Benisch/Benish & Nall – Old St. Joseph’s Cemetery – Bellefont, Ford County, Kansas

There are three decorative iron crosses in Old St. Joseph’s Cemetery. They belong to George Benisch, his wife, Anna Froschl Benisch and Klara Novak Nall. They are all early settlers to Ford County, Kansas.

George Benisch was born January 31, 1823 in Germany. His wife, Anna Froschl, was born in Austria on February 17, 1815. The two were married and their son, George M. Benish, Sr. was born in 1857. The family emigrated to America about 1865. The 1880 Federal Census shows the family living in Linn County, Missouri.

George Sr. married Rosalia Sarah Nall (b. 1856) in 1881 in Linn, Missouri. They were blessed with nine children. About 1887, George took his wife, children, parents and mother-in-law to southern Hodgeman County.

Anna died in 1893 and George in 1902. They are buried in Old St. Joseph’s Cemetery alongside their son and many of their descendants.

Klara Nowak Nall emigrated to America about 1868. George, her husband, had died in Austria. She came with her three children, Michael, Lizzie, and Rosalia. They also settled in Linn County, Missouri where Rosalia married George M. Benish, Sr. in 1881. Klara lived her final years with Rosalia until her death October 4, 1895.

Note: The different spelling of Benisch/Benish can be explained of the parents using the German spelling and the son “Americanizing” the spelling.