Biography

Ontario Republican Times
Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York.
October 2, 1861

Another of our venerated citizens has gone to his everlasting rest. On Sunday morning, Sept. 29th, at 4 o'clock, died the Hon. Orson Benjamin, age the age of 72 years. Mr. Benjamin became a resident of this village, more than 50 years ago, and this county has been his home ever since. He commenced his career in this place as an Attorney and Counsellor at Law, when the village was in its infancy, and it population few, while the legal profession was numerous, learned and brilliant. To have maintained his position, surrounded by such a galaxy of profound lawyers, argued at once, capacity and industry, whereby he was enabled to secure a competency and rear a numerous family. In all the social relations, he was sincere, kind and reliable; a member of the Episcopal church for many years, he constantly manifested the christian virtues in an eminent degree. Besides other less distinguished honors, he was once appointed, and twice elected to fill the highly responsible office of Surrogate, the closing term of which would have expired on the 1st of January next. In the discharge of the onerous duties of his office, he has been faithful to his trust, conscientious in the execution of his delicate responsibilities, and has always been prompt to meet the just requisitions of society upon all its members. Mr. Benjamin is the tenth head of a family, who has been thus removed, from this immediate neighborhood since the year commenced.