Chittenden

BENEDICT, George Granville

Men of Vermont: an Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro, VT: Transcript Pub. Co., 1894, part II, pp 25-26

George Granville BENEDICT, was born 26 December 1826 in Burlington 
[Chittenden County, Vermont], son of George Wyllys and Eliza (DEWEY) 
BENEDICT. He prepared for matriculation at college in the academy at 
Burlington, entered the University of Vermont and graduated with honors in 
1847, receiving the degree of Master of Arts in 1850. In 1865 he was elected 
member of the cooperation of the university and was also appointed its 
secretary. Subsequent to his graduation Mr. BENEDICT taught in the city of 
New York for about twelve months, and for the three years following was 
employed in building the lines of the Vermont & Boston Telegraph Company. In 
1853 he acquired a proprietary interest in the daily and weekly "Burlington 
Free Press," became associate editor, and is now editor-in-chief of the same 
paper. He was also postmaster of Burlington and president of the Vermont & 
Boston Telegraph Company from 1860 to 1864.

In August 1862 he [George Granville BENEDICT] enlisted as a private in 
Company C, Twelfth Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Militia. In January 1863 he 
was promoted to lieutenant, and later was appointed aid-de-camp on the staff 
of Gen. George J. STANNARD, commanding the Second brigade of Vermont 
Volunteers. At the expiration of Lieutenant BENEDICT's term of service he 
was honorably discharged on 14 July 1863. In 1865 he held the office of 
assistant inspector general with the rank of major. In 1866 he was appointed 
aid-de-camp on the staff of Gov. Paul DILLINGHAM, with the rank of colonel. 
In 1869 he was elected to the state Senate from Chittenden County, and served 
in the committees on education and military affairs. Re-elected to the same 
body in the following year, he served therein as chairman of the committee on 
education and in the committee on military affairs.

In civil life Colonel BENEDICT also served as director of the old Farmers' 
and Mechanics' Bank. Very appropriately, too, in view of his antecedents, he 
has been corresponding secretary for the Vermont Historical Society for a long 
series of years. In 1879 Colonel BENEDICT was appointed by Governor PROCTOR 
state military historian to prepare a history of the part taken by Vermont in 
the war for the Union, which work he did with painstaking care and great 
literary ability.

On 27 October 1853 he [George Granville BENEDICT] was married to Mary Anne, 
daughter of Edward and Abigail Frances (WARNER) KELLOGG of Canaan [Columbia 
County], New York. One daughter was the issue of this union. Mrs. BENEDICT 
died on 09 November 1857. On 22 December 1864 he [George Granville BENEDICT] 
married as his second wife, Catherine Almira, daughter of the Rev. Alvin 
PEASE, D. D., and Martha (HOWES) PEASE of Rochester [Monroe County], New 
York. A daughter, who died in infancy, and one son were the fruits of his 
second marriage. [Was George Wyllys BENEDICT, father of the subject of this 
biography, related to James BENEDICT, who died of consumption in 1794, and 
who according to the history of Orwell, Addison County, Vermont, was the 
first physician to settle in Orwell in 1788? Bracketed material added by 
submitter, who is not researching these surnames, to support or clarify 
information given in this biography and to raise questions.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly