Benton Clay Quessenberry
Ben Quessenberry was born on October 18, 1880 in Willis, Floyd County, Virginia to Eva Jane Slusher and William Henry Quessenberry. His mother, Eva Jane was born in 1842 in Floyd County Virginia, and his father, William, was born in 1842 in Indian Valley, Virginia. Ben had 6 siblings, and one half-sister. His father fought in the Civil War, was taken prisoner, and because of damage to his lungs was sent to Glendale, Arizona for the clean air, where he died in 1898.
Ben was educated through 8th grade, and at the age of 16 set out driving cattle on the open range. He befriended a number of Mexican men who bought cattle from him. In 1898, he moved to Arizona to be with his mother who was recently widowed. In 1900, he married Rose Louise Lutgerding in Phoenix. They had a daughter, Velma in 1902; a son, Clay, in 1903; and another daughter, Lydia, in 1905.
Sadly, Velma took ill at the age of 10, and passed away. Both Ben and Rose were devastated. Rose never recovered from the loss of her daughter.
In 1925, Ben returned to the cattle industry and opened a cattle ranch in El Centro, Imperial Valley, California. The business quickly grew, and he had more than 200 head of cattle, a fleet of trucks for transporting them, and was very successful at auction houses. In 1930 he met his second wife, Ruth Hohl, and they were married. Ben and Ruth had a daughter, Virginia Dawn, born in 1932.
By 1935, the effects of the depression finally hit Ben and Ruth's cattle ranch. They sold what they had, and moved to Manteca, California, where they had family. Ben helped on the family farms in Manteca, Lodi, and Elkhorn California. They were lean, difficult years. Then World War II broke out, and the family moved to Stockton, California, where Ben worked in the shipyards, along with many other men who were not young enough to join the armed forces.
Ben suffered a massive heart attack in 1950, but with good medical care, he recovered fully. Later that year, he started a gardening business and had many wealthy clients, including Stockton Golf and Country Club. He continued this business until his death.
Ben was a loving father and grandfather, and a man of few words. He had a marvelous sense of humor, and enjoyed 'playing the ponies' on occasion. In 1963, he suffered a serious stroke. Ben passed away after several days in the hospital.
He was well-loved and his loss was deeply felt by many. May his spirit rest in peace.
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