Excerpt from Morton Montgomery's Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania
Franklin N. Benfield, justice of the peace of District township, and director of the Farmers National Bank at Pennsburg, is a native of the borough of Bechtelsville, Washington township, born April 16, 1862. He attended the public schools of District township, a subscription school in Hereford township, and the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown. He worked for his father on the farm until he twenty-one, and the next year he became the manager of Huff's Church creamery for W. H. Young, and he conducted it for five years. In 1891 he rented the Benfield Mill, formerly Bechtel's Mill, a gristmill located in the northeast part of District township, near the Hereford township line. This mill he carried on for ten years. On March 8, 1901, he lost his right foot while clearing ice from the water wheel. In 1905 he purchased his father's farm and mill property, now having 136 acres of fine land. He has since then successfully operated both mill and farm, employing besides his own two sons two other men. He also has twenty-eight acres of wood and pasture land in the same township. In partnership with his father he owns one hundred acres of woodland in District township, and with Frank R. Meck a tract of twenty acres of woodland. With his uncle, Henry Benfield, he conducts a portable sawmill in the lower end of the county. In 1898 in partnership with Jonas Weiler he formed the Royal Dynamite Company, and for one year they manufactured dynamite, but since then Mr. Benfield has abandoned its manufacture, though he continues to buy and sell it. In the spring of 1908 he rented the mill to his son Claude E., who now operates it.
Franklin N. Benfield is an active Democrat, and in the spring of 1885 was made justice of the peace of his township, since which time he has been four times re-elected. For ten years he was committeeman of the township, and then declined to serve longer, but in 1908 he was again elected to the office. He is one of the political powers of his and surrounding districts. He and his family are Reformed members of Huff's Church, of which he was for four years treasurer for both denominations. He served four years each as deacon and elder of the church.
Since 1898 Mr. Benfield has been a director of the Farmers National Bank of Pennsburg, and since 1902 he has been secretary of the board. He is a director of the Windsor Mutual Accident and Fire Insurance Company, of Berks county, and is agent for the following companies; Steelton Mutual Fire Insurance Company; Manatawny Mutual Fire & Storm Insurance Company; Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Lehigh County; Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berks County; Boyertown Fire Insurance Company; Farmers Mutual Assistance and Fire Insurance Company of Berks County; Tulpehocken Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berks County.
On Nov. 17, 1883, Mr. Benfield was married to Mary Y. Siesholtz, daughter of David and Sarah (Yeakel) Siesholtz. She died Oct. 12, 1898, aged thirty-five years, nine months, twenty-two days. They had seven children, as follows: Eliza A., a highly educated young lady, who kept house for her father for several years, and who was organist of the church and Sunday-school, m., Jan 20, 1909, James S. Shankweiler, who is conducting a dry goods store at Kutztown; Claude E., conducting the mill, m. Mary, daughter of Augustus Reinert, of Hereford township; Minnie S. m. Marvin Ledger, of Reading; and Irwin S., Mary A., Frank S. and Lillie S. are all in school. On Jan. 20, 1909, Mr. Benfield m. (second) Amanda Siesholtz, sister to his first wife.
Franklin N. Benfield, justice of the peace of District township, and director of the Farmers National Bank at Pennsburg, is a native of the borough of Bechtelsville, Washington township, born April 16, 1862. He attended the public schools of District township, a subscription school in Hereford township, and the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown. He worked for his father on the farm until he twenty-one, and the next year he became the manager of Huff's Church creamery for W. H. Young, and he conducted it for five years. In 1891 he rented the Benfield Mill, formerly Bechtel's Mill, a gristmill located in the northeast part of District township, near the Hereford township line. This mill he carried on for ten years. On March 8, 1901, he lost his right foot while clearing ice from the water wheel. In 1905 he purchased his father's farm and mill property, now having 136 acres of fine land. He has since then successfully operated both mill and farm, employing besides his own two sons two other men. He also has twenty-eight acres of wood and pasture land in the same township. In partnership with his father he owns one hundred acres of woodland in District township, and with Frank R. Meck a tract of twenty acres of woodland. With his uncle, Henry Benfield, he conducts a portable sawmill in the lower end of the county. In 1898 in partnership with Jonas Weiler he formed the Royal Dynamite Company, and for one year they manufactured dynamite, but since then Mr. Benfield has abandoned its manufacture, though he continues to buy and sell it. In the spring of 1908 he rented the mill to his son Claude E., who now operates it.
