Ben Hulse History
Hon. Ben Hulse
Hon. Ben Hulse
Born in Washington County, Arkansas, September 24, 1894, he is a son of John and Drusilla (Delano) Hulse, the former also a native of that state, while the latter was born in Indiana. The father, a prosperous farmer, served as United States marshal and has long been one of the influential men of his district. There were eight children in the family and seven are living.
Reared on the home place, Hon. Ben Hulse early became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the farm-bred boy and while living in his native state acquired a high school education, which was supplemented by a course in a business college at Los Angeles, California. After working in a machine shop at Stockton, California, for two years he came to Imperial County and began handling tractors, having the first enterprise of the kind in the county. His mercantile activities were centered in Calexico, Imperial County, from 1910 to 1920, during which period he laid the foundation of his present success. He deals extensively in automobiles, tractors, and farm implements, with large plants at Yuma, Arizona, where he operates under the name of Hulse & Dick, and at El Centro, California, sells Ford cars and caterpillar tractors under the firm style of Hulse & Anderson. His well defined plans and capable management have enabled him to create a highly efficient mercantile organization and he is classed with the foremost men in his line in Southern California. He has materially stimulated the progress of agriculture in Imperial County and in Mexico has done notable work in that connection, developing one hundred and twenty-five thousand acres of farmland.
In 1919, Mr. Hulse was married to Miss Bessie Phenia, of Kentucky, and they resided in a desirable home in Imperial. Mrs. Hulse worships in the Christian Church and is active in its behalf, also participating in the social life of her community. Mr. Hulse belongs to the Calexico Lodge of Elks, and his Masonic affiliations are with Imperial Lodge, No. 390, F. & A.M.; Chapter, R.A.M.; San Diego Council, R. & S.M.; San Diego Consistory, A.A.S.R.; and Al Bahr Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., at San Diego. A civic worker, he has served on the school board and is active in the affairs of the Calexico Chamber of Commerce. Selected as a supervisor of Imperial County, he was twice made chairman of the board, and is now a member of the state senate, to which he was elected on the Republican ticket in November, 1932. He represents the Thirty-ninth district and has served on the taxation and other important committees. He has a strong sense of duty and honor and is an efficient public servant, while as a business man he stands equally high.
Transcribed By: Michele Y. Larsen on August 19, 2012.
Source: California of the South Vol. V, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 243-244, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
Senator Benjamin Hulse
Ben Hulse Monument