Union County, SD Biographies.....Benjamin, David April 13, 1832 - 
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Source: MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF Turner, Lincoln, Union and Clay Counties, South Dakota. (1897)
Author: Geo. Ogle & Co.

DAVID BENJAMIN, a portrait of whom will be seen on another page of this record, is
one of the earliest settlers of Union county, in fact, one of the very earliest, as
he located here in 1859. He is now a farmer in section 10 of Prairie township, and
is one of the prosperous and prominent citizens of that part of the county.

Mr. Benjamin is a native of Nova Scotia, born April 13, 1832, and in that country
grew to mature years. His father, Perez M. Benjamin, was also a native of Nova
Scotia, and a well-to-do and prominent farmer and mill operator of that province. He
was a member of the Canadian parliament for a period of eight years, and was also a
captain in the militia. Our subject received his education at Horton, N. S., in the
common schools, and when twenty years of age began life for himself by coming to the
United States to seek his fortune. He first stopped in Wisconsin, and then in 1852
located in Minnesota, near St. Anthony, where he worked in the pineries for a period
of seven years. In 1859 he came to Dakota territory, where the thriving city of Elk
Point now stands, and took up a claim there. The country all around then was nothing
but a vast wilderness, and the only human being with the exception of savages, who
were plentiful), was Mr. E. B. Wixson, who had a log shanty there. The first winter
our subject spent in getting out a cord of wood for Mr. David Carson, a cousin of
the famous “Kit," and the following spring he hired out to Mr. Wixson as head cook
and steward in the latter's log-shanty hotel. During 1860 emigrant parties began
coming in, and in 1861 he secured employment with a surveying party engaged in
laying out the land between the Sioux and Jim rivers. While engaged in this work the
Rebellion broke out, and our subject went to Yankton, decided on enlisting in the
service of his adopted country. He was mustered into company A, First Dakota
cavalry, as a private, and was subsequently promoted to corporal. He had a squad of
men on the Brule creek, protecting settlers from the depredations of the lawless
savages, who stole everything they could lay their hands on, and wintered that year
at Fort Randall. The next year, 1863, the company went up Crow creek to Fort
Thompson, doing guard duty of various kinds, escorting mail carriers, etc., and were
participants in the battle with the red skins at Falling Springs. The following
winter was again passed at Fort Randall, and in 1864 Mr. Benjamin took part in the
expedition under Gen. Sully to the Bad Lands, the regiment fording the Yellowstone
river, and then back again, fording the Missouri, to Fort Union. All through the Bad
Lands the troops were harassed by the savages. Fort Rice was the next stopping
place, and from there the regiment proceeded to Vermillion, where they established
winter quarters. Our subject was mustered out May 10, 1865, as second lieutenant of
company A, First Dakota cavalry, to which position he had been promoted for
meritorious service.

Immediately after his discharge from the army, Mr. Benjamin located on his claim
near Elk Point, but shortly after traded it for another one in what was subsequently
the same township and whereon Mr. James Norton now resides. This farm he improved
and lived on for ten years. In 1879 he started for the table lands to take a farm
there on shares, but the grasshoppers got all the crops and he decided to return to
his original neighborhood. For two years he lived on Mr. Norton’s place and then
moved to a Mr. Burger's farm on the Missouri river in Clay county for another two
years. At the expiration of that time he bought his present property on which he has
ever since made his home.

Mr. Benjamin, as before stated, is one of the earliest settlers of Union county; he
has seen the country grow from a vast wilderness, fit only for the habitation of
beasts and savages, to a well cultivated and populated district, and was one of the
organizers of the county. He was the fist [sic] sheriff and served in that capacity
for four years and a half. He also served as deputy United States marshal in 1878
and 1879. He assessed the county for two years and served as collector three years,
in fact, he has been closely identified with the development of the territory and
relates some interesting incidents occurring in the early history of the Dakotas. He
listened to the first religious sermon ever preached in Elk Point, Rev. C. D.
Martin, a Presbyterian minister, making the address in the fall of 1860. Mr.
Benjamin as a farmer has succeeded admirably and is now the fortunate possessor of
100 acres of land, which is nicely proved with good and substantial buildings, and
stock and machinery used in tilling the soil. Politically he is a Republican and has
been a life-long one, although he cast his first vote for president but four years
ago; this is explained by the fact that as a territory the citizens of the Dakotas
had no voice in the choosing of the nation’s executive, but being admitted to
statehood in 1890 they are now accorded that right. Mr. Benjamin has been a member
of the local school board, and also served as postmaster of Emmett post office from
July, 188C, until October, 1893. Socially he is a member of the G. A. R. post at
Beresford, in which he has been an officer - holding the position of vice-commander;
he is the present officer of the day.

Mr. Benjamin was fortunate in his choice of a companion, gaining for his wife Miss
Jane Taggart, a native of New Hampshire. The bride is a daughter of Leonard Taggart,
of Elk Point township, a brief sketch of whom will be found on another page of this
record, and was married to our subject September 17, 1878. Five children have come
to bless this union, but one is now dead. The living are: George; Minnie, the wife
of Morgan Williams: Harriet and Bertha.


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