Historian honored
Published 4:26 am Wednesday, May 9, 2007
By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES-A 91-year-old lifelong Niles resident was named the Fort St. Joseph Historical Association's 2007 Historian of the Year, during a brief ceremony at the Niles Community Library Tuesday evening.
Donna Ochenryder describes Patricia (Benson) Bachman as "a very deserving, long over-due recipient of the award."
"I am so surprised. I never expected this. It is a big honor," Bachman said.
Her daughter, Jeanne Watson of Niles, was proud of her mother. When Bachman suggested she did nothing to deserve it, her daughter quickly corrected her.
"Oh you deserve it," said Watson.
Born on July 28, 1915 at 1915 N. Fifth St., the only child of Jeanne Smith Benson and G. Dwight Benson, Bachman graduated from Niles High School in 1933. Her biography lists her as a teacher, author, urban renewal activist, Niles business and property owner and Niles historian.
She is the great-great-granddaughter of Jacob K. Brown, who was a Niles builder responsible for most of the fine early homes in Niles. His accomplishments included completion of construction on the Pike Hotel where the Four Flags now stands.
Bachman's reverence for columns from the old Michigan Inn, which now grace the Main and Fifth street entrances to the Chemical Bank Building, were saved from becoming landfill through the efforts of Bachman. She stored the eight-foot, 18,800-pound columns in her yard for 20 years.
Bachman is a Life Member of the Historical Society of Michigan with six books to her credit: "Carey Mission,""Early Niles," "Reddick Building," "Niles Memorabilia," "Ode to Propinquity" and "Public Schools of Niles."
Involved in education for a number of years she served as a grade school teacher in Pokagon, taught at both the Coldwater and Lapeer State Homes, was a diagnostician for Genesee County Schools in Flint and worked as a Psychologist for Lewis Cass School District in the late 70s.
Bachman won an award for professional achievement from the Michigan Association for Better Hearing.
She held both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree and obtained her Master of Arts degree, all from Western Michigan University.