listings show just Isaac and Sarah J., the children are all grown and on their own.  In 1910, it shows they've been married 44 years, and that Sarah has had 11 children with 9 still living.  The 1860 listing shows Isaac as age 33 and in the household with William Benefiel age 63 and Jane Benefiel age 59.  Might be his parents.  Also in the household are Sarah J. Davis, age 21; Lydia M. Davis, age 16, and three children with the last name of Dunlap: Joseph age 9, Marilla J. age 6, Adaline, age 5;  lastly there is an infant Annie M. Davis, age 3 months.  Based on ages, Sarah J. Davis may have become Mrs. Isaac Benefiel.
The 1870 and 1895 census listings have several of the children listed.  If you want to contact me separately, I'll provide more info on them.  ddurbin1@cox.net
Knowing the death dates, some kind person there in Howard might be willing to look for a microfilmed obit  at the library.
I'll keep looking for Isaac and Sarah in the 1880 census.  They must be there under a different name spelling.

[ddurbin]

Isaac, Sarah and family show up in the 1880 census in Cooper township, Stafford County, KS under
the last name Benifiel.  The children are:  Oliver P. age 21; Cassius age 17; Ephraim age 14; Margaret
age 8; William age 6; and Nellie age 2.  The family evidently moved to Kansas shortly after the birth of
Ephraim---sometime between 1866 and 1868.
In the 1900 U. S. census, Isaac and Sarah are still in Longton township, Elk Co., w/o any children at
home.

[ddurbin]

During my trip to Topeka yesterday, I located the obits of both Isaac and Sarah.  I'll enter them on the Obit section in the very near future.