Benjamin, Stillman & Sarah (Dunbar); Greenwood, Clark Co., WI

Stillman was born 26 Nov 1837*, the son of Isaac Stillman and Rachel (Annis) Benjamin in Moscow, Somerset Co, Maine. His ancestors were colonists from England and his grandfather, Abezer Benjamin, reportedly entered the Revolution as a drummer at the age of 17. Stillman and his wife Sarah, the daughter of Stephen and Almira Dunbar, married 12 Dec 1862 in Wautoma, Waushara Co., WI. She was born 3 Sep 1843 in New York. The following year Stillman enlisted as a Pvt. with Co. G, 32^nd and Co. D, 16th Wis. Inf. and was honorably discharged 4 Jul 1865. His brothers Cyrus (1830), Sylvester (11 Nov 1831) and Ephraim** (1840) also served for the Union. After the war Stillman and Sarah farmed in Omro, Winnebago Co., WI. The Stillman children born there were: William G. (Apr 1866, m. Ida May Goodwin); Orin “Orrie” Albert (1866); Arvilla (1868, m. Oscar Orr). They then moved to a farm in Bennington, Mower Co., MN where Stillman Jr. (1870, MN, m. Flora McKee) was born. They later moved to Hamilton, Spring Valley, MN which was only a few miles away from where Stillman’s parents, brother Cyrus, and other family members were living. Alfred (Sept 1877, MN, m. Jessie Skyhawk); Clara “Carrie” Belle (1879, MN, m. C. T. Conlon); and Cora “Sarah" Laura (Dec 1882, m. McHenry) were born there. Family records indicate they moved to ND, but they apparently returned to Spring Valley, MN where they were farming again when both the 1900 and 1910 census were taken. In 1903, William G. and Ida bought the Morris Markham farm in Sec. 17, Warner Twp. Clark Co., WI, next to what was once known as the “Schwarze School” and later became known as the “Benjamin School”. During the summer of 1910 Stillman grew ill and William and Ida began caring for him. He died in their home 19 Sep 1910 and was buried in the Greenwood, WI City Cemetery. He had excellent habits, a fine moral character, sturdy constitution, and was a faithful member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. We believe Sarah died 20 Aug 1927, in Omro, WI. Civil War Soldiers in the Heart of Clark Co., Wisconsin, @2009.

*200 yr. old family Bible says 2 Jun 1837, but census records & obituary indicate a Nov birth date.

**Ephraim Benjamin and Joseph Lanning Barber also fought with Co. D, 16^th Wis. Inf.

1850 Federal Census: Moscow, Somerset, Maine
Albert Benjamin 16 (1834, Maine)
Angeline F Benjamin 6 (1844, Maine)
Calvin S Benjamin 27 (1823, Maine)
Cyrus Benjamin 20 (1830, Maine)
Ephraim Benjamin 10 (1840, Maine)
Herbert Benjamin 15 (1835, Maine)
Isaac Benjamin 59 (1791, Maine)
Rachel Benjamin 50 (1800, Maine)
Sophina Benjamin 22 (1828, Maine)
Stephen P Benjamin 29 (1821, Maine)
Stillman Benjamin 13 (1837, Maine)
Sylvester Benjamin 18 (1832, Maine)

1860 Federal Census: Omro, Winnebago, Wisconsin
Post Office: Waukau
Isaac Benjamin 69 (1791, Maine), Estate: $800 & Personal $300, Occupation: Farmer
Rachel Benjamin 62 (1798, Maine)
Herbert Benjamin 25 (1835, Maine)
Emily Benjamin 15 (1845, PA)

1870 Federal Census: Spring Valley, Fillmore, Minnesota
Ephraim Benjamin 30 (1840, Maine)
Almina Benjamin 21 (1849, Illinois)
Ada Benjamin 6
Ida Benjamin 3
Rachel Benjamin 1
Rachel Benjamin 70 (1800, Maine)
Samuel Sands 17

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1838, Father's Birth Location: Maine, Mother's Birth Location: Maine

1870 U. S. Federal Census – Bennington, Mower County, Minnesota
Name	Relation	Sex	Race	Age	Marital Status	Birth Place	Father Birth Place	Mother Birth Place	Occupation
Benjamin, Stillman	head	m	w	32	m	Maine	Maine	Maine	farmer
Benjamin, Sarah L.	wife	f	w	26	m	New York	New York	New York	keeps house
Benjamin, Orrin A.	son	m	w	6	s	Wisconsin	Maine	New York
Benjamin, William	son	m	w	4	s	Wisconsin	Maine	New York
Benjamin, Arvilla	daughter	f	w	2	s	Wisconsin	Maine	New York

7 Jun 1880 U. S. Federal Census – Hamilton Sumner, Fillmore County, Minnesota
Name	Relation	Sex	Race	Age	Marital Status	Birth Place	Father Birth Place	Mother Birth Place	Occupation
Benjamin, Stillman	head	m	w	42	m	Maine	Maine	Maine	farmer
Benjamin, Sarah L.	wife	f	w	37	m	New York	New York	New York	keeps house
Benjamin, Orrin A.	son	m	w	14	s	Wisconsin	Maine	New York	helps on farm
Benjamin, Willie G.	son	m	w	14	s	Wisconsin	Maine	New York
Benjamin, Arvilla V.	daughter	f	w	12	s	Wisconsin	Maine	New York
Benjamin, Stillman Jr.	son	m	w	10	s	Minnesota	Maine	New York
Benjamin, Alfred	son	m	w	3	s	Minnesota	Maine	New York
Benjamin, Clara Belle	daughter	f	w	11months	s	Minnesota	Maine	New York

