James Benson, of Cedarville, Buckeye Township, during a long life of more than threescore and ten years, has become the possessor of a wide and varied experience, not the least valuable of which was that part of his life which was spent in this county during the pioneer days. He is essentially a self-made man, and since the time when, a lad eight years of age, he was thrown upon his own resources, has battled manfully with the elements of a changing world, and may be pardoned for feeling that he has come out of the conflict essentially a victor. The early years of his life implanted within him a self-reliant spirit, and his natural honesty and integrity secured for him the universal respect of his acquaintances, and served to establish him in a good position among his fellowmen.

Mr. Benson was born in South Lebanon Township, Lebanon Co., Pa., Oct. 11, 1814. His father, Alexander Benson, a native of County Donegal, Ireland, emigrated to the United States when a young man, and located in Pennsylvania. There he soon afterward married Miss Polly Brown, a nativeof that State, and died in 1815, leaving a widow and three children, our subject being then scarcely more than an infant. The mother kept her little family together until they were old enough to do something for themselves, and then the struggle of life with our subject began, as we have stated. He worked on a farm for his board and clothing, until fourteen years old, and then during the summer months, was paid $3 per month. In the winter he attended school, and worked mornings and evenings for his board and lodging, operating in this way two months in the year. This was before the days of threshing-machines, the grain being tramped out by horses, and our subject rode the horses as they followed their monotonous round. As his strength and usefulness increased, his wages were raised, until he was paid $3 per month. When eighteen years old, he commenced learning the cooper's trade, at which he worked only a short time, however, and then went into a mill at Lebanon, and was there employed until 1847.

In the spring of the year mentioned, young Benson decided to seek his fortune in the West. He traveled by railroad and canal across the Alleghanies to Pittsburgh, and thence by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, to Savanna, Ill., where he arrived on the 3d of June, being just one month and eight days on the road. There he hired a wagon to convey him to this county. He located in Buckeye Township, and was variously employed until the fall of the year, when he engaged in general merchandising in partnership with William Irvin, at Cedar Creek Mils, now known as Cedarville. Nineteen months later he sold his interest, and erected a brick building in that vicinity, where he carried on the same business until March, 1877. Thence he removed to Carroll County with his stock, and set up his son in business there. He then retired, and has since lived at his ease in Cedarville.

Our subject was married, in the spring of 1840, to Miss Magdalena Kratzer, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Lebanon County, Pa. Mrs. Benson was born in Lebanon County, Pa., Nov. 8, 1820. Her father, John, Jr., and her grandfather, John Kratzer, Sr., were also natives of the Keystone State, while her great-grandfather was born in Germany. Of this union there were born three children: Joseph K. is occupied in clerking at Freeport; Eliza is the wife of C. M. Saxby, a prosperous farmer of Harlem Township, and Mary is the wife of D. G. Ilgin, Postmaster of Cedarville. Mr. Benson, since exercising the right of suffrage, has voted the straight Democratic ticket.

Contributed by Karen Hammer
Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Illinois Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1888 p. 330-31