Guide to the Benbough Family Collection
MS 243
Finding aid prepared by Samantha Mills
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
San Diego History Center Document Collection
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
March 7, 2013
Title: Benbough Family Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 243
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
2.75 Linear feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1899-1992
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English and German.
Abstract: This collection contains Benbough family papers and records from the family mortuary business as well as scrapbooks and newspaper
clippings pertaining to Percy Benbough’s civic career.
creator:
Benbough family
Preferred Citation
Benbough Family Collection, MS 243, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Samantha Mills on March 7, 2013.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Biographical / Historical Notes
Percy J. Benbough was born in Watford, England on April 14, 1884, to Isaac and Sarah Ann Benbough. His family moved to San
Diego, CA in 1889. In 1905 he married Grace Legler, a native of Valley Falls, Kansas. She moved to San Diego with him, where
they opened Benbough Mortuary. Benbough Funeral Parlors eventually grew to include mortuaries throughout Southern California
and into Arizona. Percy soon transitioned into civil service, and served as a San Diego City Councilman and Fire Chief in
1913, as Chief of Police in 1931, and as Mayor from 1935 till his death on November 4, 1942. Grace remained active in the
mortuary business and San Diego club life till her death on October 12, 1961.
George Legler Benbough (commonly referred to as Legler Benbough) was born to Grace and Percy in 1909. He managed the family
mortuary business after his father’s death. Legler was a lifelong bachelor and spent much of his time traveling and collecting
antiques. He was also a well-known philanthropist. In 1985 he established the charitable Benbough Foundation, and in 1987
he sold the 22,000 acre Benbough family ranch in Rancho Santa Fe to fund its operations. Legler died in 1998.
Scope and Content
This collection contains Benbough family papers including Percy, Grace and Legler Benbough. Papers include correspondence,
club certificates, school papers, and newspaper clippings regarding family recreational activities and philanthropy. There
are several business records from the family mortuary business, Benbough Funeral Parlors. The collection also contains scrapbooks
and newspaper clippings regarding Percy Benbough’s service as a City Councilman, Fire Chief, Police Chief, and Mayor of San
Diego.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged into two series:
Series I: Benbough Family Papers
Series II: Percy Benbough Civic Papers
Items within each series are arranged by subject.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Benbough family
Benbough Foundation.
Benbough Funeral Parlors.
Benbough Mortuary.
Benbough, George Legler
Benbough, Grace Legler
Benbough, Percy J.
Cypress View Mausoleum.
San Diego (Calif.). City Council.
San Diego (Calif.). Police Dept.
San Diego (Cruiser : CL-53).
City council members
Correspondence
Funeral homes
Mayors
Mayors -- Election
Political campaigns
San Diego (Calif.)
San Diego (Calif.). Fire & Life Safety Services
School yearbooks
Scrapbooks
Undertakers and undertaking
Series I:
Benbough Family Papers
Box-folder 1:1
Family correspondence,
1905 March 23-1992 October 1
Box-folder 1:2
Family correspondence,
undated
Box-folder 1:3
Family school papers,
1899-1927
Includes:
Legler Benbough’s 1927 High School Yearbook
Grace Legler's diploma from Valley Falls, Kansas High School, June 2, 1899 (in Oversize Collections D3)
Grace Legler's diploma from Great Bend, Kansas Normal School, August 14, 1900 (in Oversize Collections D3)
Legler Benbough's Certificate of Penmanship, October 9, 1923 (in Oversize Collections D3)
Box-folder 1:4
Family mortuary business,
1927-1976
Includes:
Mausoleum building agreement
Embalming licenses for Legler Benbough
Property appraisal
Box-folder 1:5
Family mortuary business: newspaper articles and advertisements,
1918 March 3-1932 May 31 and undated
Box-folder 1:6
Grace Benbough: U.S.S. San Diego Christening,
1941 June 14-1987 September 21 and undated
Box-folder 1:7
Legler Benbough: Clubs and organizations,
1925-1970 and undated
Box-folder 1:8
Family newspaper articles,
1912 October 6-1922 August 25 and undated
Includes:
Articles on the Benboughs’ real estate acquisitions, recreational events, philanthropy, and society news.
Box-folder 1:9
Miscellanea,
1913-1915 and undated
Includes:
Copies of a poem presented to Grace Legler Benbough before her marriage
Deed
Guest sign-in sheet
Series II:
Percy Benbough Civic Papers
Box-folder 3:1
"The Outlaw Race" scrapbook,
1912
Box-folder 1:10
"The Outlaw Race" scrapbook (copy),
1912
Box-folder 1:11
Councilman / Fire Chief,
1913 March 26-1928 September 13 and undated
Box-folder 1:12
1927 Mayoral Campaign correspondence,
1927 April 1-8 and undated
Box-folder 1:13
1927 Mayoral Campaign newspaper articles,
1927 February 12-April 6
Box-folder 1:14
1927 Mayoral Campaign newspaper articles and advertisements,
1927
Includes:
Two newspaper advertisements in German
Box-folder 1:15
Police Chief,
1929 October 23-1931 August 2 and undated
Box-folder 3:2
"The Mayor Says" scrapbook,
1935 August 10-1937 October 3
Box-folder 1:16
"The Mayor Says" scrapbook (copy),
1935 August 10-1937 October 3
Box-folder 3:3
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 1-54),
1935 January 1-July 24
Box-folder 1:17
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 1-54) (copy),
1935 January 1-July 24
Box-folder 4:1
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 55-118),
1935 July 9-December 25
Box-folder 2:1
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 55-118) (copy),
1935 July 9-December 25
Box-folder 4:2
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 119-178),
1936 January 1-July 31
Box-folder 2:2
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 119-178) (copy),
1936 January 1-July 31
Box-folder 4:3
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 179-226),
1936 June 7-1937 April 24
Box-folder 2:3
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 179-226) (copy),
1936 June 7-1937 April 24
Box-folder 4:4
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 227-274),
1937 April 1-December 29
Box-folder 2:4
"Mayor of San Diego" scrapbook (pages 227-274) (copy),
1937 April 1-December 29
Box-folder 2:5
Newspaper articles, Mayor of San Diego,
1940 July 8-1942 November 5 and undated
Box-folder 2:6
Miscellanea,
1930-1931 and undated
Includes:
H. H. Scott bid for Chief of Police
David Roscoe letter to Mayor Elect Walter W. Austin
