Senner, Benjamin P. (1903-1932)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1932 Jun 21 p. 13

Birth date: 1903

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 Jun 8 p. 1

Farmer Fatally Injured In Tractor Accident

By Review Correspondent.

Bloomfield, Mont., May 31. — A serious accident happened here on May 23 when Ben P. Senner, a middle aged man, was severely injured while working in the field with a tractor to which he had hitched a double disk and a drill. Mr. Senner was disking and seeding flax. As the fields are getting dry and his drill was dragging up some ground, he wanted to trip the drill to make it go over the ground it was dragging. The rope he used to trip the drill was too sort to reach the tractor seat, so he stepped down on the tongue of the disk. Here he lost his balance, falling to the ground. Before he had time to get away the disk and drill caught him, passing over him and breaking one of his legs, one arm , and crushing nearly all of his ribs. Also a number of other serious cuts and bruises were inflicted by the big disk.

Bill P. Graber, who had been hired by Mr. Senner, was burning thistles on the other end of the field, but could not see what was happening. However, as it was time to go home, he started for the tractor and found it in an unusual position. Hearing Mr. Senner he found him helpless and almost completely covered with ground. Mr. Graber managed to get him into the Ford coupe and immediately started for the hospital in Glendive, about 45 miles distant. Mr. Senner was a large, stout man, and did not realize that he was injured so badly. He lived only two days, which was a great shock for this community and also a lesson for others. However, Mr. Senner was ready to meet his Lord and lived an exemplary Christian life.

The funeral was held Sunday afternoon. A large crowd of people attended, only about one-half of which could be seated in the church. The service opened with the song "My Faith Looks Up to Thee", after which Rev. Burtch read from St. John 11:18 and led in prayer. The Chupp quartet of the Red Top Sunday School sang a selection and Rev. Swanson spike on "Charity, Eternity, and the Christian's Hope" from Colossians 1:5. The quartet of the church rendered a selection, after which Rev. Burtch spoke on "The Christian's Death." Another song was sung by the quartet.

Ben P. Senner was born in N. Dakota, but came to Montana with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Senner, about fifteen years ago. He was baptized and united with the church, in which he was a faithful worker until his death. He reached the age of 29 years, one moth, and three days. He leaves to mourn his untimely death his mother, three sisters at Monroe, Wash., and two brothers, Henry and Emil, who are living on a farm near Bloomfield. His mother came for the funeral, but the sisters found it impossible to attend.