Town of Benton Sketches

MALLORY,Almon C., for a quarter of a century devoted his life to ministerial work inBenton. He was born in Cornwall,Litchfield County, Conn., and was ordained as minister of the Baptist Church onSeptember 30, 1840. During hisforty-five years in the ministry he was pastor of but three churches, elevenyears at Wayne, Steuben County, twenty-four years at Benton Center and ten yearsat Covert, Seneca County. He diedin Benton, September 17, 1888. Hischildren were Sara H., who became the wife of James S. WILLIAMS, and died in1867; and Bradley T., a farmer and insurance agent of Benton Center.

MARINER,Buel, born in Connecticut, January 5, 1775, died in Benton, NY, January 6, 1852. His wife, Esther LORD, born August 10, 1784, died September 11, 1875. They were married in Connecticut and had children as follows: John bornJune 20, 1808, died in Illinois; Jewett, born August 12, 1811, died inJerusalem, NY; Eliphalet, born August 20, 1813, died in Illinois; Orin, bornDecember 28, 1816, lives in Illinois; Henry, born March 10, 1818, resides inIllinois; Myron, born July 7, 1810, resides in Bloomfield, Ontario County; JayLord, born September 29, 1822, died in Milo in 1849; and Homer, born March 1.1825. Buel MARINER came to YatesCounty about 1820, and bought 260 acres. Hewas one of Benton�s most successful farmers. Homer MARINER, youngest of the children of Buel MARINER, is recognized asa leading farmer and influential citizen of Benton. He first married in September 1849, Caroline SUTHERLAND, who died October26, 1879. Their children were Eva,Floyd A., Jay E., Esther L., and Lincoln. Hissecond wife was Cornelia BRISTOL, widow of John GRAY, a former resident ofCourtland County, and whom Mr. MARINER married May 18, 1881.

MEAD,Joshua, the pioneer of the Mead family in Benton, came from Putnam County, NYand located on Pleasant Ridge in 1820, where he and his wife died, both in 1866. Their children were Gilbert, Elizabeth, Jane, Joseph, William, Mary andJohn. Gilbert MEAD, born November25, 1811, was a prominent farmer and stock dealer. January 2, 1834, he married Catharine BARNES, by whom he had twochildren, Joshua and George W. Thelatter died in May 1891. JoshuaMEAD was born January 3, 1835, and has always lived in Benton. February 29, 1860, he married Isabella GOUNDRY, of Milo, and to them sixchildren were born: Catharine R., Georgiana, Mary R., Byron G., Frank H. and AdaBelle. Joshua MEAD commencedbusiness life poor; he is now a comfortable farmer, having 175 acres of goodland.

MERRIFIELD,John, came to Benton from Columbia County, NY, in 1823, and settled in the westpart of the town. He resided in thecounty until 1844, when he removed to Michigan, where he died in 1851. He had a family of eleven children, all of whom are living. The oldest son, John, was born September 10, 1809, and when thirteenyears of age came to this county with his parents, where he has always resided. He is a farmer and owned at one time 400 acres of land. He was supervisor of Benton five years, and was several years excisecommissioner. He married MaryCRANK, of Columbia County, by whom he had four children, only one of whom nowlives, John Wesley, born December 23, 1832. He married Elvira CROSBY, and has two children, Sarah E. and John S. He is an apiarist and has 100 colonies.

PECKINS,Charles R., (son of Elipha), born February 28, 1832 in Benton, was educated atthe common schools of Benton and select schools of Penn Yan. When twenty years of age he commenced dealing in agricultural implements,which business he carried on for twenty-five years. He was in company with John S. SHEPPARD under the firm name of Sheppard& Peckins, six years in Penn Yan, then returned to his farm and is nowengaged in farming, and has been justice of the peace since 1882. He married Ella A., daughter of Seth B. BRIGGS, in 1861. They have three children: Burnet, Martha J., and Villa B. Elipha PECKINS was born in Massachusetts, and when a small boy he came toBenton with his parents. They had afamily of sixteen children. He diedin 1888, aged ninety-four years. Ofhis four children, three are living.

PLATMAN,John H., was born in February 1827. Hisfather was Joseph PLATMAN, and his mother, Sarah (ALABASTER) PLATMAN, both ofEnglish birth. The family came toGeneva in 1837, and a few months later to Benton. John H. PLATMAN has been twice married. His first wife was Mary M. C. WARD, by whom he had one child, Alice M.,wife of David M. SCOTT. In1854, Mrs. PLATMAN died, and two years later Mr. PLATMAN married CatharineDISBREW by whom these children have been born: Josephine E., Elmer E., SamuelE., and George H. George H. died in1871.

