Date of Death: 21 Apr 1917
Subject: Benjamin F. Earls
Source: Savannah Reporter, 27 Apr 1917, p. 1
Ben Earls the son of Jonathan Earls and [sic] early pioneer of this county, died at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sunday and the body will arrive in Savannah this Friday morning and burial will take place from the Burlington station. He was about eighty-two years of age, and leaves two children, Will of Salt Lake and Cora from Kansas. His wife, who was formerly Miss Mary Leland was raised in this county, and she survives him.
Source: Holt County Sentinel, 4 May 1917, p. 1
Frank Petree was over at Savannah, Friday of last week, attending the burial of his uncle, Benjamin F. Earls, a brother of Mr. Petree's mother, Lucy A. Petree. Charles F. and Arthur Petree, of Mound City, also attended the funeral. Mr. Ballard's mother was also a sister of the deceased.
The Earls family were among the earliest settlers of Andrew county. The father, Jonathan Earls, came from Kentucky in the year 1837, and left his family in Clay county, while he came to Andrew county and entered a homestead, one mile east of the present site of Savannah. His wife and children, five sons and five daughters, came in the early part of 1838. Mrs. Petree was a babe and Benjamin F. was about two years old.
The old Earls homestead was well known to the early settlers in Holt county. The meetings, or associations as they were then called, of the Baptist church were usually held at the Earls farm, and many of the old settlers from Holt county attended them.
Of the Earls family there are now only two left-- Mrs. Petree, now in Paris, Kentucky, with her daughter, Dr. Martha Petree, and Weeden S. Earls, of North Yakima, Washington. These are the two youngest children of the family. Weeden S. Earls was born in Andrew county. He is now 76 years of age, and Mrs. Petree is 79. The brother who just died was almost 82.