Benjamin L. Baxter, poetaster

Benjamin Levi Baxter was born 1815, and married Alice Beaumont, July 28, 1852, Jonesvile, MI. He and Alice had two children, Harriet and Witter.

With his father Levi Jr. having been one of the founders of the Republican Party, Benjamin was a delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan in 1856. Benjamin Baxter was also something of a poet.

He died in May 1902.

The 1888 book Early History of Michigan, by Stephen D. Bingham, has a paragraph about Benjamin L. Baxter:

"Was born at Sidney Plains, Delaware county, N. Y., April 7, 1815. He came to Tecumseh in 1831 with his father, Hon. Levi Baxter. He received a good education and was three years in college at Dartmouth, N. H. In 1843 he took charge of the Tecumseh branch of the University of Michigan for three years, and at the same time studied law with Hon. Perley Bills [Lenawee County, Michigan], and became his law partner for twenty-five years. He was regent of the State University from 1858 to 1864, and was Representative in the legislature of 1869 and 1870. He still resides in Tecumseh, and is one of the most genial and companionable men in the state. In politics a Republican."

(In my possession is a collection of hundreds of his poems, all written in his hand in one book. In my view, every line is utter doggerel. If you are interested in Benjamin Levi Baxter's poetry, contact me. - Michael Delahunt, delahunt@artlex.com)