Résumé

Between at least 1880 and 1885, Arthur Benton was listed in two censuses as a working farmer. This work didn't agree with him, as he sought out another occupation by c. 1887.

Clerk, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Chief Engineer's Office, Architects' Department, Topeka, KS, 1887-1890.

Architect, Union Pacific Railroad, Chief Engineer's Office, Omaha, NE, 1890-1891. In the Union Pacific Chief Railroad Engineer's Office, he worked for Virgil Gay Bogue (1846-1916). Bogue worked for several railroads and would gain some acclaim for a Beaux-Arts city plan that he designed for Seattle in 1911.

Draftsman, Caukin and Haas, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1892. The noted Berkeley architect John Galen Howard (1864-1931) also worked in the short-lived Caukin and Haas Office.

Partner, Aiken and Benton, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1891- . From at least 1893 until 1896, Aiken and Benton operated their office at 114 North Spring Street. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1893, p. 856 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 21; FHL Roll Number: 976930, accessed 07/31/2017.)

Principal, Arthur Burnett Benton, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1902-1920. He maintained his Downtown Los Angeles office at 114 North Spring Street from at least 1902-1914. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1902, p. 1528 and Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1907, p. 1651.) 114 North Spring Street was the same address used for offices by the architectural firm of Caukin and Haas in 1888, and Eugene Caukin alone after 1893. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1888, p. 768.) His office remained at 114 North Spring Street in 1913 and 1914.(See Who's Who on the Pacific Coast: a Biographical Compilation of Notable Living Contemporaries West of the Rocky Mountains, Franklin Harper, ed., [Los Angeles : Harper Publishing Company, 1913], p. 46-47 and San Pedro and Wilmington, California, City Directory, 1914, p. 2509.)

An article in the Southwest Builder and Contractorindicated that Benton finally left his office in the historic Temple Block #2 in 1920. (See See "Architect Benton Vacates Historic Offices in Temple Block," Southwest Builder and Contractor, 04/02/1920, p. 12.) He relocated to an office at 1548 Sunset Boulevard by 1921. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1921, p. 2721.)

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Southern California Chapter. President, AIA, Southern California Chapter, c. 1901. Associate Member, AIA, (national organization), c. 1913.

Benton served on the Los Angeles Municpal Art Commission in 1926; theatre owner, Sid Grauman (1879-1950), left the commission that year.

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA).

College

Graduate, Peoria High School, Peoria, IL. 1877.

Coursework, Topeka School of Art and Design, Topeka, KS, c. 1887.

Relocation

Born in Peoria, IL, Arthur was born into a family that consisted of three children in 1860 and was financially comfortable enough to retain a servant, Sophronia Garthwaite (born c. 1841 in IN). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Peoria Ward 2, Peoria, Illinois; Roll: M653_216; Page: 195; Family History Library Film: 803216, accessed 07/31/2017.) In 1876, Benton lived in Peoria with his parents at 605 Franklin Street. (See Peoria, Illinois, City Directory, 1876, p. 188.)

The 1880 US Census listed Arthur Benton living in Rolling Prairie, KS, living with his sister, Jessie, and brother, Elmer. His occupation was recorded as a farmer. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Rolling Prairie, Morris, Kansas; Roll: 390; Family History Film: 1254390; Page: 366D; Enumeration District: 130, accessed 07/31/2017.) The State of Kansas Census of 1885 listed Arthur as living in Rolling Prairie, his occupation again listed as "farmer." He lived with his brother, Elmer, his wife, infant daughter, and his mother-in-law, Louisa Schilling. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; 1885 Kansas Territory Census; Roll: KS1885_93; Line: 10, accessioned 07/31/2017.)

By the mid-to-late 1880s, Benton moved to Topeka, KS, he clerked at the Atcheson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, while attending night classes at an art school in town. From Topeka, Benton moved to Omaha, NB, to work in the Union Pacific Railroad's Engineering Department for two years, 1890 and 1891.

According to the biographical dictionary, Men of the Pacific Coast, Benton arrived in California in 07/1901, and made his home in Los Angeles, CA. (See Men of the Pacific Coast, Wellington C. Wolfe, ed., [San Francisco: Pacific Art Company, 1903,] p. 426.) This was not possible, as Benton was working on the Unitarian Church in Pomona, CA, in 1893. He likely migrated to CA in 07/1891.

