Talk:John Virginius Bennes/Archive 1

Who is who
Is this John Bennes related to the Cleveland architect W. DOMINICK BENES† (1857-1935) who studied with his Uncle "John V. Benes" in Chicago, , who is said to have been Czechoslovakian. There's also a John V. Benes, a Chicago architect, who designed a cemetery in Illinois (see below) and there is this snippet from:

Last of the handmade buildings: glazed terra cotta in downtown Portland‎ - Page 133 Virginia Guest Ferriday - Architecture - 1984 - 149 pages

"His father, John Virginius Benes, (spelling changed by his son) was uncle of ... In 1900 he moved with his family to Baker, Oregon, and in 1906 to Portland. ..." but I can't access it. :( ChildofMidnight (talk) 22:58, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

I removed stuff about John Benes, since the connection, if any, is unclear:


 * and with the Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker City, Oregon.

The Geiser Hotel has been restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

There's also:

Roughly bounded by Foster, Pulaski, Bryn Mawr and Central Park Ave. "The founding of the Bohemian National Cemetery in 1877 established a trend throughout Bohemian communities in the United States resulting in the formation of other ethnic cemeteries in Baltimore, Maryland; Omaha, Nebraska; Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Chippewa County, Wisconsin. The initial 50-acre cemetery was designed by John V. Benes, a local building contractor and cemetery association delegate, who laid out the cemetery in a plan similar to the larger grid-plan of the Chicago area." and noted: "Constructions of Death, Mourning, and Memory Conference, October 27-29, 2006 ...‎ - Page 21 Lilian H. Zirpolo - Art - 2006 - 232 pages
 * Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago (Cook County)

"The original fifty acres — now the southeastern section— were laid out in 1878 according to a plan drawn by John V. Benes, a member of the association and a" ChildofMidnight (talk) 00:39, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

It seems to me he may have moved to Oregon (Baker City) from Chicago? And then to Portland in 1907? ChildofMidnight (talk) 00:41, 26 February 2010 (UTC)


 * Although this says John Benes of Illinois hung himself and died May 28, 1905 . Although there's another John Benes who died in 1936 in Chicago... ChildofMidnight (talk) 01:00, 26 February 2010 (UTC) (I haven't found any relation and the dates don't match up since other sources have him in OR as early as 1900 having a Jr.)

Last of the handmade buildings: glazed terra cotta in downtown Portland‎ - Page 133 Virginia Guest Ferriday - Architecture - 1984 - 149 pages

Also this tidbit!: NOTES ON THE ARCHITECTS JOHN VIRGINIUS BENNES (1867-1943) was born in Peru, Illinois, but moved to Chicago with his family at age one. ... If someone can access the hard copy? ChildofMidnight (talk) 01:07, 26 February 2010 (UTC)


 * Now we're getting somewhere. This source (snippet view only unfortunately) John Virginius Bennes marying Mary Hickman in 1900 and that there was a John Virginius Bennes Jr. and Sr. ChildofMidnight (talk) 01:12, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

And this says he received his architectural training in Illinois. ChildofMidnight (talk) 01:13, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

This source : Genealogy of the Hickman family: beginning with Roger Hickman of Kent county ...‎ - Page 46 1907 - 148 pages

Says "Bennes were architects. To Annice and John Virginius Bennes was born: John Virginius, Jr. Born, May 7th, 1901, in Baker City, Oregon. ..."

That gets us pretty close to the opening of the Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker City, Oregon (credited to a John Benes). So I think it's all coming together. :) ChildofMidnight (talk) 01:46, 26 February 2010 (UTC)