REMER,William T., was born in Benton, May 15, 1824, the son of Aaron and Phebe REMER,who are elsewhere mentioned in this work. Althoughhis career had been devoted to the farm. Mr.REMER has nevertheless been much in public life. He was educated in the district schools and attended the Albany Academy. He was one of the organizers of the Republican Party in YatesCounty, and has ever since been identified with its fortunes. Commencing in 1859 he served three years as sheriff of the county. In 1863 he was appointed provost-marshal for this congressional district,and held that position to the end of the war. He had also been supervisor of the town of Benton. In 1849, Mr. REMER married Mary H., daughter of Anthony TRIMMER, ofBenton. Four children have beenborn to them, three of whom are living.

SCOFIELD,Ebenezer P., whose comfortable residence and excellent farm are in the northwestpast of Benton, was born where he now lives, on September 1, 1822. He was the son of William and Patience SCOFIELD, and the fifth of theirseven children. The home farm of his father came to Ebenezer by descent. He was supervisor of Benton for two years and is a prominent member ofthe M. E. Church at the Center. June21, 1855, Mr. SCOFIELD married Elizabeth STOKOE, by whom he had five children,viz.: Frances Jane, wife of Russell CHAPMAN; Clarence W., of Benton; Charles D.,of Benton, and John S., and Mary Edith, who live at home.

SCOFIELD,William, a native of Connecticut, came to Benton, Yates County, NY, shortlyafter the year 1800 and engaged in farming. He had seven children, of whom, Hiram, the oldest, was born in Benton,April 13, 1813, and was married. Hehas two children, Mary E. and Emily J., both deceased. Mrs. SCHFIELD was a daughter of Squire NASH, one of the first settlers,and a prominent citizen in Steuben County. He was a supervisor and a justice of the peace for several years. Mrs. PATCHIN of Benton, an aunt of Mrs. SCOFIELD, is the grandmother ofJudge PATCHIN of Detroit, Mich. HiramSCOFIELD has always been engaged in farming. Both he and his wife have been active members of the M. E. Church forover fifty years. He has alsoserved as class leader and steward.

SHAW,Guy, born in Barrington, December 4, 1820, was the son of Jeremiah and BetseySHAW of that town. At the age oftwenty-one, Guy left the home farm to make his own way in life. He attended school at Canandaigua two years, preparinghimself for teaching and thereafter he taught school eight winter terms. His summer months were spent on the farms. In 1843 his father died, the family then residing in Ontario County. In 1848, Guy bought the Thomas LEE farm in Benton. Here, Mr. SHAW has since lived, with the exception of four years. In 1843 he married Laura L. PIERCE, by whom he has three children. Guy SHAW is a factor in Yates County politics. He was an original Free Soiler, but became a Republican on theorganization of that party. In 1863he represented the county in the Assembly. For the last twenty years, Mr. SHAW has acted independent of politics andhas inclined to the Farmers� Alliance. Bothhimself and wife are members of the M.E. Church, he having been formerly one ofits trustees.

SPENCER,George W., of Benton, who was born and died in the town, was one of its foremostcitizens. He married Eliza M.WHEELER, of Potter, February 11, 1852. Theyhad one child, Frank E. SPENCER, now a resident and successful businessman ofBenton. Mrs. SPENCER died April 2,1860, and October 23, 1862, Mr. SPENCER, married Mary E. WHEELER, a sister tohis first wife. One child, CharlesP. SPENCER, was born of this marriage. GeorgeW. SPENCER died October 19, 1878. Frank E. SPENCER, born August 23, 1855, on February 28, 1882,married Fannie V., daughter of Joseph R. and Frances M. BELL of Dundee. They have one child, George Harold. Mr. SPENCER is a successful fruit grower. His farm has sixty six acres of good land, twenty five acres of which arein fruit.

