Hist. Mss. 1-392
George Lewis Bender, 1867-1921
Elsie Kolb Bender, 1875-1949
Papers, 1886-1957
Contained in 18 boxes (green)
Photographs, 1880-1950 [Hist. Mss. 4-43]

Introduction

Florence E. Bender donated materials for this collection to the Archives in 1969-1970.

George L. Bender was a leader in the mission movement of the Mennonite Church serving as treasurer and financial agent of the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. He was also cofounder and treasurer of other church agencies and played an important role in the Prairie Street Mennonite Church, Elkhart, Indiana. He was married to Elsie Kolb and was the father of seven children.

Series Headings

Correspondence Boxes 1-16
Miscellaneous Boxes 17-18

Box Listing

Box 1 Correspondence - G.L. Bender, 1886-1896, 1919-1921 Green
Box 2 Correspondence - Harold Stauffer Bender, 1909-1939 Green
Box 3 Correspondence - Cecil and Alice Bender, 1929-1946 Green
Box 4 Correspondence - Florence Bender, 1918-1939 Green
Box 5 Correspondence - Florence Bender, 1940-1949 Green
Box 6 Correspondence - Florence Bender, 1946-1957 Green
Box 7 Correspondence - John Bender, 1928-1949 Green
Box 8 Correspondence - Robert Bender, 1920-1946 Green
Box 9 Correspondence - Violet Bender Turner, 1924-1929 Green
Box 10 Correspondence - Violet Bender Turner, 1930-1939 Green
Box 11 Correspondence - Violet Bender Turner, 1940-1948 Green
Box 12 Correspondence - Wilbur Bender, 1919-1936 Green
Box 13 Correspondence - Wilbur Bender, 1937-1949 Green
Box 14 Correspondence - Elsie Bender, 1896-1930 Green
Box 15 Correspondence - Elsie Bender, 1931-1944 Green
Box 16 Correspondence - Elsie Bender, 1945-1947 Green
Box 17 Miscellaneous - clippings, programs, invitations Green
Box 18 Miscellaneous - clippings, programs, invitations Green

Inventory Listing

Correspondence (Boxes 1-16)

The correspondence includes some of G.L. Bender's and Elsie Kolb Bender's correspondence as well as correspondence written to them by their children. Some of the children's correspondence also contains letters written to them by others. All correspondence is arranged chronologically within each box.

Box 1 (green)

George Lewis Bender, 1886-1896, 1919-1921

Box 2 (green)

Harold Stauffer Bender, 1909-1939

Box 3 (green)

Cecil and Alice Bender, 1929-1946

Boxes 4-6 (green)

Florence Bender, 1918-1953

Box 7 (green)

John Bender, 1928-1949

Box 8 (green)

Robert Bender, 1920-1946

Boxes 9-11 (green)

Violet Bender Turner, 1924-1948

Boxes 12-13 (green)

Wilbur Bender, 1919-1942

Boxes 14-16 (green)

These boxes contain correspondence of Elsie Kolb Bender, 1896-1947. Most of this correspondence is with her sister, Lucinda Kolb. However, box 16 also contains the following folders:
16/6 - Correspondence received, 1910-1947
16/7 - Correspondence from Joe and Anna Brubaker, 1913-1948
16/8 - Sympathy letters, 1921
16/9 - Christmas Cards
16/10- Miscellaneous cards
16/11- Get well cards, 1921, 1949

Boxes 17-18 (These boxes contain miscellaneous items.)

Box 17 (green)

17/1 - Newspaper clippings
17/2 - Newspaper clippings
17/3 - Newspaper clippings
17/4 - Newspaper clippings
17/5 - Newspaper clippings
17/6 - Newspaper clippings
17/7 - Programs, wedding invitations, etc.
17/8 - Reunions
17/9 - Programs, etc.
17/10- Programs, etc.

Box 18 (Green)

18/1 - Elsie Bender's Birth Certificate
18/2 - Bills and Receipts
18/3 - Death notices of GLB and EKB
18/4 - Death notices of Friends
18/5 - Finances: Notes, mortgages, will, etc.
18/6 - GLB's tablet, 1889
18/7 - Hymn of GLB
18/8 - Life of D.H. Bender
18/9 - Meyersdale School & Teachers Institute
18/10 - Prairie Street Church
18/11 - Teachers' Licenses
18/12 - Wedding

Name and Subject Tracing

Bender, Cecil Box 3
Bender, Elsie Boxes 14-16
Bender, Florence Boxes 4-6
Bender, George Lewis Box 1
Bender, Harold Stauffer Box 2
Bender, John Box 7
Bender, Robert Box 8
Bender, Wilbur Boxes 12-13
Kolb, Lucinda Boxes 14-16

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02-11-98/tvg
05-16-78/Sharon Klingelsmith
Archives of the Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana