Beverly Benfer
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Beverly Benfer

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Signed 26 Nov 2014 | 14,684 contributions | 578 thank-yous | 741 connections
Beverly J. Benfer
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Profile last modified | Created 26 Nov 2014
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Beverly Benfer has German Roots.
Beverly Benfer is a Project Member of the Military and War subproject Vietnam War

Biography

I love the idea of working with others to build one interconnected and, hopefully, well-researched tree for all of us. I am open to suggestions!

I began as a home economics teacher in grades 5-12, followed by working as Education Coordinator for Coats & Clark, providing workshops on new fabrics and sewing techniques. This was followed by several years as an educational video producer (long story!) and then opening a consulting business helping schools and colleges with instructional technology. All of this eventually led to being Director of Distance Education (online learning) for a Pennsylvania Community College until retirement. All evidence of rampant curiosity and desire to try new things.

I was never a big history buff - until the DAR asked my Dad to speak at the dedication of the burial site of a Revolutionary War patriot. Then we learned for the first time that we are descended from that soldier. Wow! That sparked curiosity because now I could see how historical events applied to my ancestors, their lives and decisions.

I began to explore the family history several years ago, but gave it up for a while after finding so many poorly researched online family trees. I know we have long lives in my family, but when I saw that one of my ancestors was born in 1784 and died in 2003, I lost all interest in what others had posted.

When a cousin asked a few years ago about that Revolutionary War ancestor, I decided to try again, using those wacky trees only as clues to research further. After connecting with two previously unknown distant cousins and collaborating to correct a long-standing error copied from one online tree to another, I caught the genealogy bug for real! I love finding the stories of their lives, not just documenting who begat whom and when.

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Comments: 64

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Hi Beverly,

The next Connect-a-thon will be from 8 am Friday, April 12 to 8 am Monday, April 15th. I hope you will be able to join us. We are again using the new way to register we that was inaugurated in January. This link will take you to the post for the Mid-Atlantic Team:

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1717455/have-you-registered-for-our-april-2024-connect-a-thon-yet?show=1720767#c1720767

MIckey Bazley Co-Captain Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
I’ve not heard back from you regarding the Military and War Project check-in so have gone ahead and removed you from the project for now. If you’d like to rejoin at any stage you would be most welcome to do so by answering the G2G sign-up post here.

Mary, Project Coordinator, Military and War Project

posted by Mary Richardson
Hi, Mary - I sincerely apologize for not responding. It has been a hellish 2 years. I've been over-whelmed and not at all good about checking emails and other messages. As you well know.

I will do as you suggested and answer the G2G sign-up post. Especially since I do have another few men to add to the project! My high school classmates have stayed close over the decades and have a get-together planned this summer. I've been working on 3-generation family trees for those we lost to honor their memories and give their families a gift (and possibly a head start on taking it further). The family members that I've talked with are delighted with even the short trees because they all said they learned something they didn't know before. In the process, I've learned about a couple of classmates who served during Vietnam that I did not know had served. And a couple of their fathers who served in WWII. I very much want to add them to our Military and War Project.

I hope your winter has been safe so far. It's a good time to research when we can't be out gardening and going for picnics.

--- Beverly Benfer

posted by Beverly Benfer
Beverly -

I sent you a check-in message a week ago about the Military and War Project to ask you about your continued involvement but have no yet heard back from you. Do you still want to be in the project?

If I don’t hear from you by the same time next week I’ll assume that you’ve moved on to other things but you’re most welcome to re-join the project at any time.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Mary, Project Coordinator, Military and War Project

posted by Mary Richardson
Hi Beverly

This is the time for the annual check in with members of the Military and War Project. Have you been active during the last six months in the Military and War Project? Note that it is a requirement to respond to the Military and War Project Check-ins. Please respond to this message by clicking the reply button below this message, to post your answer. I look forward to hearing from you..

