- Victim of Hawn's Mill Massacre (1838)
Elias Benner Sr. was born 5 June 1795 in Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States to Daniel Benner (1769-1853) and Catherine Ettleman (1763-1853) and died 30 October 1838 Hawn's Mill, Caldwell County, Missouri, United States of unspecified causes. He married Maria Clapper (1798-1830) 30 January 1816 in Stark County, Ohio. He married Christiana Cramer (1806-) 8 December 1830 in Stark County, Ohio.
1838 Haun's Mill Massacre[]

"Haun's Mill" by C.C.A. Christensen.
On October 30, 1838, a mob of around 240 local militiamen, including some Native Americans and non-Mormon settlers, attacked the small settlement of Haun's Mill, which was predominantly inhabited by Mormons. The militia members, who were part of a group known as the Missouri State Militia, were seeking revenge for perceived Mormon crimes in an eent that would be known as the Missouri Mormon War. Those left behind to stand their ground suffered 11 wounded in addition to the 17 killed, which included two young boys.
Elias Benner was among the 17 men and boys murdered by Missouri mob and militia of some 240 men in the Oct. 30, 1838 Haun's Mill Massacre in Missouri. About 75 Mormon families had established a mill and small community on the banks of Shoal Creek in Caldwell County, and the region's Christians were bent on driving them out.
The mob was led overall by Col. Thomas Jennings, of Livingston County with Livingston County Sheriff William O. Jennings, Nehemiah Comstock, and William Gee as captains of the three companies of raiders. Members of the attacking mob originated from Daviess, Livingston, Ray, Carroll, and Chariton counties, and included such prominent citizens as Maj. Daniel Ashby of the Missouri state legislature and Thomas R. Bryan, clerk of Livingston County.
In the days leading up to the attack, raiders had already stripped many of the mormon settlers of their guns, and thus the ability to defend themselves. When the raiders set upon Haun's Mill (which seems to be a misspelling of the name of the mill's owner, Jacob Hawn), Mormon women and children fled to the woods and countryside. Those left behind to stand their ground suffered 11 wounded in addition to the 17 killed, which included two young boys.
The dead included: Hiram Abbott, age 25; Elias Benner, 43; John Byers; Alexander Campbell; Simon Cox; Josiah Fuller, 35; Austin Hammer, 34; John Lee; Benjamin Lewis, 35; Thomas McBride, 62; Charles Merrick, just 9; Levi Merrick, 30; William Napier, 43; George S. Richards, only 15; Sardius Smith, age 10; Warren Smith, 44; and John York, 62.
Sardius Smith, his 7-year-old brother Alma Smith, and Charles Merrick were found hiding under a blacksmith's bellows and shot. Alma Smith would survive, but the other boys did not. In justifying murdering one of the children, mobster William Reynolds was heard to say, "Nits will make lice, and if he had lived he would have become a Mormon."
The site of the massacre is now owned by the LDS church (since 2012).
Marriage and Family[]
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Catherine Benner (1817-1895) | |||
George Benner (1819-1904) | |||
Elias Benner (1821-1838) | 21 August 1821 Massillon, Stark County, Ohio, United States | 4 October 1838 Caldwell County, Missouri, United States | |
Maria Benner (1823-1877) | |||
Henry Benner (1828-1906) | |||
Baby Benner (1830-1830) |
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Sarah Ann Benner (1832-1908) | |||
Eliza Benner (1833-) | |||
Franklin Benner (1836-1865) | |||
Hiram Benner (1839-1840) |
Siblings[]
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Mary Margaret Benner (1790-1863) | 23 March 1790 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States | June 1863 Thurman, Fremont County, Iowa, United States | Johann Karl Forney (1784-1841) |
Barbara Benner (1792-1873) | 30 September 1792 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States | 22 August 1873 Thurman, Fremont County, Iowa, United States | John Study (1791-1843) |
Elias Benner (1795-1838) | 5 June 1795 Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States | 30 October 1838 Hawn's Mill, Caldwell County, Missouri, United States | Maria Clapper (1798-1830) Christiana Cramer (1806-) |
Henry Benner (1800-1880) | 18 May 1800 Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States | 4 June 1880 Fremont County, Iowa, United States | Sophia Underwood (1803-1833) Susan Ettleman (1815-1900) |
Catherine Benner (1803-1879) | |||
Mary Mercy Benner (1827-1864) |