Bloody Benders
| Bender Family | |
|---|---|
| Other names | John Bender Elvira Bender Kate Bender John Bender Jr. (son) |
| Killings | |
| Victims | 11 known |
|
Span of killings
|
1869–1872 |
| Country | United States |
| State(s) | Labette County, Kansas |
|
Date apprehended
|
Unknown |
Coordinates: 37°20′56″N 95°29′10″W / 37.349°N 95.486°W
The Bloody Benders were a family of serial killers who owned an inn and small general store in Labette County of southeastern Kansas from 1871 to 1873. The family consisted of John Bender; his wife, Elvira Bender; son, John, Jr.; and daughter, Kate. While Bender mythology holds that John Jr. and Kate were brother and sister, contemporary newspapers reported that several of the Benders' neighbors had stated that they claimed to be married, possibly a common law marriage.
They are believed to have killed at least a dozen travelers before their crimes were discovered and the family fled, with their fate uncertain. Much folklore and legend surrounds the Benders, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction.
Following the American Civil War, the United States government moved the Osage Indians from Labette County, Kansas to a new Indian Territory located in what would eventually be Oklahoma. The newly vacant land was then made available to homesteaders. In October 1870, five families of spiritualists settled in and around Osage township of western Labette County, approximately 7 mi (11 km) northeast of where Cherryvale would be established seven months later. One of the families was John Bender, Sr. and John Bender, Jr., who registered 160 acres (65 ha) of land located adjacent to the Great Osage Trail, which was then the only open road for traveling further west. After a cabin, a barn with corral, and a well were built, in the fall of 1871, Elvira Bender and her daughter, Kate, arrived, and the cabin was divided into two rooms by a canvas wagon-cover. The Benders used the smaller room at the rear for living quarters, while the front room was converted into a "general store" where a few dry goods were sold. The front section also contained the kitchen and dining table, where travelers could stop for a meal or even spend the night. Elvira and Kate Bender also planted a 2-acre (0.81 ha) vegetable garden and apple orchard north of the cabin.
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