Many thanks,

Mary, Project Coordinator, Military & War

posted by Mary Richardson
Hi,

Can you believe it is time for another Connect-a-thon? It will run from 8 am EST Friday, January 19th to 8 am EST Monday, January 22nd. I hope you will join us. Registration ends on Wednesday, January 17th at midnight EST. Registration is a little different this time around. You have to find the post for your team and reply to that post. Here is the link for the Mid-Atlantic Team:

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1674015/have-you-registered-for-the-january-2024-connect-a-thon-yet?show=1685723#c1685723

Mickey Bazley Co-Captain Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi,

We hope you can join the MidAtlantic Team for the 2023 Source-a-thon. It will start 8 am EDT on Friday, September 29th and end at 8 am on Monday, October 2nd. The Source-a-thon is different from the Connect-a-thon in that we will be improving existing profiles. To register for the Source-a-thon, please answer this post:

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1628429/register-now-for-the-2023-source-a-thon

Also, different is that most of the prizes given out at the hang outs are donated by members so there are a wide variety. If you would like to look at what has been donated so far or to donate a prize yourself:

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1621243/the-2023-source-thon-is-coming-would-you-like-to-donate-prize

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Mickey Bazley & Lucy Selvaggio-Diaz Co-Captains Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi Beverly,

Just a quick reminder the next Connectathon is coming up the weekend of July 14th to 16th. We would love to have us join us again on the Mid-Atlantic Team. To register, answer the post in G2G: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1595502/have-you-registered-for-the-july-2023-connect-a-thon-yet?start=560#a_list_title

Hope to see you in the branches

Mickey Bazley Co-Captain Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi Beverly,

Thanks so much for participating in the April Connectathon and being part of the Mid-Atlantic Team.

Mickey Bazley Co-Captain Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi

We hope you can join us for the next Connect-a-thon. It starts Friday, January 13th at 8 am EST and ends Monday, January 16th at 8 am EST. (You don't have to be available the entire time.) Regisration ends Wednesday, January 11th.

To register, answer this post in the G2G forum and ask to be put on the Mid-Atlantic Team: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1505819/have-you-registered-for-the-january-2023-connect-a-thon-yet?start=0#a_list_title

If you do not have a project of your own to work on, in addition to the Unconnected and Needs Profiles lists on our team page, the Civil War project is looking for participants to help connect Civil War veterans: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1506578/us-civil-war-january-2023-challenge

Mickey Bazley & Lucy Selvaggio-Diaz Co-Captains Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi Beverly,

Wow, even with our challenge tracker issues Mid-Atlantic Part Deux had credit for sourced 1,503 profiles and Mid-Atlantic US was credited with sourced 1357 profiles. Thanks for being part of Team Mid-Atlantic.

Mickey Bazley & Lucy Selvaggio-Diaz Captains

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi Beverly,

We hope you can join Team MidAtlantic for the 2022 Source-a-thon. It will start 8 am EDT on Friday, September 30th and end at 8 am on Monday, October 3rd. The Source-a-thon is different from the Connect-a-thon in that we will be working on existing profiles. There are links on our team page to lists of unsourced profiles: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Team_New_York

To register for the Source-a-thon, please answer this post:

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1463120/register-now-for-the-2022-source-a-thon?start=0#a_list_title

Also different is that most of the prizes given out at the hang outs are donated by members so there are a wide variety. If you would like to look at what has been donated so far or to donate a prize yourself:

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1462777/the-2022-source-thon-is-coming-would-you-like-to-donate-prize

Looking forward to seeing you there

Mickey Bazley & Lucy Selvaggio-Diaz Co-Captains Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
Thanks so much for being a part of the Mid-Atlantic Team for the July Connect-a-thon. As a group we added 3.824 profiles to Wikitree. Hope to see you in October for the Source-a-thon.

Mickey and Lucy, Co-Captains

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi,

We would love to have you join the Mid-Atlantic Team for the Connect-A-Thon. The event will start on Friday, July 15th, at 8 AM (EST) and run until Monday, July 18th, at 8 AM (EST). You do not need to be available the entire time and there will be links on our page to the Needs Profiles categories .

