Ellen Benoit, known as Ella was born in Webster County Iowa in 1877. She received her early education in a Jackson Township School and was very possibly the first of the Benoit children to attend St. Matthew's School in Clare when it opened in 1892. Around 1900 Ella married Lucian Brown whose father operated a bowling alley in Gilmore City. Lucian was a painter by trade and two of his sons Floyd and Vincent would follow him into that trade.

Floyd was born in 1901 and lived all his life in the family home in Gilmore City. He died in 1980.LaVerne, born in 1903, moved to California where he died in 1973. Ida, born in 1906, married Wallace Molander and moved to Humbolt and later Fort Dodge where she died in 1971. Lester born in 1912 died in 1914. Melvin born in 1914 died in 1917. The two youngest daughters Arlene and Mary moved to California where they were still living when the Gilmore City Centennial Booklet was published in the early 1980s. Lucian died in Gilmore City in 1945. Ella lived until 1970.

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