OBITUARY
DR. JOHN BENJAMIN
John Benjamin was born in England, Jan. 5, 1823 and was the
son of Robert and Sarah (Perry) Benjamin.
He was reared and educated in the land of his birth, and lived there
until April 22, 1849, when he embarked for the United States. He landed at Boston thirty days later, and
made his home in that city until his removal, in 1855, to Rockford, Winnebago
county, Ill. In 1857, leaving Rockford
and being joined at St. Paul by Rollis(?) Burnham and C. P. Kitteridge, he came
to the little village of Hutchinson and having built a house, brought his
family to the place and lived there until the fall of 1862. This place was about three miles north of the
townsite, near Patrick Fallons’ place, where they lived until the Indian
outbreak, theirs being the first house burned at that time. Shortly after the outbreak, he located at the
homestead, just east of town, where he lived until the end.
Dr. Benjamin was united in marriage, June 5, 1851, to Miss
Elisabeth T. Garner, a native of England, and the daughter of Joseph and Mary
A. (Taylor) Garner. By this union they
had nine children, as follows: Mrs. W. L McKenzie, Robert G., John R., and Mrs.
Louisa Cooke, all of this locality; Mrs. Howard Bacon of Roseland, La. and Arthur
E. and Winfred G. of Minneapolis; Gridley, who died through exposure during the
Indian trouble, and Albert Byron, who was drowned in the Hassan River above the
village, June 8, 1881.
The following is a tribute from the pen of that other
pioneer, W. W. Pendergast, who shared with his now deceased comrade the
hardships, privations, joys and sorrows of the past forty-five years in McLeod
County:
“Dr.
John Benjamin, one of out earliest settlers, a most widely known and highly
respected citizen, passed over to the “unseen shore” on Saturday last.
This
sad occurrence had been, for several years, anticipated with heavy hearts by
his loving family and numerous friends.
At the advanced age of eighty years he was the same tender father and
true-hearted gentleman which characterized his life during all the time he was
with us, although age and diseased incident to it had made great inroads not
only upon his physical system, but upon his mental powers, naturally of a high
order as well.
Dr.
Benjamin came to this town with his good wife-who was truly a help-meet-and
three children, in 1857, and has been a continuous resident during the
forty-five years that have elapsed. Only
three other settlers have lived here as long as he. Few have built up s strong a character. No one has reared a more honest, respectful
and intelligent family that his useful sons and daughters have proved
themselves to be, and who, for these many years, have done more than their
share in raising the community to a higher condition and adding to the good
name of the place which, by their exemplary lives they still continue to honor.
In
the Sioux massacre when Capt. Strout returned from his defeat at Acton, he
managed to save from vengeance of the conquering Indians twenty-three wounded
men whom he brought home with him to Hutchinson on the 3rd of
September, 1862, from the day before the attack was make upon our little
settlement. In this desperate extremity
Dr. Benjamin was turned to all as the most fitting person to take charge of the
rude building, which, from the exigency of the situation, had been extemporized
into a hospital. Glad to make himself
useful, he accepted the position, and by means of his good judgement and
medical skill, brought all his patients through without loss of life or limb. For this magnificent service he should have
received a good pension during the term of his natural life, but his only
reward was that of an approving conscience and the feeling that he had tried to
do his duty to the best of his ability.
How grandly he succeeded, everyone of the twenty-three whom, despite the
almost entire lack of conveniences, he so skillfully treated, as well as the
soldiers and citizens who composed the camp, would, if still in the land of the
living, most heartily testify.
Dr.
Benjamin was a thorough and consistent temperance man, never neglecting to
strike a sturdy blow for the good cause whenever opportunity offered. Education, too, found in him a true friend
and liberal supporter. No tax levied for
the benefit of our common schools was ever too large, provided only that the
funds so derived should be judiciously expended. He was a conscientious Christian gentleman,
imbued with the idea that practical goodness is the handmaid of pure religion,
and essential to a successful Christian life.
So while his faith shone bright his life was liberally sown with good
works.”
The funeral was held from the old homestead, just out of
town, Monday afternoon.
Source: Hutchinson Leader - Oct 10, 1902
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