Gen. Philip Benner and Ruth Roberts
Husband Gen. Philip Benner 1 2
Born: 1762 - Chester Co, PA 1 Christened: Died: 27 Jul 1832 - Spring Twp, Centre Co, PA 3 4 Buried:
Father: Henry Benner ( - ) 1 Mother:
Marriage:
Wife Ruth Roberts 1 5
Born: Abt 1765 Christened: Died: 7 Jan 1827 - Rock, Centre Co, PA 3 Buried:
Children
1 F Hannah Benner 6
Born: Abt 1787 Christened: Died: 11 Apr 1854 5 Buried:Spouse: Thomas Waddle (Abt 1777-1825) 3 6
2 F Mary Benner 3 7 8
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Samuel Hunter Wilson ( -1841) 7 8 9 10
3 F Peninah Benner 3
Born: Abt 1790 Christened: Died: 16 Jan 1876 3 Buried:Spouse: [Unk] Kephart ( - ) 3
4 M Thomas Benner 3
Born: Christened: Died: Aft 1883 Buried:
5 M Henry Benner 3
Born: Christened: Died: Aft 1883 Buried:
6 M J. Matlack Benner 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
7 F Ruth Benner 3
Born: Christened: Died: Aft 1883 Buried:Spouse: Maj. James Armor ( - ) 3
8 M Philip Benner 3
Born: Abt 1797 Christened: Died: 17 Feb 1839 - Rock, Centre Co, PA 3 Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Gen. Philip Benner
When yet a young man he served in the Revolution, his mother quilting some money in the back of his vest as a provision for his necessities if captured. After the close of the struggle in 1792, he purchased what was called Rock Forge lands, and removed to Spring Creek to engage in the iron business, and from that time on until his death, he was prominently identified with that business, and the business interests of Centre County. He was an earnest Democrat, and was twice Presidential elector, notably on the Jackson and Calhoun ticket in 1824.
After the Revolutionary war he engaged in the iron business at Coventry, in the northern part of Chester County, Pennsylvania, and had a store in Vincent township, in that county. On May 3, 1792, he purchased of Josiah Matlack Rock Forge lands, and removed to Spring Creek to engage in the iron business, and from that time forward until his death was prominently identified with that business and the business interests and prosperity of Centre County. He brought workmen with him from Chester County, and commenced his improvements in May, 1793, at Rock, erecting a house and saw-mill, and in 1794 erected his first forge, and the first in what is now Centre County, the forge making iron in that year. The difficulties he encountered may be estimated from a remark he made: "I had to pack provisions from the eastern counties through the woods to supply ninety-three people." He then erected a grist-mill, and in 1799 the slitting-mill, and Feb. 20, 1800, commenced building the lower forge, adding afterwards a nail-mill, furnace, etc.
Prior warrants had been laid on the land he bought of Matlack, and after he had completed his iron-works in 1802, an ejectment was brought against him by the owners of what were known as the Hubley warrants.
He defended his rights stoutly and gained his case the first time in the lower courts, but failed in the Supreme Court, and on a retrial in 1811 he was defeated and compelled to buy his land a second time. His land titles settled, he opened an iron trade with Pittsburgh, packing iron on horses through to that place, and afterwards hauling it from Rock. He enjoyed, as the result of his enterprise, without competition for many years, the trade in what was termed by him the "Juniata iron" with Pittsburgh and the western country.
Among the foremost in internal improvement, he was the first president (in 1821) of the Centre and Kishacoquillas Turnpike Company, and assisted largely in its construction.
As a politician he was an earnest Democrat, and was twice Presidential elector, notably on the Jackson and Calhoun ticket of 1824, and in 1827 he established the Centre Democrat.
Gen. Benner was a very industrious man: he was always out between four and five o'clock in the morning, and from that time until night was always on the alert. Attentive to every detail, like Napoleon, he frequently examined his horses' feet to see that they were well shod, and every teamster had a hammer, extra horseshoes, nails, etc., in case of emergency along the road. He had four- and six-horse teams constantly hauling to Pittsburgh and to Bald Eagle Creek. Once a teamster who sounded his own merits largely applied to the general for employment. "Well," said the general, "my good fellow, did you ever upset your wagon?" "Upset! oh, no, sir! I am too good a driver for that." "Well, then," said the general, "I do not think you will do, for you would not know what to do when you did upset. No man can drive from Rock to Pittsburgh without upsetting. No, you won't do at all."
He had a humorous way of disposing of applicants for work when he had no occasion for them or did not fancy the applicant. Looking at an applicant closely one day, he observed the cloth on the right shoulder of his coat well worn. "My man," said the general, "you are altogether too fond of hunting to be a good workman." His judgment of hunters in general was that they were a worthless race. To another his objection lay to the condition of his pantaloons. "A man," said the general, "who sat down so much as to wear out the seat of his breeches was too lazy a man to be tolerated at Rock."
The borough of Bellefonte bears testimony to his energy and liberality. He aided in the construction of the water-works, and erected quite a number of houses. Many of the best houses of their day were erected by him. In addition to the iron business, he had a store in Ferguson township and one in Bellefonte. He accumulated a vast amount of real estate, but his losses were sometimes enormous. He built a steamboat at Pittsburgh, and freighted it with iron, the venture costing upwards of fifty thousand dollars. The captain had directions to go to New Orleans and exchange for tobacco, with which he was to return for market. The captain sold vessel and freight, sailed to Europe, and never was heard of afterward. He also lost heavily with an iron merchant in Pittsburgh.
His appellation, "General", came from an early commission as major-general of militia.
1 John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1883), Pg 178.
2 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 76, 93.
3 John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1883), Pg 179.
4 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 76.
5 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 93.
6 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 92.
7 William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., Pennsylvania Genealogies; Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Co., 1896), Pg 382.
8 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 51.
9 —, History of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys (Philadelphia, PA: Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886), Pg 464.
10
G. O. Seilhamer, Esq, The Bard Family (Chambersburg, PA: Kittochtinny Press, 1908), Pg 323.
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