Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 1051.
 
JUDGE HENRY L. BENSON

     residing at Klamath Falls, was born July 6, 1854, in Stockton, California.
His parents were Rev. Henry C., D. D., and Matilda M. (Williamson) Benson, the
father a native of Ohio; the mother of Kentucky.
     The ancestors of Rev. Henry L. Benson were of Scotch-Irish descent and
early pioneers of Ohio. It was in 1852 that Henry C. came to
California as a missionary for the Methodist Episcopal church. He followed
preaching and editorial work on various religious journals in California and
Oregon, until a few years before his death in 1897, having been fifty years in
active work. He died in San Jose, California, in his eighty-third year. The
mother of our subject was a granddaughter of the late Earl of Warwick. She was
reared in Indiana and was married to Rev. Henry C. Benson at Greencastle. that
state, during the period when he was professor of ancient languages at Asbury,
now DePauw University, Bishop Simpson being at that time president. Mrs. Benson
died at San Jose, California, in December, 1901, about eighty years of age. To
them were born a family of twelve children, nine of whom are now living, viz:
Sanford G., city editor of the San Jose Daily Mercury; William W., a merchant;
our subject; Frank W., an attorney of Roseburg, Oregon, and president of the
Douglas County Bank; Fred T., a farmer, near Salem, Oregon; Mrs. Emma E.
Goodell, whose husband is an attorney in Alaska; Mrs. Susie P. Carpy; Mrs. Gail
E. Perkins, her husband being assistant state treasurer, at Salem, Oregon; and
Mrs. Clara Tonkin, living at San Jose, California.
     In 1864 our subject came to Portland, Oregon, with his parents, but in 1868
returned to San Jose. There he was matriculated in the university from which he
was graduated in 1873 with the degree of A. M. Subsequently he received the
degree of Doctor of Literature. He then studied law in the office of Judge
Herrington, of San Jose, and was admitted to practice in all courts in 1878. For
two years he followed his profession in San Jose, coming to Roseburg, Oregon, in
1880. Here he devoted himself to teaching, and, for a period, was principal in a
private academy. It was in 1886 that he went to Grant's Pass where he practiced
law, and in 1892 he was elected district attorney for the First Judicial
District of Oregon, embracing Josephine, Jackson, Klamath and Lake counties. In
1896 Judge Benson was elected to the Oregon Legislature and was chosen speaker
of the house. In 1898 he was elected as one of the two circuit judges for the
same district in which he had served as district attorney, on the Republican
ticket, and removed to Klamath Falls. He was re-elected in 1904, by an
overwhelming majority.
     September 7, 1876, our subject was united in marriage to Susie E.
Dougharty, born in Lafayette, California, July 14, 1858.  To them have been born
six children, viz:  Rea W., married to Grace Cook, a bookkeeper in San
Francisco; Arthur S., department clerk in the supreme court, Salem; Clark,
deceased; Gail E., Harry G., and Louise R.  Two children have been born to Mrs.
Cook, Cyril and Elwood.
     Fraternally Judge Benson is a member of the Masons, Elks and A.O.U.W.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter has
no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.