| Notes |
- Information from Fredrick Charles "Chuck" Benham about his grandparents.
They moved to Belleville, Wayne Co, MI, soon after they were married, and lived there until 1873, when they moved to Milan, Monroe Co, Mi. In 1883 they moved to Juddville, MI., and 1891 to Onaway. In 1894 they moved to Wildwood (Tuskarora Twp.), to "the Stone place", where their last child, Guy was born, with only Beulah and Charles Henry in attendence.
Charles worked at a blacksmith shop, which later became a ball diamond, when they first went to Onaway, until they moved to Wildwood.
"Grandma and Grandpa Benham lived where Huron House in summer in aprox. 1901, when they built the log house on the 40 acres by Black River, which Uncle Fred (Fred Richardson) bought and gave to Grandma Alice. But spent the following winter at Maycomber and Bale Lumber Camp. He blacksmithed for them the following summer. Grandma and Grandpa boarded people, resorters from outside for fishing. Lived around Wildwood until 1907 or 8, and then moved to the farm and built the blacksmith shop, but really didn't use it much as they would go to Onaway in winter to work."
9-14-78. Dad told me an odd thing about G'ma B. She would not fry fish with the head on for any of the resorters.
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Charles H. Benham liked to play jokes. He would take a spoon, put it in hot tea, then touch someone with it (when they were at the table). He was alergic to eggs, and probably suffered from asthma. He was a Mason, 32nd degree.
It was a family tradition to have Oyster Stew on New Year's Eve.
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Written by Alice Richardson, after Mabel's death in 1913
Alice Richardson was born in Binghampton, New York State, July 7, 1853, and in '56 came to Michigan with her parents Dr. and Mrs. Richardson, who located at Matheren (?). In 1871 she was united in marriage to Charles H. Benham at Lansing, Ingham Co., Mich. To this union were born ten children, five sons and five daughters. Two sons died in infancy, one in early manhood, and one daughter, Mabel, having been laid away to rest. Others are
let no one see me after I die but just my own folks. sons and soninlaws pallbearers. My insurance is good for 6 years and 14 weeks ?????. Put the littlen plain gold ring that Fred gave me on my third (?) finger, my wedding ring on my first finger left hand. they are on my neck. do not comb my hair back smooth. the ????
(note: hard to read rest of the photocopy. JLBW)
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Information written by Fredrick Charles "Chuck" Benham
In 1999 at Dale Porter's funeral I got talking with some Burgess girls who were related to Dale Porter, and mentioned to one of them about F.L. Richardson (Fred) living in Juddville where some of the Benhams were born to C.H. and A.K.R. Benham. And the Burgess girl told me that Juddville was where the Burgess's lived before coming ot Onaway. So that makes another connection to the Benham and Richardson family that dated back in the early 1880's. Plus they were all Seventh Day Adventists, making their ties a little closer. This confirms my suspicitions the F. I. was in and around Onaway before the Benhams got there. Another find was on page 1of the tax ??? on the bottom fo the page, was the name of my Grandfather, Charles H. Benham. What a pleasant surprise.
Village of Onaway
1892. Chas Beham. Lot 13, Block 5. Value $100.00
This is where Charles H. Benham had his blacksmith shop and lived upstairs. It is where Maxon Field is now, on Black Lake Road.
Also:
1900. Estelle Kidd. 59.59 acres (a "short acre"). Value $150.00
This is where the writer, Charles F. Benham ws born in 1921. The "Kidd Farm".
We also found Census Records, 1884 in Harbor Springs, Little Traverse County. Fred Richardson, Florence and Archie. He was listed as a "teacher". So this puts F.I. in the Onaway area in 1883-4 which coincides with Charles H. Benham and family moving to Juddville in 1883. I wonder if they could have moved into F.I.'s home, which he left in 1883 to move north.
The "40" was looked up under the following description:
The N 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Sect. "18". Town 34 No. of Range 2 East.
We have a deed made on the 11th of November, 1913 and all of the Benham Children had to sign off on it. This was about the time they built the house, "Hillside Farm". Maybe they borrowed money to build the new house and the bank required this Quit Claim Deed.
