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Bloody Benders

1872 in Kansas1872 murders in the United States1873 in Kansas1873 murders in the United States19th-century American criminals
American male criminalsAmerican murderers of childrenAmerican serial killersCrime familiesCrimes in KansasFugitivesMurder in KansasOutlaws of the American Old WestPeople from Labette County, KansasSerial killers from KansasYear of birth unknown
The Benders in Kansas (AKA Bloody Benders)
The Benders in Kansas (AKA Bloody Benders)

The Bender family, more well known as the Bloody Benders, were a family of serial killers in Labette County, Kansas, United States, from May 1871 to December 1872. The family supposedly consisted of John Bender, his wife Elvira (or Almira), their son John Jr., and their daughter Kate. Contemporary newspaper accounts reported that the Benders' neighbors claimed John and Kate were actually husband and wife, possibly via a common-law marriage. In 1890, Elvira Hill and her daughter Mrs. Sarah Davis, both of Michigan, were charged for being Elvira and Kate Bender. They proved they were not and were released.Estimates report that the Benders killed at least a dozen travelers, and perhaps as many as twenty before they were discovered. The family's fate remains unknown, with theories ranging from a lynching to a successful escape. Much folklore and legend surround the Benders, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Bloody Benders (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Bloody Benders
US 400,

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Latitude Longitude
N 37.349 ° E -95.486 °
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US 400
67341
Kansas, United States
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The Benders in Kansas (AKA Bloody Benders)
The Benders in Kansas (AKA Bloody Benders)
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Nearby Places

Big Hill Lake
Big Hill Lake

Big Hill Lake is a body of water in Labette County, Kansas, United States. It is located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Cherryvale and 9.5 miles (15.3 km) southwest of Parsons. The reservoir holds 1,240 acres (5.0 km2) of water, with 367 acres (1.49 km2) available for public use. Fishing, picnicking, boating, and a sandy beach swimming area are popular activities. The lake is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.Facilities available at Big Hill Lake include designated campsites both with and without utilities, group picnic and camping areas, primitive camping areas, potable water, sanitary facilities, boat launching ramps, playgrounds, a ball field and a swimming beach with a change house. Camping fees are collected at all of the park areas, and a day use fee is collected for the beach and boat ramps.Other features include the Big Hill Lake Horse Trail, which is 17 miles (27 km) long and winds along a scenic hardwood ridge. It also offers tethering areas and three parking areas which are equipped with limited facilities and may be used for overnight camping by trail riders. Various species of wildlife can be seen throughout the hike of the trail.Due to stocking, fish shelters and leaving large areas of timber and other vegetation standing, Big Hill Lake has developed into one of the most productive and popular fishing spots in the area. Principal species of sport fish include large mouth bass, crappie, channel and flathead catfish, bluegill, walleye and small mouth bass.With Big Hill Lake being one of the clearest lakes in Kansas, it has become a popular recreational destination in the region.

Southeast Kansas
Southeast Kansas

Southeast Kansas is a region of the U.S. state of Kansas. It can be roughly defined by Woodson County in the northwest, Bourbon County in the northeast, Cherokee County in the southeast, and Montgomery County in the southwest. Geographically it is dominated by a broad rolling landscape located between the Flint Hills to the west and includes the Ozarks to the southeast. Some notable towns there include Pittsburg, Parsons, Coffeyville, Independence, Chanute, Fort Scott, and Iola. The region has a land area of 13,624.13 km² (5,260.30 sq mi) and a 2000 census population of 180,815 inhabitants. It has 6.43% of the state's land area and 6.73% of its population. It is dominated by a broad rolling landscape that includes the Ozarks. It receives more precipitation than any other part of Kansas. Southeast Kansas is located in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem of North America. Originally inhabited by several Native American tribes, frontier towns largely dependent on cattle ranching, and mining, were wracked by violence over the issue of slavery both before and during the American Civil War (see Bleeding Kansas). While the area was part of the Tri-State lead and zinc mining district of southwest Missouri, southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma, the most prevalent mining in Southeast Kansas was coal mining. This is attributed to the amount of coal found and also the quality and thickness of coal in Southeast Kansas. Southeast Kansas offers one of the premier reconstructions of early life in the United States Army at Fort Scott National Historic Site.