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Subject: [NCROOTS] John Robinson Fauquier VA > Nelson KY and BENSON
Date: Sun, 5 Sep 1999 16:27:35 EDT

Hello. This information is taken from *History of Hart County *, written in
1933, by John William Baker p. 49 and 50.

JOHN BLASSINGAME BENSON
Son of Enoch Berry and Esther Blassingame Benson, born at Pendleton, SC,
September 2, 1822. Died at Hartwell, Ga., January 27, 1892
He married Miss Elizabeth Arlesa Norton, daughter of Jeptha and Elizabeth
Moore Norton, Pickens, SC., September 2, 1847.
Mrs. Elizabeth Arlesa Benson died June 6, 1881.
Their children: Myra Postell, married Dr. C. A. Webb; an infant son died
soon after birth; Enoch Berry Benson; Fannie Norton, married A. G. McCurry;
Mattie Cater, married S. W. Peek; and Mary Eliza: of whom only E. B. Benson
and Mrs. Fannie N. McCurry are now living.
Enoch Berry Benson, born May 19, 1852, married Miss Alice Elizabeth Adams,
daughter of Moses H. Adams and Lavinia McMullan Adams, May 21, 1873.
The children of E. B. Benson and Alice E. Benson: John Berry; Lavinia Norton
( both died in childhood); Paul Edwin, married Miss Lola Josephine Cox; Alice
Elizabeth (died in childhood); Grace, married J. Loyd Teasley, Ethel, married
Charles E. Matheson; Myra Edna; Enoch Blassingame, married Miss Christine
Sanders of Birmingham, Ala.
Children of Paul E. and L. Josephine Benson: John Berry (deceased); Paul
Edwin.
Children of J. Loyd and Grace Benson Teasley: Elizabeth Benson, Alice Benson,
Grace Benson and James Benson (deceased).
Children of Charles E. and Ethel Benson Matheson: Charles Edward, Berry
Benson and Julius Daniel.
Child of Enoch Blassingame and Christine Sanders Benson: Beverly Sanders
Benson.
John Blassingame Benson married Miss Martha A. Ethridge June 25, 1882. No
children by this marriage. Mrs. Martha A. Benson died August 12, 1911.
Tracing the line of forbears of the Bensons, who came from Virginia to South
Carolina: Thomas Benson, who married Miss Martha Prince; their son Enoch
Berry Benson married Miss Esther Blassingame, daughter of John Blassingame,
and grandparents of Enoch Berry Benson, now living in Hartwell.
Thomas Benson and John Blassingame were both Revolutionary soldiers. Jeptha
Norton, father of Mrs. John B. Benson, was a captain under General Andrew
Jackson in the war of 1812. He and his company fought the British in the
battle of New Orleans, the last battle of that war, fought, in fact, after
terms of peace were agreed upon, but in those days of slow communication the
news had not reached New Orleans. In that battle, bales of cotton were used
as breastworks by our troops.
The different lines of the Benson family have their Enochs and Berrys, the
later having been a surname on the mother's side several generations back.
John B. Benson built the first house in Hartwell and had the first stock of
goods in the beginning of the town, in 1854. He was the first postmaster
here. He had been postmaster at Fairplay, S. C., before moving to Hartwell.
Acted in that capacity in both places parts of the same quarter.
He served this district, then Hart, Franklin and Habersham, as State Senator
during the Civil War and represented the county in the Legislature one term
since.
He was engaged in mercantile business as Benson & Justice when the War
Between the States began.
At his death the firm name was J. B. and E. B. Benson. Succeeding that
business, E. B. Benson operated in his own name several years, followed by E.
B. Benson and Son -- the son being Paul E. Benson.
In 1877 J. B. and E. B. Benson bought The Hartwell Sun and printing outfit
from R. E. Belcher who, with John H. Magill, established it in Hartwell in
1876.
For several years the Bensons, in connection with John H. Magill, published
the paper. J. B. Benson was business manager while connected with the paper
and established a free delivery for The Sun which served the communities of
Ford's Store, Parker's Store, and Kings Bench, and people along the route.
This was continued until a mail route from Toccoa to Hartwell was established.
This, perhaps, was the first and only free delivery ever operated by a
country newspaper.

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