Frain Family Tree - Illinois Branch

Frain, Bernice and Vincent Bensen

Bernice was born on Jan. 25, 1914 in Spring Valley, Illinois.

Bernice graduated from Tovey Elementary School in 1928 at age 14. She was ready to work for a living and moved to Chicago.

She married Vincent (Vi) Joseph Bensen, (born June 19, 1910 and died Jan., 1980 in St. Petersburg, FL), on Feb. 8, 1930 at St. Andrews Parish in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to the church wedding they went to Indiana and to get married. There is no waiting period there. They had eight children, Bernice Phyllis, George, Patricia, Donald, Robert, Joseph and James. Bernice died Jan. 12, 1998.

In Sep. 1997 Bernice sent me a list of her descendants which follows.

She and Vi had 8 children, Bernice was born and died as an infant on Oct 3, 1931. The others were Phyllis Joan, born Nov. 26, 1932; Patricia Ann, born Oct. 31, 1934; George Vincent, born Dec. 5, 1936; Robert Joseph, born Feb. 1, 1941; Donald Joseph, born Apr. 5, 1942; Joseph William, born Nov. 15, 1945; James Patrick, born Oct. 30, 1950.

Phyllis Joan married Richard Prescher on Mar. 19, 1949. They had 6 children: Judy, born Nov. 3, 1950; Terry, born Nov. 2, 1953; Kathy, born Sep. 29, 1955; Richard Jr., born Sep. 15, 1959; John, born Jun. 20, 1963; Nancy, born Jul. 3, 1964. Judy married Mike Mohr on Jun. 1968 and they had 4 children: Michelle, born Oct. 30, 1973; Christine, born on May 1982; Amy, born on May 1984; Carrie, born on Jan. 26, 1990. Michelle married Paul Bichler on Sep. 1976. Terry married Pat on Jun. 1972 and had 2 children: Alex, born Sep. 1974; Patricia, born Oct. 1976. Terry then married Adam Gerhardt on Oct. 1983 and had 2 children: Thomas, born March, 1984; Jeffrey, born Jan. 1986. Richard Jr. married Julie on Feb. 1991 and they had a son Josh born Jul. 31, 1993.

Patricia Ann married William Pfister on Jan. 15, 1953 and they had 7 children: David, born July 29, 1953; William, born Apr. 1, 1955; Gregory, born May 23, 1957; Stephen, born Apr. 19, 1960; Cynthia, born Apr. 17, 1961; Michael, born Dec. 17, 1964; Sherry, born Sep. 2, 1967. David, married Sherry Swanson. Gregory married Nancy Gibson May 26, 1979 and had 2 children: Shannon, born Sep. 14, 1979; Tricia, born Aug. 23, 1981. Steven married Kim Kavette who had a child named Bobbie from a previous marriage. They had 2 children: Steven, born Feb. 22, 1985; Angelica, born Feb. 12, 1993. Cynthia married Robert Strange and had 3 children: Cory, born Nov. 17, 1984; Kristen, born Jun. 17, 1986; Mitchell, born Nov. 1, 1995. Michael married Stephanie Powers on May 26, 1988 and had 1 child: Michael, born Nov 1, 1988. Michael then married Mariette Mueller on Sep. 30, 1995. Sherry married Steve Giannia Sep. 1991 and had 2 children: Joseph, born Aug. 9, 1993; Nicole, born Jul. 18, 1994.

George Vincent married Lois Refeldt and had 2 children: Cathleen, born June 3, 1968; Shawn, born Apr. 13, 1976. Cathleen married Channing Dewitt on June 6, 1986 and had 3 children: Jeremy, born Feb. 12, 1988; Joseph, born Apr. 11, 1992; Jordan, born May 18, 1993.

Robert Joseph married Dorothy Munson on Nov. 28, 1959. They had 3 children: Robert, born Jun. 2, 1964; Donna, born Dec. 20, 1965; Kenneth, born Nov. 13, 1967. Donna married Sam Hayden and they had 3 children: Crystal, born Apr. 16, 1985; Sam, born Jun. 13, 1986; Cassie, born May 12, 1988. Kenneth's wife was not named. They had 2 children: Kasey, born Dec. 7, 1991; Kourtney, born Jan. 14, 1993.

Donald Joseph married Carol Johnson on Nov. 2, 1963. They had 1 child: Christine, born Oct. 6, 1964. Christine married Kenneth Di Lillo on Nov. 11, 1989. They had 2 children: Emily Rose, born Nov. 15, 1993; Sarah Marie, born Apr. 21, 1995. Donald Joseph married Betty Bender on Apr. 5, 1986 and had 1 child: Susan Jo, born Jul. 5, 1986.

Joseph William married Nancy Connors on Dec. 9, 1966. They had 2 children: Stephanie Marie, born July 24, 1974, died Nov. 1975; Bradford Joseph, born Aug. 28, 1979.

James Patrick married Elaine Paschall on Aug. 3, 1974. They had 3 children: Christopher Patrick, born Oct. 21, 1977; Jennifer Margaret, born Oct. 24, 1979; George Paul, born Feb. 18, 1981.

I didn't count but Bernice say this adds up to 8 children, 25 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren.

Note that I have found Bernice's name also spelled as Berneice on some photos.  She spelled it as Bernice on her letter to me about her family.

Benice's graduation class of 1928 in Tovey, IL, elementary school.  Tovey is about 22 miles southeast of Springfield and 200 miles south of Chicago.  If the print is hard to read, Bernice is first from the right in the third row from the bottom.  FYI, the girl 4th from the right in the second row is my stepmother, Louise Lambin.

Montage of a few smaller pictures.  Picture on the left, says on the back 'Bernice Frain' Dad's sister'.  Probably noted by one of my sisters with verification by another family member.   Top 2 on the right say 'Bernice' on the back.  That is the face I remember.  Bottom, in the middle, the back says 'Bernice age 7',  Bottom right, back says 'Phylyss, Feb. 25, 45"  This is, most likely, one of Bernice's daughters.

Back of picture says Bernice Frain.  Friend is not identified	Written on back of photo - June 26, 1965. Aunt Alice Frain, Uncle Joe Frain, Mom, Snooks, Aunt Mary Travis, Uncle Pat Frain, Aunt Bernice Bensen, Aunt Alice Holmes in backyard with Johnnie. 'Mom' is Katherine Frain Glazebrook Smeltzer.  The names on the back would have been written by her son, Jim.

Front of picture

Written on back of picture.  Top part is in Bernice's hand.  Bottom part may be by her sister Katherine since the photo is part of her collection of family photos.

Alice Pelto Frain, Elizabeth Bird Frain, Bernice Frain Benson, Elizabeth Frain Briddick and baby Jim Bensen	Back of picture says this is Robert Bensen at 18 months.