Franklin N. Benfield is an active Democrat, and in the spring of 1885 was made justice of the peace of his township, since which time he has been four times re-elected. For ten years he was committeeman of the township, and then declined to serve longer, but in 1908 he was again elected to the office. He is one of the political powers of his and surrounding districts. He and his family are Reformed members of Huff's Church, of which he was for four years treasurer for both denominations. He served four years each as deacon and elder of the church.
Since 1898 Mr. Benfield has been a director of the Farmers National Bank of Pennsburg, and since 1902 he has been secretary of the board. He is a director of the Windsor Mutual Accident and Fire Insurance Company, of Berks county, and is agent for the following companies; Steelton Mutual Fire Insurance Company; Manatawny Mutual Fire & Storm Insurance Company; Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Lehigh County; Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berks County; Boyertown Fire Insurance Company; Farmers Mutual Assistance and Fire Insurance Company of Berks County; Tulpehocken Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berks County.
On Nov. 17, 1883, Mr. Benfield was married to Mary Y. Siesholtz, daughter of David and Sarah (Yeakel) Siesholtz. She died Oct. 12, 1898, aged thirty-five years, nine months, twenty-two days. They had seven children, as follows: Eliza A., a highly educated young lady, who kept house for her father for several years, and who was organist of the church and Sunday-school, m., Jan 20, 1909, James S. Shankweiler, who is conducting a dry goods store at Kutztown; Claude E., conducting the mill, m. Mary, daughter of Augustus Reinert, of Hereford township; Minnie S. m. Marvin Ledger, of Reading; and Irwin S., Mary A., Frank S. and Lillie S. are all in school. On Jan. 20, 1909, Mr. Benfield m. (second) Amanda Siesholtz, sister to his first wife.
Excerpt from Morton Montgomery's Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania
Franklin N. Benfield, justice of the peace of District township, and director of the Farmers National Bank at Pennsburg, is a native of the borough of Bechtelsville, Washington township, born April 16, 1862. He attended the public schools of District township, a subscription school in Hereford township, and the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown. He worked for his father on the farm until he twenty-one, and the next year he became the manager of Huff's Church creamery for W. H. Young, and he conducted it for five years. In 1891 he rented the Benfield Mill, formerly Bechtel's Mill, a gristmill located in the northeast part of District township, near the Hereford township line. This mill he carried on for ten years. On March 8, 1901, he lost his right foot while clearing ice from the water wheel. In 1905 he purchased his father's farm and mill property, now having 136 acres of fine land. He has since then successfully operated both mill and farm, employing besides his own two sons two other men. He also has twenty-eight acres of wood and pasture land in the same township. In partnership with his father he owns one hundred acres of woodland in District township, and with Frank R. Meck a tract of twenty acres of woodland. With his uncle, Henry Benfield, he conducts a portable sawmill in the lower end of the county. In 1898 in partnership with Jonas Weiler he formed the Royal Dynamite Company, and for one year they manufactured dynamite, but since then Mr. Benfield has abandoned its manufacture, though he continues to buy and sell it. In the spring of 1908 he rented the mill to his son Claude E., who now operates it.
Franklin N. Benfield is an active Democrat, and in the spring of 1885 was made justice of the peace of his township, since which time he has been four times re-elected. For ten years he was committeeman of the township, and then declined to serve longer, but in 1908 he was again elected to the office. He is one of the political powers of his and surrounding districts. He and his family are Reformed members of Huff's Church, of which he was for four years treasurer for both denominations. He served four years each as deacon and elder of the church.
Since 1898 Mr. Benfield has been a director of the Farmers National Bank of Pennsburg, and since 1902 he has been secretary of the board. He is a director of the Windsor Mutual Accident and Fire Insurance Company, of Berks county, and is agent for the following companies; Steelton Mutual Fire Insurance Company; Manatawny Mutual Fire & Storm Insurance Company; Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Lehigh County; Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berks County; Boyertown Fire Insurance Company; Farmers Mutual Assistance and Fire Insurance Company of Berks County; Tulpehocken Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berks County.
