1900 Census, Allegheny City, Allegheny County, Pa.
Pasture Lane
John Benkart, Head, b Nov 1870, 29, mar 9 yrs, Retail milkman, b Pa., father b Ger, mother b Pa.
Lindow, Wife, b Oct 1872, 27, 6 children/6 living, b Pa., father b Ger., mother b Ire.
Louella, Dau., b June 1892, 7, school, b Pa
Elva, Dau., b Nov 1893, 6, school, b Pa.
Raymond, Son, b Mar 1895, 5, b Pa.
Earl, Son, b Feb 1897, 3, b Pa.
Winifred, Dau., b Feb 1899, 1, b Pa.
Ethel, Dau., b Apr 1900, 10 mos, b Pa.
Charles Turner, Servant, b May 1882, 18, b Pa.

1910 Census, Pittsburgh City, Allegheny County, Pa.
Irwin Ave. Extension, near Uniondale Cemetery
John Benkart, Head, 39, mar 19 yrs, Milk Dealer; own wagon, b Pa., parents b Ger.
Mary, Wife, 37, 10 children/8 living, b Pa., parents b Ger.
Luella, Dau., 17, b Pa
Elva, Dau., 16, stenographer, b Pa.
Raymond, Son, 15, b Pa.
Earl, Son, 13, b Pa.
Winifred, Dau., 11, b Pa.
Ethel, Dau., 10, b Pa.
Mercedes, Dau., 7, b Pa.
Alberta, Dau., 3, b Pa.
Martin Sullivan, Boarder, 17, b Pa.

1920 Census, Pittsburgh City, Allegheny County, Pa.
Palace Ade [Palisade] Lane
John Benkart, Head, 49, Laborer in Iron Works, b Pa., father b Ger., mother b Pa.
Mary, Wife, 47, 10 children/8 living, b Pa., father b Ger., mother b Ire.
Luella, Dau., 27, nun hospital, b Pa
Elva, Dau., 26, nun hospital, b Pa.
Raymond, Son, 24, brakeman railroad, b Pa.
Earl, Son, 22, brakeman railroad, b Pa.
Winifred, Dau., Bookkeeper, 20, b Pa.
Ethel, Dau., 19, stenographer storage co., b Pa.
Mercedes, Dau., clerk, 16, b Pa.
Alberta, Dau., 13, b Pa.
Winifred Lindow, Mother-in-law, immig 1870, 67, b Ire. Fred Lindow, brother-in-law, 35, laborer, b Pa.

At the time of the 1930 census, John J. Benkart and wife, Mary (Lindow), were living on Palisade Lane with daughter, Mercedes A., the wife of Jerome W. Thomas. ELVA BENKART, 36, born in Pennsylvania, was found working as a Registered Nurse at the North Wheeling [Catholic] Hospital, Main Street, Wheeling, Ohio County, W. Va. In 1922, she received license #2435 to practice nursing in the State of West Virginia.

OBITUARY: BUCK, Elva A., age 74, formerly of Pittsburgh, Friday, Nov. 22, 1968, of 1700 Pierce St., Hollywood, Fla. Survived by her husband Lawrence Buck; brother Earl J. Benkart of Pittsburgh; three sisters, Sr. Mary Gerard O.S.F. of Pittsburgh, Mrs. Ethel M. Semler of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and Mrs. Mercedes Thomas of Miramar, Fla. Calling hours will be held at Winter Funeral Chapel, Hollywood, from 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Requiem mass Monday 1 p.m. Church of the Little Flower in Hollywood. Interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Broward County, Florida.

From MARILYN MURTHA JEFFERS (mrlynjeff@aol.com): We were always told by our mother that Elva was a teacher, so the fact that she was also an RN is new. She did go on to become a nun, but left the order sometime in the early 30's and married Lawrence/Larence Buck. She died 11/22/1968 in Hollywood, FL. - Elva's older sister, Louella (Sr. Girard: Born June 1892: Died May 22, 1975 while in retirement) worked as the head of the physical therapy dept. at St. Francis for many years.- We used to visit Sr. Girard quite often at the convent. I would like to find information on my Aunt Louella Benkart (AKA Sr. Girard).