Benton Center Cemetery

now known as  Benton Rural Cemetery

Havens Corners Road near Flat St.

Benton Center, Yates Co., NY

If you would like to submit Yates Co Cemetery data to this site please contact me.  Copyright resides with the contributor.  Owned and transcribed by Dianne Thomas

 L - Z

Currently called Benton Rural Cemetery

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Geneva NY Gazette      July   1809-1813                    by Dianne Thomas

MARRIED In Benton, a short time since, Samuel Lawrence, Esq. to. Mrs. Polly Kidder.

Penn Yan Democrat             Tuesday             May 28, 1850           by Dianne Thomas

PURSUANT to an order of A. Oliver, Surrogate, notice is hereby given to all persons having claim against the estate of William Lawrence, late of Milo, deceased, to present the same with the vouchers thereof, to us, the undersigned, at our dwelling house in Milo, in the county of Yates, on or before the 13th day of November next.     Dated, Milo, May 3d 1850.

POLLY LAWRENCE,

ALEXANDER M. LAWRENCE.

RICHARD LAWRENCE, Administrators

Geneva Daily Times               Thursday               Sept 24, 1903                         by Dianne Thomas

Daniel Miilspaugh, of Benton died Tuesday, aged eighty-two years. He was one of the pioneer residents of that town. He is survived by his widow. The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon. Burial in the Benton Center cemetery.

Rochester NY Democrat Chronicle           Saturday                      May 5, 1917                  by Dianne Thomas   

Miss Elisabeth M. Poole - Penn Yan, May 4 - Miss Elisabeth M. Poole, 81 years old, died last night at the home of her brother, William J. Poole, near Benton Center, A few days since she fell down stairs at her home, in Dresden, breaking several ribs and receiving bruises.

She managed to get upstairs to her bedroom, where she fell at the side of the bed. She lay there, unable to rise from 8 o'clock in the afternoon till 10 the next morning, when she was found by Mrs. Denniston, a neighbor. She was later taken to her brother's home for care. She leaves another brother, Frank, of Benton, and a sister, Miss Sophia, of Geneva. 

The funeral will take place from the home of William J. Poole tomorrow afternoon at 8:30. Rev. Butenberger, of Benton Center, will officiate. Burial will be in Benton Center cemetery.

Penn Yan Democrat         Friday          March 4,  1921                   by Dianne Thomas

Public Sale of Benton Farm - In order to close an estate, I, the undersigned, will offer at public sale to the highest bidder, at the front steps, of the Benham House, in the Village of Penn Yan, on March 5, 1921, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, the Peter Palmatier Farm, situated in the Town of Benton, Yates county, New York, about one-half mile west of State Road and Crane Farm, and consisting of about one hundred and ten (110) acres of land. 

The terms of the sale are cash; but fifty per cent, of the purchase price may remain on said farm, secured by bond and mortgage of the purchaser.

CHARLES H. MALLORY, Attorney-in-Fact, Penn Yan, N. Y., R. D. 9.   

SPENCER F. LINCOLN, Attorney For Estate, Penn Yan, N.Y. 

Dated at Penn Yan, N. Y., February 18th, 1921.

Geneva Daily Times                   Thursday                    September 26, 1929             by Dianne Thomas

L. M. Nichols Dies - Aged 82 in Penn Yan -  Penn Yan, Sept. 26 - Libbeus M. Nichols descendant of one of the pioneer settlers of Milo, Yates County, passed away at his home at 115 Stark Avenue on Wednesday at the age of 82 years.

He was descended from Isaac Nichols, who, with his wife, Anna Boon Nichols, was numbered among the Rhode Island contingent of pioneer settlers of Milo. They were followers of Jemima Wilkinson, known to her colony as the Universal Friend.  

Isaac Nichols located on the tract of land, which was named Nichols' Corners and afterward and now known as Milo Center. The father of Libbeus was Loring G. Nichols and his mother, Charlotte Guile Nichols.

When a young man of 20, he went to the West, locating in Ohio, where he remained until about 30 years ago, when he returned to Yates County, purchasing a farm on Flat street in the town of Benton, living there until a few years ago, when advancing years caused his retirement from active farming, and he, with his wife who died about three years ago, purchased a home on Stark Avenue. He was an ardent republican in politics, although he did not seek public office.

He is survived by one son, Loren Nichols, of Benton; a brother, Andrew of Milo; a sister, Mrs. Dora Owen, of Penn Yan; and a granddaughter Miss Arlene Nichols, of Benton. The funeral will be held from the home in Stark Avenue on Friday morning at 10 o'clock. Rev. F. E. Morey, of Benton, officiating. Burial will be made in Benton cemetery.

Penn Yan Democrat               February     1930                       by Dianne Thomas

LARSEN- At her home in Benton, Friday, February 7, 1930,  Mrs. Emma Larsen, aged 40 years. She is survived by her husband, Chris M. Larsen; a son, Arthur, at home; her parents, two sister and one brother in Denmark. The funeral services were held from the Corcoran funeral parlors, on Sunday afternoon, Rev. H. P. Berthelsen officiating. Commitment in the receiving vault in Lake View cemetery.

Webster Herald                        Friday                       April 25, 1941                by Dianne Thomas

DRS. EZRA B. POTTER, SR AND JR - 

The story of Dr. Ezra B. Potter was written by his daughter, Mrs. Eva P. Remington and printed in the Webster Herald January 13, 1939; Main facts from that article are used here.

Dr. Ezra Potter, Sr., was born in Warren's Patent, Essex County, New York, in 1810. He attended Lima Seminary the first year of its existence, In 1833, working on a farm for his board. From there he went to Benton Center, Yates County, teaching in country schools and studying in a local doctor's office.

