Résumé

Principal, John V. Bennes, Architect, Baker City, OR, c. 1900-1906. Between 1903 and 1905, at least, Bennes had an office in the Kennedy Building in Baker City. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Baker City, Oregon, City Directory, 1903, p. 33 and R.L. Polk and Company's Baker City, Oregon, City Directory, 1905, p. 37.)In 1903, Baker City's city directory listed four architects practicing in town, including Bennes, A.B. Hughes, R.J. Pavert and M.P. White. Two others practice in nearby Pendleton, T.F. Howard and C.E. Troutman, and one in La Grande, C.R. Thornton. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Baker City, Oregon, City Directory, 1903, p.495.)

Partner, Bennes, [Erick W.] Hendricks and [Willard F.] Tobey, Architects, Portland, OR, 1906-1909. The firm leased Room #67 of Portland's Labbe Building during 1906. (See R.L. Polk and Company'sPortland, Oregon City Directory, 1906, p, 136.)Between 1907 and 1908, at least, Bennes, Hendricks and Tobey had an office at 227 1/2 Washington Street in Portland. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Portland, Oregon Directory, 1907, p. 274 and R.L. Polk and Company's Portland, Oregon Directory, 1908, p. 1376.) The firm was back in Room #67 of the Labbe Building in 1909. (See R.L. Polk and Company'sPortland, Oregon, City Directory, 1909, p. 284.)

Partner, Bennes, Hendricks and [Lewis I.] Thompson, Architects, Portland, OR, 1910.This firm obtained office space in Room #400 of the Henry Building. (See Polk'sPortland, Oregon, City Directory, 1910, p. 178.)

Partner, Bennes and Hendricks, Architects, Portland, OR, 1911-1913. In 1911-1913, Bennes and Hendricks continued to lease Room #400 of the Henry Building in Portland. (SeePolk's Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1911, p. 215 andPolk's Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1913, p. 195.) After the dissolution of Bennes and Hendricks, Bennes left the Henry Building for the Chamber of Commerce Building.

Principal, John V. Bennes, Sr., Architect, Portland, OR, 1914-1925. Between 1914 and 1920, at least, Bennes maintained an office in Room #1040 of the Chamber of Commerce Building. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1914, p. 280 and Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1920, p. 1618.)

Partner, Bennes and [Harry A.] Herzog, Architects, Portland, OR, 1925-1931. Bennes and Herzog continued to lease office space in Room #1040 of the Chamber of Commerce Building in 1928. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1928, p. 289.) The firm had an office in Room #917 of the Public Service Building between 1929 and 1931. (SeeR.L. Polk and Company'sPortland, Oregon, City Directory, 1929, p. 296.)Bennes's name was also listed separately in the architects' listing of the Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1931, (p. 2300). The effects of the Depression undoubtedly caused the dissolution of this architectural firm like so many others during the 1931-1934 period.

Principal, John V. Bennes, Sr., Architect, Portland, OR, 1932-1941. Bennes had an office in Room #712 of the Lewis Building in 1932. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1932, p. 1988.)Between 1937 and 1941, he occupied Room #714 of the Lewis Building in Portland. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1937, p. 1967 and Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1941, p. 123.)

Professional Activities

Bennes was one of the first 89 architects certified by the new State of Oregon Architectural Board in 1919. (See "89 Architects Registered in Oregon," Architect and Engineer, vol. LX, no. 1, 01/1920, p. 108.)

Relocation

Born in Peru, IL, John V. Bennes, Sr., had first moved West to Baker City, OR, by 1900 or 1901. He married in 07/1900 in Illinois, and he and his bride may have left the state soon after the wedding. His son, John V. Bennes, Jr., was born in Baker County, OR, on 05/07/1901. Bennes had a house at 2034 2nd Street in Baker City, OR, between 1903 and 1905. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Baker City, Oregon, City Directory, 1903, p. 33 and R.L. Polk and Company's Baker City, Oregon, City Directory, 1905, p. 37.)

He then relocated to the Portland, OR-area by 1906. He resided at 470 Davenport Street between 1906 and 1908 and at 468 Davenport Street in Portland in 1909. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1906, p. 136, R.L. Polk and Company'sPortland, Oregon Directory, 1908, p. 274 and R.L. Polk and Company's Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1909, p. 284.)

By 1911, Benes had relocated to 14 Marconi Avenue, in the Parkside Addition, where he and his family would remain for about 20 years. (SeePolk's Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1911, p. 215.)This address was given as 158 Marconi Avenue in 1926. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1926; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 3848; Line: 17; Page Number: 77, accessed 10/02/2019.) The 1940 US Census indicated that John V. Bennes, Sr., lived with his wife and son at 122 SW Marconi Avenue in Portland. The house had an estimated value of $20,000, about twice that of an average Portland residence. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1940, p. 122 and .) He continued to reside here in 1941. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1941, p. 121.)

Due to ill health, Bennes moved to Los Angeles, CA, in 1942, where he died late in the next year.

Spouse

On 07/01/1900, John V. Bennes married Annice Smalley (born 12/04/1876 -d. 04/16/1953), who was born near Hoopeston, Vermillion County, IL, a town in the east-central part of the state.

Annice traveled aboard the Anchor Line's R.M.S. Lancastria between Southampton, England and New York, NY, between 10/06/1924 and 10/15/1924. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1924; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 3557; Line: 1; Page Number: 25, accessed 10/02/2019.)

In 1952, nine years after John, Sr.'s death, Annice lived with her son at 1443 North Detroit Street in Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 10/02/2019.)

Children

He and Alice had a son, John V. Bennes, Jr., (born 05/07/1901-d. 03/1983).

In 1942, John V. Bennes, Jr., worked at the American Federation of Radio Artists (founded in 1937) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in Los Angeles, CA. Later in life, he resided at 11 Story Street, Cambridge, MA.

Biographical Notes

The original spelling of his name in Czech was "Beneš." John Bennes was a cousin of the Czech politician, Eduard Beneš (1884-1948).

In 1921, Bennes drove a Nash automobile. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon State Library; Salem, Oregon; State of Oregon: Automobile, Motorcycle, Dealer and Chauffeur Registrations, Automobile and Motorcycle Transfers, and Convictions for Violation of the Motor Vehicle Laws - November, 1921, accessed 10/02/2019.)

The architect traveled between Southampton, England and New York, NY, aboard the Cunard liner, RMS Mauretania, between 05/08/1926 and 05/14/1926.

• Peru, IL (Architect's Birth)
  Peru, IL 61354

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