Lillian (Bergman) Benoit (1898 - 1994)

Born 4 Sep 1898 in Richland, North Dakota, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Laurent Morris Benoit — married 13 Jul 1925 in Wahpeton, Richland, North Dakota, United States

Died 28 Dec 1994 at age 96 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, United States

Biography

Lillian was born in 1898 to August Bergman and Mary Jereszek in North Dakota, probably in Stiles.

In about 1916, Lillian started teaching school.

In 1922, Lillian and her brother, William, ran the Variety Store in Wahpeton. In the 1924, Laurent Benoit bought out William Bergman's half of the partnership but continued to call it Bergman's Variety Store.

In 1925, Lillian married Laurent Benoit in Wahpeton. They had at least one child.

In about 1950, they moved to Tacoma, Washington.

He passed away in 1970 in Vancouver, Washington. She passed away in 1994 in Tacoma.

Wahpeton Globe (Wahpeton, North Dakota) Tues, 11 Apr 1922

Brahy Disposes of Variety Store; Bergmans Managers

William E. Bergman and Miss Lillian Bergman are new managers of the variety store conducted nearly five years by N. P. Brahy. Mr. Brahy disposed of the store to them April 1. His plans for the future are unannounced.

Mr. and Miss Bergman are son and daughter of August Bergman, cashier of The Wahpeton State Bank and former Richland county clerk of court. They are now in active charge of the store, calling it The Bergman Variety Store. They have many friends wishing them success in their enterprise.

Mr. Bergman returns today from Minneapolis where he has been purchasing new stock. He only recently returned from Boston where he had been employed for nearly two years. His sister was graduated from Wahpeton high school a few years ago.

Wahpeton Globe (Wahpeton, North Dakota) Tues, 2 Sep 1924

BENOIT BUYS INTEREST IN VARIETY STORE

Sale of his interest in Lill and Bill’s Variety Store to Laurent Benoit, by William Bergman was announced the latter part of last week.

Mr. Benoit took charge at the store Monday. Mr. Bergman joined the Richard Kent Players at Hankinson the first of the week under a contract to appear with them for the season in a juvenile comedy role in “Moon Madness.”

They are booked to appear at the Wahpeton opera house December 19.

Mr. Benoit, who buys Mr. Bergman’s interest was formerly employed at the Voves Grocery and was some time manager of the Breckenridge Co-operative Grocery and later connected with Casey’s grocery store. Miss Lillian Bergman retains her interest in the store, but will not be active in the business.

Wahpeton Globe (Wahpeton, North Dakota) 16 July 1925

BENOIT - BERGMAN

Two prominent young people of Wahpeton were united in marriage early Monday morning by the Rev. A. Jande at St. Adalbert's Catholic Church when Miss Lillian Bergman, daughter of Mayor and Mrs. August Bergman, became the bride of Laurent Benoit. Low mass was said at 6 AM that morning.

The bride wore a charming gown of Golden hues centarita, with accessories to match. Her colonial bouquet was of pink and white shower roses. The bridesmaid was her cousin. Miss Cecile Manikowske of Minneapolis, who wore a gown of tan crepe de chine, and carried carnations and lilies of the valley. The bridegroom was attended by the bride's brother, William.

The guests consisting of the immediate family and a few relatives were served to a three course breakfast at the Bergman home. Misses Shirley Ellis and Marcella Huber, friends of the bride, serving. The house was prettily decorated in a color scheme of pink and white.

The bride has a wide acquaintance in this section, having lived here a long time during which she had made many friends. The groom has no relatives in this part of the country but is well known here. He came here several years ago and later bought a half interest in the Variety Store, one of Wahpeton's leading business houses, which he ran in partnership with the woman whom he was later to marry.

They will continue to make their home in Wahpeton and will return in about two weeks from a honeymoon touring trip.

The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington) 29 Dec 1994, Thu, page 8

Lillian B. Benoit; 1896-1994

Lillian B. Benoit was born in Stillwater, MN and died in Tacoma on Dec. 28, 1994. She was a resident of Pierce County since 1950. She was an elementary school teacher in ND. [survivors not transcribed]

Funeral services will be held Sat., Dec. 31, 10 a.m. at the TuelI-McKee Funeral Home Chapel of the Chimes. Private inurnment will follow. Arrangements by TuelI-McKee Funeral Home, 272-1414.

Variety Store owners in Wahpeton, North Dakota

The Variety Store (sometimes Variety Fair Store) changed hands every few years.

• 1900 approx, August Bergman
• 1911, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson
• 1913, H. Lundquist
• 1918, N. P. Brahy
• 1922, William and Lillian Bergman, August & Mary's children
• 1924, Laurent Benoit and Lillian Bergman (bankrupt 1927)

Sources

• 1900 Federal Census