The (Benyon) Family - Brighton Massachusetts - Auburndale Mansion - 1872 - Artist George Henry Story

The Family - by George Henry Story
(Public Domain)

The great 19^th century successful American Middle Class grand family portrait painting – “The Family” by Artist George Henry Story is said to be of the Boston banker Abner Ingalls Benyon's family, and said to be painted in 1872 in the Benyon Mansion in Auburndale Massachusetts.

Public records show the Benyon family situated in Brighton Mass. where all their children were born.

The year 1872 seems to be highpoint in Abner Ingalls Benyon’s banking career with a listing at the National Exchange Bank as both president and a director in 1872, having working his way up through the ranks first as a Paying Teller in 1856 at this same bank and along the way working as a Cashier, next step up in the banking business, in 1862 at the Brighton Market Bank in Brighton Mass..

The year 1872 saw Abner Benyon named as Vice President of a new Homoeopathic Medical School also operating as the Medical Department of Boston College. This alongside his other duties as one time Treasurer and long term Trustee of same college / university 1872-1883.

Abner Benyon, with a middle name of Ingalls that matches a middle name of the brother in law of the artist, Hannibal Ingalls Kimball, the commission for the painting may have come through a family connection.

Mr. Benyon was all the talk of the east coast in 1882 when he quickly migrated to Canada and Mexico and back to Canada after indictments of embezzlement against him were about to be delivered on him in his then position as president of the Pacific National Bank Boston.

Abner Ingalls Benyon born 1832, died in Toronto in 1888 and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery Cambridge Mass..

Historical Brighton – Volume 2 - 1902

In Brighton –

Abner Ingalls  Benyon married to Ruthanna J Towne

Children:

George Henry Benyon  1857-1926

Carrie L Benyon  Dec 4 1860 – Apr 5 1866

Arthur Ingalls Benyon  Mar 17 1863 - 1903

John W Benyon – dates ?

Elizabeth Benyon – dates ?

Luther Benyon – dates ?

Abner Benyon – dates ?

Presumed Tags to Figures in Painting Above:

1 - George Henry Benyon

2 - Abner Ingalls Benyon 

3 - Arthur Ingalls Benyon

4 - John W Benyon

5 - Ruthanna J Benyon

6 - Baby Abner Benyon (?)

7 - Elizabeth Benyon

8 - Luther Benyon (?)

9 – Unidentified Relative

10- Unidentified Relative

11- (Presumed) Grandmother Towne (?) or Benyon (?)

12- (Presumed) Carrie L Benyon Dec 4 1860 – Apr 5 1866

January 6, 2018

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