BIOGRAPHY: Rev. Benoni I. Ives, Cayuga co., New York transcribed and submitted by: Ann Anderson (ann.g.anderson at gmail.com) ========================================================= Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ny/nyfiles.htm ========================================================= BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW THIS VOLUME CONTAINS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE LEADING CITIZENS OF CAYUGA COUNTY NEW YORK BOSTON BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY 1894 REV. BENONI I. IVES, D.D. True religion consists not in a nice orthodoxy, but in a sincere love of truth and in a hearty approbation of and compliance with doctrines fundamentally good; not in vain flourishes of outward performance, but in an inward good complexion of mind; not in a furious zeal for trivial circumstances, but in a conscionable practising the substantial parts of religion. Such has ever been the purpose and life-work of the subject of the present sketch, the Rev. Benoni I. Ives, D.D., of the Methodist Episcopal church. Dr. Ives is of New England ancestry, his grandfather, Josiah Ives, who was from Wyoming, Pa., having come to this State from Vermont. Dr. Ives's father," Orin Ives, a farmer by occupation, served through the War of 1812 under General Scott, being present at the battle of Lundy's Lane and many other important engagements. While still a young man, he came to Tompkins County, New York, and was there united in marriage to Miss Mary Gibbs, a native of New Jersey. Their son, Benoni I., was born in Lansing, Tompkins County, January 2, 1822. His father afterward removed to Stockbridge, Ingham County, Mich. The lad received his early education at the common school of Lansing, N.Y., and while quite young went to Michigan for three years, returning to this State on account of the superior educational advantages it afforded, attending the Macedon Academy in Wayne County. When twenty years of age, he experienced religion, being converted at Belvidere, N.J., and, feeling that he was called to the work of the ministry, immediately entered upon a course of preparation for the same, being admitted on probation at the Conference at Utica in 1845. After two years Mr. Ives was ordained Deacon, being advanced to Eldership at the expiration of four years. His first charges were at Fleming and Stockbridge, at the latter place having a wonderful revival, receiving two hundred persons into the church, four of whom afterward became ministers, one being the noted Rev. Dr. Warren, editor of the Advocate at Syracuse. His next charge was at Utica; and during his pastorship there he organized a new society, and built the New South Street Church. Coming to Auburn in 1854, he was made pastor of the First Church, which was his first residence in this city. During his pastorate in Auburn, he organized what is now the Wall Street Church, of which he was pastor for three years. In December, 1856, he was appointed Chaplain to the Prison, retaining that position for some eleven years, for three years of the time also serving the Wall Street Church. In 1868 he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Auburn District for four years. At that time the district had thirty-two charges, Dr. Ives holding quarterly meetings. He also held nine camp-meeetings in the district, which were blessed with great success. At the close of his Presiding Eldership of this district, and at the request of the Board of Bishops of the Conference, he took such a relation to the Conference as allowed him to devote his time to the dedication of churches, of which kind of work he had already done a great deal during his ministerial life. In the prosecution of this work, during the first eight years he travelled an average of twenty-four thousand miles a year in railroad cars, dedicating full one hundred churches a year in Canada and the States. In this vast territory he has dedicated in the neighborhood of two thousand and fifty churches, and been instrumental in raising millions of money to meet the expenses of their erection. In very many cases he has gone outside his own denomination, working with the Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists, assisting the Rev. Dr. Talmage in dedicating the three Tabernacles that were destroyed by fire. On three occasions he has had charge of the State and International Camp Meetings at Round Lake. For two years he was agent of the Syracuse University, and has been one of the Charter Trustees since its organization, taking an active and successful part in the raising of funds for the University. He was Presiding Elder of the Syracuse District for four years, which is one of the most important districts, and was also Presiding Elder of the Geneva District for six years, which occupied him until 1892. He is at the present time Secretary of the Conference Endowment Fund, and is still actively engaged in the dedication of churches. The Rev. Mr. Ives received his degree of D.D. from the Illinois Wesleyan University in 1873. He is undoubtedly one of the most powerful and magnetic speakers the Methodist Episcopal church has ever had, and is held in the highest estimation by the members of that and other bodies. He has always been earnestly interested in the temperance cause, being at one time head of the Sons of Temperance in the State of New York, and has given temperance a most prominent part all through his public life. He was largely influential in bringing about lay representation in the Methodist Episcopal church, and was four times a delegate to the General Conference, the highest body in the church. Dr. Ives has also played an active part in the political world, being one of the delegates to form the Republican party in his State, and one of the committee to form its platform at the Convention at Syracuse in the summer of 1855. He had most intimate relations with all the strong Republican leaders of that time from one end of the land to the other, as for ten years, from 1856 to 1866, he went over the State many times from Buffalo to New York City, delivering political speeches, Horace Greeley saying of him that "he was the ablest platform speaker of the Republican party." He was also engaged in the Lincoln and Grant Presidential campaigns. Dr. Ives has been twice married. By his first wife he had one son, Frank B., now a prominent business man in this city. By his second marriage, with Miss Julia Hosmer, daughter of William Hosmer, the noted abolitionist editor, he has two children: William Hosmer Ives, a graduate of Syracuse University, and now teaching in the Stevens Institute, Hoboken, a graduate of May, 1894, in the law department of the University of New York City; and Julia Belle Ives a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College and also of the Syracuse University. Dr. Ives has made his residence at No. 111 South Street, Auburn, for thirty years; and it may be confidently stated that no man is more respected by his fellow-citizens. He early found that he had a mission to perform in this world for which his talents precisely fitted him, and, having found out what that mission was, has thrown into it all the energies of his soul, seeking its accomplishment, not his own glory.