Samuel O. Bennion

Mission President

1906-1934

Central States Mission

served as President of the Central States Mission for 27 years

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Links to sites for Samuel O. Bennion:

S.O. Bennion and the Smith graves

Samuel O. Bennion, President of the LDS Central State Mission, 1931-1932. Photo by Coffey Studio (Kansas City, MO).

http://helaman.pratt-family.org/photos-sdy.htm

Above is link to web-site for additional information on these photos:

Rey, Mexican mission president,
with Samuel O. Bennion,
Central States mission president,
St. Louis, Missiouri, about 1920
Snapshot by Leland P. Draney
From Ben Parkinson

Samuel O. Bennion, Rey L. Pratt,
and Rey's future brother-in-law,
S. Dilworth Young
St. Louis, Missouri, about 1920
From S. Dilworth Young

With missionaries
Front, L-R: May, Rey, Rey's sister Gladys
From Ben Parkinson

George Franklin Richards - In the spring of 1912, in company with President Samuel O. Bennion, he visited all the conferences of the Central States Mission.

S. Dilworth Young 1921 Central States Mission

S. Dilworth Young 1921 Central States Mission

Without Purse or Script

S. Dilworth Young With mission staff
Independence, Missouri, 1920-22

S. Dilworth Young Firing the heater in Independence
From S. Dilworth Young

JAMES DURAN BAILEY AND AMANDA FLORENCE SHIRLEY

James Duran Bailey and Amanda Florence Shirley Bailey were one of the early families of Kelsey. Their children were: Luther, married Minty Gover, Shirley, married Elva McElrath; Arthur, married Oletha Ellett; Joseph; and Zora, married Joe Yarbrough.

The following is from the Earl McGinty story, page 48: ... "It was in the mid school season of 1914-1915. The principal of the school was Joe Bailey. A younger brother was my home room teacher and our school athletic teacher and a good one. These young men were a few years older than L Joe was a few years older than Hallie. .. They were sons of J. D. Bailey ... There were four sons and one daughter in the Bailey family. They were one of the well-to-do families of the village and one of the most lovely families I've ever known, real Saints. There were so many, many things to admire about them. The boys were fine looking men. The father, mother and daughter were lovely and leaders and educator, all of them. Elva, the oldest McElrath daughter, and Shirley Bailey were sweethearts...

A letter to Myrtle Hamberlin Aug 22, 1982 from Zora’s daughter, Maurine Yarbrough Winward, states, "Mother and Dad had fond memories of Kelsey. I think the Baileys moved to Kelsey about 1907. Both of my parents were born in 1889. At that time Samuel O. Bennion was president of the Central States Mission of which Texas was a part When he visited the Kelsey Branch he usually stayed with my grandparents. My mother was set apart as a Relief Society Visiting Teacher at age 18, was secretary of the Sunday School for 3 years, taught a Book of Mormon class, and after she and Dad were married she was President of the M.I.A. She remembered sending many reports to Independence, Missouri. Mother remembered that church services at one time were held in the school house on Cemetery Road. Later a church building was erected. Mother was talented in music. She sang in the church choir in Kelsey. Her brothers, Luther, Shirley, Joseph, and Arthur were also in the choir and they sang as a quartet, too."

J. D. and Amanda Bailey had two of the nicer homes in Kelsey; both were just south of the Kelsey Township as platted. The homes were built by Clint Bailey and were built on a similar pattern. They lived in one while their children were home. They sold it and moved away. Later one of their sons moved them back into the other house which they also later sold.

Submitted by Fayrene Bonebrake

From Web Page:

http://kelseytx.com/stories/b13jamesbailey.htm

Missionaries that served during this time:

Ada Barney June 8, 1915 - June 1, 1917

Joel Barney Was to report to Salt Lake City September 19, 1917 – Instead went into the Army due to the war

Spencer W Kimball - After high school, he served as a missionary in the Central States Mission from 1914 to 1916. During his second year in the mission, he served in the St. Louis area as a supervisor of twenty-five missionaries, all older than himself. http://www.familyforever.com/temples/prophets/swkimball.htm

Irene REED abt 1915

Wesley Brady Nance Abt 1931 He filled a two-year mission in the Central States Mission, one year serving as the assistant to the Mission President.

Ivan J. Barrett Abt 1930 Barrett had served a mission in the Central States Mission prior to becoming a seminary teacher. He served as a bishop and as a stake president at BYU, and was president of the Northwestern States Mission from 1964 to 1966. He was also a patriarch and had conducted LDS church history tours and trips to Israel.