He lived at 1016 Blaine Street by 1892, according to county voting registers. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 07/31/2017.) He resided at 900 Kensington Road in Los Angeles in 1896. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 21; FHL Roll Number: 976930, accessed 07/31/2017.)

Benton enjoyed a great deal of stability in his professional and personal lives. He resided in the same house and had the same office address for many years, in contrast to many architects of the time who moved quite frequently. The US Census of 1900 listed his address as 801 Kensington Road in Los Angeles. He lived at this address with his wife Harriet, daughter, Edith, and sister-in-law, Olivia M. von Schilling, (born 07/1870 in IL). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Los Angeles Ward 2, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 88; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 0009; FHL microfilm: 1240088, accessed 07/31/2017.) The 1910 US Census confirmed the same address, and it is known that he remained at this address in 1913. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 75, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T624_84; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 0086; FHL microfilm: 1374097, accessed 07/31/2017.)

Parents

His parents were Ira Eddy Benton (born c. 10/1829 in OH) and Caroline A. Chandler (born c. 02/1831 in PA). In 1860, Ira worked as both a druggist and grocer in Peoria, IL, and Caroline maintained the household. Other children in the Benton household in 1860 were a son, Morris C., (born c. 1853 in Peoria, IL), and a daughter, Jesse S., (born c. 1856 in Peoria, IL). According to the US Census of 1860, Ira and Caroline owned $3,000 worth of real estate and had a personal savings of $2,000. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Peoria Ward 2, Peoria, Illinois; Roll: M653_216; Page: 195; Family History Library Film: 803216, accessed 07/31/2017.) The family had enlarged by 1870, to include son, Elmer E. (born c. 1860 in Peoria, IL) and daughter, Olive L. Benton Espey (born c. 1868 in Peoria, IL). By 1870, Ira had become a bookkeeper. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Peoria Ward 5, Peoria, Illinois; Roll: M593_267; Page: 407A; Image: 244259; Family History Library Film: 545766, accessed 07/31/2017.) Ira did the accounting for a Peoria butcher, J.H. Bunn, in 1876. (See Peoria, Illinois, City Directory, 1876, p. 188.)

His familial roots in the US went back before the American Revolution. He was a relative of Andrew and Hannah Stocking Benton, who lived in Milford, CT, beginning in 1639 and William and Annis Chandler, who settled in Andover, MA, in 1630.

Spouse

He married Phillipina Harriet Von Schilling (b. 04/24/1849 in PA-d. 12/08/1940 in Los Angeles, CA) in Morris County, KS, on 05/17/1883. IN 1880, the US Census indicated that Hattie Von Schilling lived with her mother, Louisa (born c. 1808 in England) in White City, KS. (Both of her were born in England.) Harriet was nine years older than Arthur, but she outlived her husband by more almost three decades, continuing to live at 801 East Kensington Road in Los Angeles until at least 1937. (See Los Angeles A-L, California, City Directory, 1937, p. 228.)

Children

He and Harriet had one daughter, Edith M. Benton, (born 10/1884 in KS).

Biographical Notes

There has been some confusion as to the date of Benton's birth; some have said 1858, others 1859. In Men of the Pacific Coast, Wellington C. Wolfe, ed, (San Francisco: Pacific Art Company, p. 426) it indicated the date to have been 04/17/1858.

According to voting records of 1892, Benton stood 5-feet, 8-inches tall, and had light hair, blue eyes and a "light" complexion. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 07/31/2017.)

As his family had been in the US since the 1600s, Benton belonged to two presitigious nativist heritage associations. Member, California Society of the Sons of the Revolution, c. 1913. Member, California Society of Colonial Wars, c. 1913.

Member, Landmarks Club, Los Angeles, CA; he served as its secretary c. 1913.

Member, Jonathan Club, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1913.

Member, University Club, Redlands, CA, c. 1913.

Member, Union League, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1913.

• Peoria, IL (Architect's Birth)
  Peoria, IL

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• Los Angeles, CA (Architect's Death)
  Los Angeles, CA

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