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Information from Chuck Benham (CFB)
More about the Benham-F.I. Richardson connection and sort of chronology of F.I.'s life. It is a followup on the 40 acres where Charles H. Benham lived in the early 1900's.
This information was in the tax records from 1891 to 1902 in Laksing MI, Historical Society.
1889 - Burgess to Benham 29.01 acres Value $25.00
1900 - Mrs Chas. Benham 29.01 acres $120.00
1901 - " " " " "
1902 - " " " " $150.00
The reason this "40" is only 29.01acres is, that it is on the West County Line Road. It is called a "correction line" due to the curvature of the earth. The size of the sections are "adjusted" to make up for this curvature. In this case there was also 5 acres sold off the front facing the road, and it lwft only 29.01 acres ot keep the lines even. This 5 acres is where the Siddle family lived.
We never knew why F.I. had the deed to this property put in his sister's (Mrs. Chas. Benham) name, but he did, and in 1906 he gave the farm to her, and in 1913 the Benhams buildt a new house on the back of the farm which was then called "Hillside Farm". They lived there until 1926, when C.H. Benham died (note: he died in 1928, she died in 1922. He lived with his children in his last 2 years and died in Flint, MI) Then through negligence and the Depression, the place was sold for back taxes in 19??
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In 1906 Charles H. Benham bought 12 plots in the Forest Twp. Cemetary in Tower. He paid 50 cents each for them.
People in the graves are as follows:
1 2 3 4 5 6 (1998)
Shirley Crowe Ruell
- G'ma CH AKR Fred - Forest Township Clerk
Gould Benham Benham Benham (Forest Twp. Cemetary records)
9148 S. Black River Rd.
7 8 9 10 11 12 (517) 733-8178
- Philip - - Mabel -
Benham Del
Dubois
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CFB said that in the 1980's the widow of Charles H. Benham's partner was still living. She had his old blacksmith tools. Max had bought a corn planter from her, a manual one the you walk along with.
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1880 Census. Michigan, Washtenaw Co., York Twp., Milan Soundex- B550
Vol 28, Ed243, Sheet 31, line 21
June 23, 1880
age where born
Benham, Charles 32 NY Blacksmith
Alice w 26 NY housewife
Bulah d 8 Mich
Mabel d 5 Mich
Daisy d 3 Mich
Beacher s 1/12 Mich
Charles and Alice, self and parents born in NY
1900 Census. Michigan. Allis Twp, Presque Isle Co. District 10, ED 146, Sheet 18
Done on June 26 or 27, 1900. Visit # 350
B550 Roll 22 T1052 738
d o b age months attended school
Benham
Charles Sept 1848 51 self and parents born in NY
Alice July 1853 46 self and parents born in NY
Mary April 1883 17 6
Fred Oct 1885 14 6
Belle Nov 1888 11 6
Clare Feb 1893 7 3
Guy July 1896 3 o
Alice is the mother of 10, 8 living. He is a blacksmith who owns his home free of mortgage. They had been married 28 years. All the children, except Guy were in school.
1910 Census Michigan. Allis Twp, Presque Isle Co.
B550 T1268 Reel 20 076 0169 0052
age born Father b Mother B
Benham
Charles 61 NY NY NY
Alice 56 NY Penn NY
Mary dau 26 Mich
Belle dau 21 Mich
Clare son 18 Mich
Guy son 15 Mich
Married 39 years, 10 children born, 7 living. Charles is a blacksmith, working in a shop. He owns his home on a farm free of mortgge. Children listed at home are all single.
Alice was born in NY, her father in PA, her mother in NY
Charles, his mother and father were all born in NY
1920 Census. City of Onaway, Presque Isle Co., MI
Fairview Ave.
self Father Mother
Benham, Charles H. head house owned free M W 71 Married NY NY NY
Alice wife F W 66 Married NY PA NY
Mary daughter F W 35 single MI MI MI
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1848 - 1927 (79 years)
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