On Nov. 17, 1883, Mr. Benfield was married to Mary Y. Siesholtz, daughter of David and Sarah (Yeakel) Siesholtz. She died Oct. 12, 1898, aged thirty-five years, nine months, twenty-two days. They had seven children, as follows: Eliza A., a highly educated young lady, who kept house for her father for several years, and who was organist of the church and Sunday-school, m., Jan 20, 1909, James S. Shankweiler, who is conducting a dry goods store at Kutztown; Claude E., conducting the mill, m. Mary, daughter of Augustus Reinert, of Hereford township; Minnie S. m. Marvin Ledger, of Reading; and Irwin S., Mary A., Frank S. and Lillie S. are all in school. On Jan. 20, 1909, Mr. Benfield m. (second) Amanda Siesholtz, sister to his first wife.
Franklin N. Benfield, justice of the peace of District township, and director of the Farmers National Bank at Pennsburg, is a native of the borough of Bechtelsville, Washington township, born April 16, 1862. He attended the public schools of District township, a subscription school in Hereford township, and the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown. He worked for his father on the farm until he twenty-one, and the next year he became the manager of Huff's Church creamery for W. H. Young, and he conducted it for five years. In 1891 he rented the Benfield Mill, formerly Bechtel's Mill, a gristmill located in the northeast part of District township, near the Hereford township line. This mill he carried on for ten years. On March 8, 1901, he lost his right foot while clearing ice from the water wheel. In 1905 he purchased his father's farm and mill property, now having 136 acres of fine land. He has since then successfully operated both mill and farm, employing besides his own two sons two other men. He also has twenty-eight acres of wood and pasture land in the same township. In partnership with his father he owns one hundred acres of woodland in District township, and with Frank R. Meck a tract of twenty acres of woodland. With his uncle, Henry Benfield, he conducts a portable sawmill in the lower end of the county. In 1898 in partnership with Jonas Weiler he formed the Royal Dynamite Company, and for one year they manufactured dynamite, but since then Mr. Benfield has abandoned its manufacture, though he continues to buy and sell it. In the spring of 1908 he rented the mill to his son Claude E., who now operates it.
Franklin N. Benfield is an active Democrat, and in the spring of 1885 was made justice of the peace of his township, since which time he has been four times re-elected. For ten years he was committeeman of the township, and then declined to serve longer, but in 1908 he was again elected to the office. He is one of the political powers of his and surrounding districts. He and his family are Reformed members of Huff's Church, of which he was for four years treasurer for both denominations. He served four years each as deacon and elder of the church.
Since 1898 Mr. Benfield has been a director of the Farmers National Bank of Pennsburg, and since 1902 he has been secretary of the board. He is a director of the Windsor Mutual Accident and Fire Insurance Company, of Berks county, and is agent for the following companies; Steelton Mutual Fire Insurance Company; Manatawny Mutual Fire & Storm Insurance Company; Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Lehigh County; Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berks County; Boyertown Fire Insurance Company; Farmers Mutual Assistance and Fire Insurance Company of Berks County; Tulpehocken Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Berks County.
On Nov. 17, 1883, Mr. Benfield was married to Mary Y. Siesholtz, daughter of David and Sarah (Yeakel) Siesholtz. She died Oct. 12, 1898, aged thirty-five years, nine months, twenty-two days. They had seven children, as follows: Eliza A., a highly educated young lady, who kept house for her father for several years, and who was organist of the church and Sunday-school, m., Jan 20, 1909, James S. Shankweiler, who is conducting a dry goods store at Kutztown; Claude E., conducting the mill, m. Mary, daughter of Augustus Reinert, of Hereford township; Minnie S. m. Marvin Ledger, of Reading; and Irwin S., Mary A., Frank S. and Lillie S. are all in school. On Jan. 20, 1909, Mr. Benfield m. (second) Amanda Siesholtz, sister to his first wife.
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