From the 1911 book Past and Present of Hardin County Iowa, page 776:

JOHN BENSON.

There is no way of estimating the amount of good accomplished by a long and useful life, which is unselfishly led and which is molded in accordance with high ideals and lofty traits, as was that of John Benson, who has long been sleeping the sleep of the just, but whose influence is still pervading the lives of those who came into contact with him. He was born in Saratoga, New York, April 18, 1796, and his death occurred on August 9, 1866. He received only a limited education in the old-fashioned schools, but he was a great reader and a keen observer and he became self-taught and a well rounded, self-made man. He came to Iowa in April, 1838, when it was yet a territory, and lived a few months on Cedar river, making his first home in Jackson county, later moved to Delaware county, finally settling in Hardin county about 1856. He boarded with the Hauser family for a time and while here built a saw mill, having always been a mill man, and he built and operated one of the early saw mills of this locality, cutting much of the lumber for the early settlers. He married Almeda Green, March 4, 1830; she was born March 3, 1810, and her death occurred on April 8, 1902. They were the parents of the following children: Minerva, born December 14, 1831, married Sumner Haxton, a farmer of Grundy county, Iowa, who is now deceased, his widow still surviving; Ursula, born May 31, 1833, married in 1885 Edwin Parker, who died November 22, 1892, aged fifty-four years; the widow is living on the old homestead in Union township, Hardin county. Matilda Benson, who was born August 10, 1835, remained single and lives on the old homestead in Union township, Hardin county; Solon, born November 20, 1839, married Helen Conner and they are both living in Pearson, Iowa; Sarah E., born November 18, 1841, has remained single and lives on the old home place in Union township, Hardin county; Edwin, born February 13, 1843, died August 15, 1864; Sidney R., born November 30, 1844, married Lucinda Griffith, now deceased, and he is living in Johnson county, Missouri; Sylvia, born September 1, 1848, married Jacob Lindley and is living at BloomIngton, Illinois; Horace J., born February 7, 1850, married Clara Lockwood and is now living in Union, retired; Elfie, born October 19, 1854, married A. C. Swain, son of one of the old settlers of Iowa and an early-day preacher; he and his wife also taught school. Both live in Laclede county, Missouri.

John Benson was the son of Stutson and Sarah (Sumner) Benson; they were married in Ohio and spent most of their lives near Amboy, that state, and they are buried in sight of Lake Erie. They were the parents of the following children: John, subject of this sketch; Sarah, Willis, Eli and Eri (twins), Matilda, Newman, Sylvia.

Ritter Benson, father of Stutson Benson, was born in Ireland, and he emigrated to America in an early day, locating in Vermont, and later moved to New York in the colonial days. When he was a boy the war for independence was in progress and the battle of Bennington was fought on the farm on which he lived. This was in harvest time, and he had been sent for a jug of water. Upon seeing the British approaching he dropped his jug and gave the alarm, notifying the colonial troops, and he was active in the battle and was captured by the British and Indians and carried to Canada, but made good his escape the following fall and returned to the American army and further assisted in the cause of liberty. Upon reaching home he found that everything had been burned up and the place devastated. The following were his children: Stutson, Peter, Paul, Jonathan, Squire, William and one daughter, who married Governor Nye of Utah.

The old home place in section 23, Union township, this county, has been well kept by the three daughters mentioned above, and there is a homelike, tranquil atmosphere about the place which makes the many friends of the family delight to gather there, sharing their old-time hospitality.