If you would like to join us then please answer the G2G post here https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1431009/have-you-registered-for-the-july-2022-connect-a-thon-yet and ask to join the Mid-Atlantic Team.

Hope you will join us again!

Mickey Co-Captain for the Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
edited by Michele Bazley
Greetings from the Military and War Project. We are doing the six month check-in with members.. Have you been active in the last six months?

Please note that it is a requirement for membership in the Military and War Project that you respond to these check-ins. To make bookkeeping easier, just click Reply to this message on your own page, add your reply, then <SAVE>. I look forward to hearing from you..

Many thanks,

Mary~ Project Coordinator, Military and War Project

posted by Mary Richardson
Hi, Mary - I actually have some new men to add to the Project. Hoping to get back to work on the research soon. — Beverly
posted by Beverly Benfer
Thanks Beverly for replying to the Check in. Marking you as V Active. Will look forward to your new men for the project.

Mary

posted by Mary Richardson
Hi

Thanks so much for being a member of the Mid-Atlantic Team for the April Connectathon. It was a fun and productive weekend. We added 3,716 profiles to Wikitree between the two teams and had 49 people participate. Considering many of us can’t stop at just one source, we may never make the top ten, but we did great!

Mindy usually sends out a wrap up message in which she mentions how to delete from your watchlist profiles you do not want to continue to manage. Can I make a request, wait until tomorrow before you do this, and then can you check your suggestion list and see if there are any typos that need to be corrected. We don’t want to add to the data doctors’ work.

See you next thon Mickey

posted by Michele Bazley
Beverly,

Thank you for contributing to the March 2022 Sourcerers Challenge! As you know, every source added to an unsourced profile improves our One Tree. Thank you for taking time from your own family history to help others.

WT Appreciation Team

posted by Nan (Lambert) Starjak
Hi ,

We would love to have you join the Mid-Atlantic Team for the Connect-A-Thon. The event will start on Friday, April 22nd, at 8 AM (EST) and run until Monday, April 25th, at 8 AM (EST). You do not need to be available the entire time and there will be links on our page to the Needs Profiles categories .

If you would like to join us then please answer the G2G post here https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1392037/have-you-registered-for-the-april-2022-connect-a-thon-yet?show=1395381#c1395381 and ask to join the Mid-Atlantic Team.

Hope you will join us again!

Lucy & Mickey Co-Captains for the Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi Beverly

Thanks for being a member of the Mid-Atlantic Team for the January Connectathon. It was a fun and productive weekend. We added 2,936 profiles to Wikitree, almost a thousand more than last July’s Connectathon.

In Mindy’s wrap up message, she mentions how to delete from your watchlist profiles you do not want to continue to manage. Can I make a suggestion, before you do this, can you check your suggestion list and see if there are any typos that need to be corrected. We don’t want to add to the data doctors’ work.

See you next thon Mickey

posted by Michele Bazley
Hi Beverly,

We would love to have you join the Mid-Atlantic Team for the Connect-A-Thon. The event will start on Friday, January 14, at 8 AM (EST) and run until Monday, January 17, at 8 AM (EST). You do not need to be available the entire time and there will be links on our page to the Needs Profiles categories and Findagrave, possible father, mother, spouse lists on our page if you don’t have something of your own to work on.

If you would like to join us then please answer the G2G post here Connect-a-thon Registration and ask to join the Mid-Atlantic Team.

Hope you will join us again!

Lucy & Mickey Co-Captains for the Mid-Atlantic Team

posted by Michele Bazley
Thx for the reminder, Michele.
posted by Beverly Benfer
Hi cousin, thanks for the info. Sadly I dont know much about Mable I learned about her from an aunt of mine (who was Mabel's grand daughter) i only met a few years ago she was the youngest of my dads siblings and passed away soon after we met so I only got to speak with her a few times. My dad rarely spoke about his family so i know very little about his side of the fam out side of my siblings. I do know that Mable did go by Roxie and my aunt said she always kept a very tidy house and baked a lot.
posted by Robert Weber
Robert, I found more info about Mabel; some just raises more questions. I hope this gives you a jump start on another family line. Great to find our connection - possibly in more than one way.... I was able to connect her through the generations back to our immigrant Benfer. Oh, and BTW, I have not found the name "Ruby" in any of the sources. Good luck with finding more about everyone else.
posted by Beverly Benfer
Hi we may be related. I am trying to confirm some info my Great Grandmother was Mable Ruby "Roxie" Benefer. Birth: November 11, 1884

