Judge Nathaniel S. Benton

[New Hampshire, Births and Christenings, 1714-1904, index, FamilySearch] https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FDJZ-BXC

Nathaniel Soley Benton (February 19, 1792 – June 29, 1869) was an American politician from New York.

Life

He was born in Westmoreland, New Hampshire but, at the age of four, his family moved to Fryeburg, Maine, where he attended Fryeburg Academy and studied under Daniel Webster.[1][2][3] He was engaged in teaching during the winter of 1812, but, filled with a sense of patriotism by the War of 1812, he enlisted in the 34th Regiment of the United States Army.[1] He rose rapidly to the rank of adjutant general, and also served as Judge-Advocate at two courts-martial in 1814 at Plattsburgh, New York.[1][3]

After the war, he studied law at his uncle's law office in Orford, New Hampshire, and in early 1816 moved to Little Falls, New York, where he continued his studies with George H. Feeter.[1] In 1817, he was made Justice of the Peace, and was admitted to the bar in 1819.[1] About 1820, having a desire to see something of the west, he made a tour of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.[1]

He was Surrogate of Herkimer County from 1821 to 1828, a member of the New York State Senate (5th D.) from 1828 to 1831, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York from 1831 to 1841, and Secretary of State of New York from 1845 to 1847.[1][2] He was a member of the Democratic Party until 1855, when he became a member of the American Party, and ran in 1858 for Lieutenant Governor of New York with Lorenzo Burrows on the American ticket. Afterwards he joined the Republican Party, supporting both of Abraham Lincoln's elections. He was auditor of the canal department from 1855 to 1868.[3] He died in Little Falls, New York on June 29, 1869,[3] and was interred in the Church Street Cemetery, Little Falls.

References

^ a b c d e f g Harlow, Samuel R.; H.H. Boone (1867). Life Sketches of the State Officers, Senators, and Members of the Assembly of the State of New York in 1867. Weed, Parsons & Co.. ^ a b "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Benton". Retrieved 2008-04-05. ^ a b c d Crandall, Aaron (1891). "Benton, Nathaniel S.". Appleton's Cyclopædia of American Biography.

Source: Downloaded Feb. 20, 2012 from Wikipedia article on him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_S._Benton

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Published Works by Nathaniel S Benton

A history of Herkimer County, including the upper Mohawk Valley, from the earliest period to the present time with a brief notice of the Iroquois Indians, the early German tribes, the Palatine immigrations ; also biographical notices of the most prominent public men of the county, with important statistical information by Nathaniel S Benton ( Book ) 6 editions published in 1856 in English and held by 161 libraries worldwide 

A history of Herkimer County : including the upper Mohawk Valley, from the earliest period to the present time ; with a brief notice of the Iroquois Indians, the early German tribes, the Palatine immigrations into the colony of New York, and biographical sketches of the Palatine families, the patentees of Burnetsfield in the year 1725 ; and also biographical notices of the most prominent public men of the county ; with important statistical information by Nathaniel S Benton ( Book )
4 editions published between 1856 and 1990 in English and held by 126 libraries worldwide 

A history of Herkimer County, including the upper Mohawk Valley, from the earliest period to the present time with a brief notice of the Iroquois Indians, the early German tribes the Palatine immigrations also biographical notices of the most prominent public men of the country: with important statistical information by Nathaniel S Benton ( Book )
6 editions published between 1856 and 1968 in English and held by 95 libraries worldwide 

A history of Herkimer County including the Upper Mohawk Valley : from the earliest period to the present time : with a brief notice of the Iroquois Indians, the early German tribes, the Palatine immigrations into the colony of New York, and biographical sketches of the Palatine families, the patentees of Burnetsfield in the year 1725 : also biographical notices of the most prominent public men of the county : with important statistical information by Nathaniel S Benton ( Book ) 2 editions published in 1856 in English and held by 17 libraries worldwide 

Rates of toll. Established by the Canal Board on persons and property transported on the New-York state canals, to take effect on the opening of navigation in 1866 by New York (State) ( Book ) 2 editions published in 1866 in English and held by 6 libraries worldwide 

A history of Herkimer County : including the upper Mohawk Valley, from the earliest period to the present time : with a brief notice of the Iroquois Indians, the early German tribes, the Palatine immigrations... also biographical notices of the most prominent public men of the county by Nathaniel S Benton ( Book ) 3 editions published in 1856 in English and held by 4 libraries worldwide.  We have determined this item to be in the public domain according to US copyright law through information in the bibliographic record and/or US copyright renewal records. The digital version is available for all educational uses worldwide. Please contact HathiTrust staff at hathitrust-help@umich.edu with any questions about this item.

Niagara ship canal : letter from Gerrit Smith to Auditor Benton by Gerrit Smith ( Book ) 1 edition published in 1866 in English and held by 4 libraries worldwide  New York canal tolls by Joseph Aspinall ( Book ) 1 edition published in 1865 in English and held by 4 libraries worldwide 

Speech of Mr. Benton, of New York, on the tariff. : Delivered in the House of Representatives, Tuesday, June 30, 1846 by Nathaniel S Benton ( Book ) 1 edition published in 1846 in English and held by 3 libraries worldwide 

An act to incorporate the Seamen's Bank for Savings, in the city of New-York by New York (State)( Book ) 2 editions published in 1829 in English and held by 2 libraries worldwide 

Source: Downloaded February 20, 2012 from http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-nr91-43174

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Nathaniel S. Benton, to whom the editors and publishers of this volume are so greatly indebted for valuable information preserved in a local history issued by him more than thirty years ago, was a native of New Hampshire, and resided in that State until he came to Little Falls, about 1816. He was born February 19, 1792. At the battle of Plattsburg, September, 1814, Mr. Benton served as a warrant officer of volunteers and received a commission in recognition of his good conduct on that occasion. At Little Falls he studied law in the office of George H. Feeter, and was admitted to practice in 18 17. He served as justice of the peace at Little Falls several years, by appointment of the governor. About 1820, or 1 82 1, he made an extended tour through the Western States in quest of a future home for the practice of his profession, but failed to be suited and returned to Little Falls. After this he became a member of the law firm of Feeter & Benton, in which he continued several years, doing a respectable business. From 1821 to 1828 he held the office of surrogate of the county, and from 1833 to 1835 he was first judge of the county. In 1836 he was nominated by the Democratic party and elected State senator for a term of four years. Shortly before the expiration of the term he was appointed United States district attorney for the northern district of New York, and took part in the memorable McLeod trial. In 1846 he was appointed secretary of state, which office he held for two years. In 1856 he was appointed to the office of canal auditor and held the position until 1868, when he retired from public life with impaired health and died June 19, 1869, aged seventy-seven years. At the time of his death he was senior warden of Emanuel Episcopal church. In all the various public stations held by him the duties were discharged with fidelity and with satisfaction to the public. These duties were so continuous that he was allowed little time to devote to his profession. Indeed, he was better adapted to discharge the duties which devolved upon him in his executive and official life than for the successful practice of law. He was not gifted with the qualities of a public speaker or of a popular advocate at the bar. While he was secretary of state he availed himself of the public records on file in the office to collect some of the materials for his history of Herkimer county, which he published in 1856 His work is still very valuable for reference. Mr. Benton was a man of fine personal appearance, a good citizen and well esteemed wherever known. His wife was a daughter of Eben Rritton, an early settler of Little Falls."

Source: George A. Hardin, History of Herkimer County, New York, 1893, pages 145-146. Downloaded Feb. 25, 2012, from http://ia600302.us.archive.org/26/items/historyofherkime00hard/hist...

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