SPRAGUE,Daniel, born in Jerusalem, June 14, 1828, was the son of Robert and MelindaSPRAGUE. His parents were poor andDaniel was early obliged to go out to work. At twenty-two, he married and commenced to work on shares the farm inBenton on which he now resides and owns. Thusit will be seen that Mr. SPRAGUE�s business life has been more than reasonablysuccessful. He is regarded as oneof Benton�s substantial men. In1849, Mr. SPRAGUE married Arabella, daughter of Elipha PECKINS, a respectedresident of Benton. Three childrenwere born of this marriage, Charles, James A., and Edward. Mrs. SPRAGUE died in May 1886.

STANTON,Benjamin, was born in Gorham, Ontario County, February 24, 1798. April 20, 1820, he married Polly, daughter of Benjamin DEAN, born March10, 1800. They settled in the northpart of the town. Their three children were Martha E., George B. and Mary J. None of them is now living. Benjaminwas an extensive farmer. Hedied in 1846 and his wife, June 18, 1879.

SWARTHOUT,Heman Chapman, one of Benton�s representative farmers, born in Barrington,September 21, 1842, was the youngest of the children of George F. and RoenaSWARTHOUT. At the age of seventeen,Heman started out for himself and for several years migrated from one place toanother, living most of that time in Ohio and New York. In 1876, after his mother�s death, he bought the farm in Benton he nowoccupies. It embraces over 100acres and is in a good state of cultivation. In 1866, Mr. SWARTHOUT married Eliza Jane BARBER, by whom he had twochildren, both dying in infancy. Hiswife died in 1885 and in February 1887, he married Sarah A. PRICHARD of Benton.

TALLMADGE,Milo, was born in Barkhamste, Litchfield County, Conn., and became a resident ofBenton, NY in 1865. He purchasedfirst, a farm near William T. REMER�s, but in 1872 he bought his presentplace. The children in Mr.TALLMADGE;s family are: Ellen, widow of the late Capt. Martin S. HICKS; Sarah,wife of Henry S. ROOD, of Benton, and Harvey C., who now manages the farm.

TAYLOR,James W., born in Benton, May 17, 1844, was the youngest of three children bornto Alva and Ardalissa TAYLOR. Jameswas reared on a farm and learned the trade of wagon making and blacksmithing. In 1885 he built the shops at Benton Center, where is now his residenceand place of business. In 1870, Mr. TAYLOR married Harriet, daughter of Elnathan R.HUNT. They have no children.

UNDERWOOD,Horace, one of the most widely acquainted men of Benton, was born in Jerusalem,September 21, 1825. When Horace wasseven years old the family moved to Potter, and when about sixteen he started towork by the month, continuing so for about five years. Hen then bought a farm near Rushville, and followed that with theownership of a number of others. Hewas of a speculative turn of mind, and an excellent judge of property, both invalue and productiveness. In 1866he moved to Bellona and afterwards lived three years in Penn Yan, that hischildren might have the advantages of the village schools. During this time, Mr. UNDERWOOD was keeper in Auburn and Sing Singprisons. In 1870 he returned toBenton and in 1871 came to his present farm of 230 acres. In 1849 he married Rachel R. WARNER, of Potter, by whom he has had fourchildren, two only of whom are now living. In Potter, Mr. UNDERWOOD was assessor nine years and four years justiceof the peace. In Benton, he hasbeen assessor one and supervisor two terms. During the war he was enrolling officer in the provost-marshal�soffice. Mr. UNDERWOOD is aRepublican.

WALDRON,James, a native of Jersey City, NJ, learned the trade of coach making and cameto Geneva, NY, when a young man. Here,he married in 1824, Jane, daughter of James RICE, a Revolutionary veteran. In 1833 they moved to Dreden and lived there for five years. He then moved to Michigan, but owing to the malarias character of thatcountry, he returned to Yates County and purchased what was called the ElderGOFF farm where he lived until his death, which occurred October 3, 1883. His wife died April 17, 1872. Their children were Helen, John, Elizabeth, Henry, Edwin and Anna. Helen died March 22, 1837, aged twelve years. John died December 5, 1846, aged nineteen years. Elizabeth married Henry COON and died in Washington, DC, March 21, 1872. Henry, a physician, married Emma BYRNES, in Washington,located in Barnesville, Md. Where he was stricken with consumption and returnedto Benton, where he died August 2, 1861. Onechild, Anna, survives him. Edwinmarried Esther CROSBY, of Benton, October 16, 1861 and resides on the homestead. He is a breeder of thoroughbred Jersey cattle and is a thorough,practical farmer. Ann married JamesWILLIAMS. They reside in OrleansCounty, NY.

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