24 Jun 1880 Federal Census: Omro, Winnebago, Wisconsin
George Goodwin 32 (1848, Maine), Head
Theda A. Goodwin 37 (1843, NY), both parents born in NY.
John T. Trotter 18, step-son
Hellin E. Trotter 16, step-daughter
Bina Goodwin 11, daughter
Ida May Goodwin 9 (1871, WI), daughter (Stillman & Sarah's daughter-in-law)
Estella Goodwin 2, daughter
Cora Goodwin 1M, daughter

19 Jun 1900 Federal Census: Spring Valley, Fillmore, Minnesota
Stillman Benjamin 62 (Nov 1837, Maine), Father's Birthplace: Maine, Mother's Birthplace: Maine
Sarah L Benjamin 66, Marriage Year: 1862-Wed 38 yrs.
Alferd Benjamin 23
Sarah Benjamin 44

15 Jun 1900: Rushford, Winnebago, Wisconsin
William G. Benjamin 34 (Apr 1866, WI), Head of Household, Farmer, Renting
Ida M Benjamin 29 (Nov 1870, WI), Wife, Father's Birthplace: Vermont, Mother's Birthplace: New York, Mother: How many children: 1, Mother: number of living children: 0, Marriage Year: 1888, Wed 12 yrs.
Theda Goodwin 58 (Jul 1841, NY), Widowed Mother, How many children: 1, Mother: number of living children: 1
George Vance 34 (Jan 1866) Single, servant

1 May 1885 MN State Census: Pleasant Valley, Mower & Fillmore County, recorded by E. S. Hoppins

Post Office: Dexter

Name: Name: Stillman Benjamin, 47 (1838), Father's Birth Location: Maine, Mother's Birth Location: Maine

Sarah, 41 (1844, NY)
Willie, 19 (1866, WI)
Arvilla, 17 (1868, WI)
Stillman, 14 (1871, WI)
Alfred, 7 (1878, WI)
Carrie, 5 (1880, WI)
Cora, 3 (1882, MN)

1 Jun 1905 State Census: Warner, Clark, WI (This is the home where Stillman died. He was then buried in the Greenwood, WI Cemetery)
Wm G Benjamin 39 (1866, WI), Farmer
Ida Benjamin 34 (1871, WI), Wife, Housekeeper
Vernon Benjamin 4 (1901, WI), Son

1910 U. S. Federal Census – Spring Valley, Fillmore County, Minnesota
Name	Relation	Sex	Race	Age	Marital Status	Birth Place	Father Birth Place	Mother Birth Place	Occupation
Benjamin, Stillman	head	m	w	72	m	Maine	Maine	Maine	farmer
Benjamin, Sarah	wife	f	w	63	m	New York	New York	New York
Conlon, Corrie	daughter	f	w	30	m	Minnesota	Maine	New York
Conlon, Lulu	granddaughter	f	w	13	s	Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota
Conlon, Gladys	granddaughter	f	w	11	s	Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota
Conlon, Willie	grandson	m	w	9	s	Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota
Conlon, Milford	grandson	m	w	11 months	s	Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota

30 Apr 1910 Federal Census: Omro, Winnebago, Wisconsin
John F Frotter 48 (1862, WI), Head, Farmer, Father born IN, Mother born NY (Brother of William G. Benjamin's wife, Sarah)
Mary Frotter 44 (1866, Germany), Wife, Housework, Father born Germany, Mother born Germany
Grace M Frotter 16 (1894, WI), Daughter, Father born WI, Mother born Germany
Earl E Frotter 7 (1903, WI), Son, Father born WI, Mother born Germany
Theda S Goodwin 68 (1842, NY), Mother, Widowed, Father's Birth Place: New York (Mother of William G. Benjamin's wife, Sarah)

4 Apr 1930 Federal Census: Omro Village, Winnebago, Wisconsin
William G Benjamin 63 (1866, WI), Head, Renting, Estate: $2,600, Father born ME, Mother born NY, Married at age 22
Ida M Benjamin 59, (1871, WI), Wife, Father born ME, Mother born NY, Married at age 18
Helen Benjamin 17 (1913, WI), Daughter

Marriage: Published in Waushara Argus (Waushara, Wis.) Dec 17, 1862

Surnames: Hamner, Benjamin, Dunbar

Married - At the residence of Mr. A. Howe. in Marion, Dec. 13th. 1862 by the Rev. H. Hamner. Mr. Stillman Benjamin of Dakota, to Miss Sarah Dunbar of Omro.

Mrs. Theda Goodwin, mother of John Trotter of this city (Oshkosh), passed away at about 10:30 AM clock at the home of her daughter, Mrs Frank Halkeny, at Delhi, town of Rushford. Mrs. Goodwin would have been 85 years of age had she lived until July 21 of this year. She was born in New York but came to Winnebago county in her younger days and resided here for many years. Her death was due to complication of diseases. She is survived by five daughters and one son. They are Mrs Halkeny of Delhi, Mrs. Stella VanAlstine and Mrs. William Benjamin, both of Omro, Mrs Bina Priestley of Madison and Mrs James Mather of Oshkosh, and John Totter of Oshkosh. There are a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, 26 Feb 1926

Stillman Benjamin is also featured in the book, "Civil War Soldiers in the heart of Clark Co., Wisconsin"

Sources: Cemetery, death & family records; Wis. Military Rosters, Census, County & Newspaper entries.