Scipio, Seneca County, OH, United States Death: circa May 01, 1972 (83-91) I have her parents as Robert Henry Benfer and Elizabeth Ann Vickery, but some info shows they only had 2 sons. I was hoping you may know some information on her

posted by Robert Weber
Nice to meet you, 3rd great-niece of husband of sister-in-law of grand-niece of wife of 2nd cousin 7x removed.
posted by Scott Hutchins
Gotta love someone who can look at the connections finder and figure out that family relationship! My head is spinning!
posted by Beverly Benfer
I can't. I have to plug it into my Ancestry tree, which currently has 26,291 people on it, and right now I'm adding the closer Harlem Renaissance connections to it. Five years ago, I didn't know the names of my great-grandparents. Now I've got some ancestors back to B.C. on it, some of which can't possibly be correct
posted by Scott Hutchins
We're 22 degrees apart. :) Last names almost alike too.
posted by Mitzi Benfield
What an amazing, fascinating "WikiTreer of the Week" of the week you are! I cried thinking about the Vietnam Vets in my family; I need to get them up here and thank you. My best, Maggie
posted by Maggie N.
I know what you mean about crying for them. The soldiers came back from other wars and got ticker tape parades. Now we make a point of thanking vets for their service. But those from the Vietnam War were ostracized. It is way past time to show them some respect too.
posted by Beverly Benfer
Hello Cousin,

I saw your profile on "WikiTreer of the Week" And saw that we were only 14 Degrees separated... That usually means a strong connection. So I checked our relationship and found that you and I are 6th cousins once removed, through our common ancestor Johann Peter Reed (1723 - 1767) Johann Peter Reed.

Ron Gragg ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gragg-349 )

posted by Ron Gragg (Ret.)
edited by Ron Gragg (Ret.)
Wow! Hi, Cousin! Nice to meet you.
posted by Beverly Benfer
Hello, Beverly!

Thanks for your participation during our Connect-A-Thon 2020. It is amazing how many more profiles were created and added to our Shared Tree over the weekend. I hope you’ll join us for the Source-a-thon this fall.

Kind regards,

Pippin Sheppard ~ WikiTree’s Appreciation Team

posted by Pip Sheppard
Hi there, Beverly!

Thanks so very much for your participation in the spring Clean-a-thon! Every suggestion you cleared (over 600!) made our Tree that much better. The WikiTree community appreciates YOU!

Pip Sheppard WikiTree’s Appreciation Team

posted by Pip Sheppard
Beverly, thanks for contacting me regarding Wilson Benfer. I'd rather not be on his profile since there is not a blood connection. That could make for confusion.
Hi Beverly,

It's almost time for the 2019 Source-A-Thon, and I'm excited to be on the Mid-Atlantic Team with you! Good luck with your sourcing tis weekend, and have fun. ~ Star

posted by Star Kline
Thank you Beverly for being a good collaborator, my mentor and a friend.
posted by Roger Cronrath
Thanks Beverly. I have a notepad full of stuff for creating the pages.. I am assuming it is a tidbit.. I am going to remove it to that notepad. and see if anyone misses it, in case they put it there......
posted by Mary Richardson
Beverly you and I are distant cousins thru the Gates-Maxey lines and I'm struck by how much we resemble each other although I'm now a gray-haired old lady and you're a young 'looker'. This gene thing is pretty interesting. Leigh Anne
Saturday Sourcing Sprint Logo
Beverly sourced the most profiles in the 27 Oct 2018 Saturday Sourcing Sprint Challenge




It's always good to have you join us, Beverly. Thanks for all your sources.

posted by Debi (McGee) Hoag