As he earned money, he attended lectures in Geneva Medical College (now Syracuse Medical) and finally graduated from Buffalo Medical College in 1848.

In 1849,  Dr. Potter came to Webster, buying the good will of Dr. Butler's practice, who went to California. With him were his wife, Rebecca Secor, and their two little sons. Here, for nearly forty years he traveled bad roads in all kinds of weather through Webster and adjoining districts. 

Genial, cheerful and "very kind". Dr. Potter's patients were his firm friends. He was a sympathetic friend and Wise counselor in all their troubles and was greatly beloved. The grandchildren of his early patients were often his later ones. 

He was a member of the Center Methodist Church and was on the committee which planned the Webster Methodist Church in the village in 1860. He was a steward and active in its financial support and religious interests, through his life until illness prevented. 

Mrs. Potter was also an active church worker, Sunday school teacher, and a leader in W. C. T. U. work. Both were interested in educational opportunities and the doctor was a trustee of Webster Academy.  

He voted for Lincoln and was an ardent advocate for abolition of slavery. 

Dr. Potter died in 1887, and Mrs. Potter in 1903.

His son, Dr. Ezra Potter, Jr. was born in Benton Center, Oct. 1, 1848. He received his early education at the Webster Academy and Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima. He attended Ann Arbor- Medical College and the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1872 from the latter college. 

That year Webster was stricken with an epidemic of spinal meningitis. The doctors, father and son, and Dr. Dunning rode night and day, going days at a time with almost no sleep. 

For ten years after graduation, young Dr. Ezra Potter was associated with his father in Webster.  In 1882 he went to Rochester as assistant superintendent in the Monroe County Insane Asylum, which was changed to the "Rochester State Hospital" in 1890. 

Here his work, which was largely administrative, did much to bring the standards of that institution to a high level. He was respected and beloved by the employees, patients and their friends.

Dr. Eugene Howard said of his service, "Dr. Potter brought to his work 'an exceptional skill and a sympathetic Interest . . . He was devoted to his profession . . . . and his achievements are written in the progress of the Institution.''   

He died June 24, 1921, age 72 years. He was survived by his wife, Dr. Marion Craig Potter of Rochester; a son. Dr. J. Craig Potter, a graduate of Johns Hopkins' Medical School; and two sisters, Miss Emma Potter and Mrs. Eva Potter Remington, former Webster residents.

Penn Yan Democrat                 Friday                  January 23, 1942                  by Dianne Thomas

Miss C Arlene Nichols, age 37, for the past 16 years dental hygienist  in the Utica public schools, died at the home of her parents,  Mr. and Mrs. Loren Nichols, Flat St., here, January 17. Born in the town of Benton, Yates County, September 19, 1904, she was educated in Benton schools and was graduated in 1923 from Penn Yan Academy. 

For one year she was assistant in the Dr. J. Harvey Wheeler dental office in Penn Yan. In 1924 she entered the Eastman Dental Dispensary of the University of Rochester, graduating in 1926 when she become dental hygienist in Utica. She was a member of the Foreign Dental Society of Utica; member of the Dental Hygiene Society of Utica; founder of the Mohawk Dental Association, and during 1940 served as secretary of that society she was a member of, the executive board of the National Dental Hygiene Association; a member of Hygiene Association; vice-president of the New York State Dental Hygiene Association; a member of Grace Episcopal Church of Utica. and of the Utica Rotarians. 

Her parents are her only survivors.  Funeral services were held at the funeral chapel, 201 East Elm Street, Penn Yan, at 2 p. m,, Tuesday. Rev. Erwin Bennett, pastor of Benton Methodist. Church, officiating.  Burial in Benton Rural cemetery.  Bearers were Earl Newcomb, William Reiners, Glenn Anderson, Archie Ingram, Walter P. Clark and Charles Butcher, Jr.

Geneva Daily Times             Wednesday        Mar 21, 1945              by Dianne Thomas

Hospital Ship Orderly Has Furlough At Home - Penn Yan, Mar 21, 1945  Pvt. Arthur Larsen, US Army, recently spent a few days furlough at his home here. Pvt. Larsen is an orderly on an American hospital ship which receives the evacuated wounded from the fighting fronts.  Before entering military service, Pvt.  "Art" was an orderly at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital, Penn Yan.  [In April 1945, his father, Chris M. Larsen, died.]

The Rhinebeck Gazette             Thursday                         January 22, 1959             by Dianne Thomas

Mrs. E. Eugene Smith, 76, of Benton, NJ, died suddenly Sunday Jan. 18, in the Northern Dutchess Health Center, where she was removed after suffering a heart seizure, while visiting her daughter, Miss Alta Smith of 76 South Broadway, Red Hook. 

The former Miss Laura E. Saulstick, Mrs. Smith was the daughter of Philip and Caroline Ketterer Saulstick. Surviving are four daughters, Miss Smith, Mrs. William Reiners of Penn Yan, Mrs. John DeVuyst of Palmyra and Mrs. Saxon Schreiber of Lyons; two sons: Edward and Alton Smith, of Penn Yan; 16 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, a brother, Charles Saulstick of Geneva and a sister, Mrs. Bertha Wild of Elmira.

Funeral services were conducted at the Thayer Funeral Home in Penn Yan, Wednesday. Burial was in the Benton Cemetery under the direction of Elroy C. Hand.

Geneva Daily Times                         Thursday                          April 30, 1959               by Dianne Thomas

Mr. and Mrs. John DeVayst, of Palmyra; Mr. and Mrs. Saxon  Schreiber, of Lyons; Mr. and Mrs. Elwood Smith, of Penn Yan; Miss Alta Smith, of Redhook, N. Y., Mrs. William Reiners, after attending the burial of their mother, Mrs. Laura Smith, which was held in Benton Rural Cemetery.

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