Essex BENTON, Everett Chamberlin & Jay B. 1st Biography of Everett C. BENTON (brother of Jay B. BENTON) Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro, VT: Transcript Pub. Co., 1894, part III, pp 2-3 of 20 unpaginated leaves (portrait in uniform, p 2 of 20) Everett C. BENTON, of Belmont [Middlesex County], Massachusetts, was born 25 September 1862 at Guildhall [Essex County, Vermont], son of Judge Charles E. and Adda C. BENTON. [Note the names of his parents are given as Emerson and Adda (CHAMBERLIN) BENTON in the second biography.] His father was one of the prominent men of Essex County and for many years held the office of county clerk, being also at the time of his death judge of probate. The BENTONs came from good old revolutionary stock, Mr. BENTON's paternal great grandfather having been a captain in the Continental Army under Gen. WASHINGTON, at Valley Forge, and his maternal great grandfather was a member of Capt. JOHNSON's Minute Men and present at the capture of Fort Ticonderoga. His Vermont ancestors were a sturdy family and prominent in the early history of the state. In early youth Mr. [Everett C.] BENTON attended the public schools of his native town and the Colbrook and Lancaster Academies in New Hampshire. At the age of fourteen he was appointed a page in the Vermont senate and his political career may be said to have begun at that time. He was next clerk to the secretary of state for two years and then deputy county clerk of Essex country for four years. Going to Boston [Suffolk County, Massachusetts] in 1882 he entered the insurance business, in which he is still engaged, being connected with the establishment of John C. PAIGE. During his residence in Massachusetts, he has taken an active interest in politics, and has held various political offices. For a number of years he has been a member of the town Republican committee of Belomont; in 1890 he was elected a member of the Republican congressional district committee, in 1891 a member of the Republican state committee, in 1892 chairman of committee on towns in the state committee, and in 1893-1894 he was chairman of the executive committee of the Republican state committee, and has just been re-elected to that office for 1895. During the state campaign of 1893 Mr. BENTON distinguished himself as one of the hardest workers on the Republican state committee and when Governor GREENHALGE selected his military family he made fitting recognition of Mr. BENTON's excellent work for his party by appointing him an aide-de-camp on his staff with the title of colonel. On 24 January 1885 in Charlestown [Charlestown in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, or Charlestown in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?] he [Everett C. BENTON] was married to [Miss?] Willena ROGERS, and of five children born to them, four are living: Jay R., Charles F., Blanche A., and Dorothy D. Col. BENTON is a member of the Republican Club of Massachusetts and of the Norfolk Club. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity. 2nd Biography of Everett Chamberlin BENTON Encyclopedia Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other States. Dodge. Burlington: Ullery Publishing Company, 1912, p 118 Everett Chamberlin BENTON, insurance, Belmont [Middlesex County], Massachusetts, was born 25 September 1862 at Guildhall [Essex County, Vermont], son of Hon. Emerson [Charles Emerson?] and Adda (CHAMBERLIN) BENTON. His family was of Revolutionary stock, his grandfather having been a captain in the continental army. Educated at public schools of Guildhall, and Lancaster Academy [Coos County], New Hampshire. In 1882 he went to Boston [Suffolk County, Massachusetts] and secured a position in the insurance house of John C. PAIGE, and at the death of the founder of the firm became a part of its organization, continuing to date. In 1910 organized the Massachusetts Fire and Marine Insurance Company of Boston, Massachusetts, becoming its first president; author of "The History of Guildhall, Vermont," a valuable and authentic authority, supplying much of the early history of the county as well as the town. Served in Company I, Third Regiment New Hampshire National Guard; member Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, and its commander 1911-1912. A Republican, and for many years prominent in the councils of the party; aide-de-camp, with rank of colonel, on staff of Gov. GREENHALGE 1895-1897; elected member of the executive council in 1898; member state committee eleven years; delegate to three national conventions, and in 1904 delegate-at-large; member Metropolitan Park commission. In 1885 he [Everett Chamberlin BENTON married [Miss?] Willena ROGERS of Cambridge [Middlesex County], Massachusetts; they have six children: Jay Rogers, Charles Everett, Blanche Avola (Mrs. C. E. LONEGREN), Dorothy Draper, Hannah Slade, and Josiah Holt. Mr. BENTON is a Universalist; chairman board of trustees Second Society Universalists of Boston. In 1895 became a member of Simon W. Robinson Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons; Waltham Royal Arch Chapter 1896; Boston Council, Royal & Select Masons, 1901, and of St. Bernard Commandery, Knights Templar, 1902; received Scottish Rite degrees 1895, and Thirty-third degree 1902; among other distinctions Colonel BENTON has earned the title of past master, past thrice illustrious master, and past grand master of the Royal and Select Rite; past commander of St. Bernard Commandery, Knights Templar, and past commander-in-chief of the Massachusetts Consistory. He is past president Massachusetts and Rhode Island Association Knights Templar Commanders; in 1912 installed grand master of Masons in Massachusetts. First district deputy grand master of the Fourteenth Vermont District, and in 1905 was elected grand junior warden of the Grand Lodge of Vermont. In 1901 erected and presented to his native town a public library and Masonic hall. Past president Beacon Society of Boston; member of the Algonquin Club, Oakley Country Club, Boston Art Club, Vermont Association, Sons of the American Revolution, and vice president Sons of the Revolution. Office, 65 Kilby Street, Boston; residence, Oakley Road, Belmont, Massachusetts. Biography of Jay B. BENTON (brother of Everett Chamberlin BENTON) Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro, VT: Transcript Pub. Co., 1894, part III, p 3 of 20 unpaginated leaves (portrait p 3 of 20) Jay B. BENTON, of Winchester [Middlesex County], Massachusetts, was born 10 April 1870 in Guildhall [Essex County, Vermont], son of Judge Charles E. and Adda C. BENTON, of Guildhall. He was educated in Lancaster [Coos County], New Hampshire, and at the St. Johnsbury Academy [Caledonia County, Vermont], from which he graduated with high honors in 1885; being the youngest member of the class. After leaving St. Johnsbury, young [Jay B.] BENTON taught school for a term or two at Maidstone [Essex County, Vermont] and then went to New York City, where for a year he filled the office of librarian in the Young Men's Institute. In 1886 he entered Dartmouth College, graduating with honors four years later. While in college Mr. BENTON was editor of "The Dartmouth" for two years, president of the Handel Society, chorister in his senior year and assistant librarian of the college for three years. He also became a member of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity and of the Phi Beta Kappa society. From Dartmouth he went to Boston and in the fall of 1890 joined the staff of the "Evening Transcript," which paper he had represented as Dartmouth correspondent. For a while he did reportorial work and was then promoted to the office of assistant city editor, in which he distinguished himself as an untiring worker and a man of ideas and originality. He remained with the "Transcript" until June 1894, when he accepted the position he now fills, that of assistant managing editor of the "Boston Journal." In this capacity he is largely responsible for the Sunday edition, in which are to be found many evidences of his energy and ability. He is the Boston correspondent of the "New York Dramatic Mirror", a popular member of the Press Club, the Newspaper Club, and the Papyrus Club, an organization of literary men. Mr. BENTON is unmarried and resides at his mother's home in Winchester [Middlesex County], Massachusetts. Submitted by Cathy Kubly