Attorney John Benson, of this city, died on Friday evening in the American Ontological Hospital, 45th and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia. Mr. Benson's illness began about four months ago and for a period of two months he was a patient at the Lebanon Sanatorium here, but two weeks ago entered the Philadelphia institution. The disease could not be checked, however, and the end came as a welcome relief after much suffering, which was born with great fortitude. When the news of his death became known among his colleagues in the law and the offices of the court there were many expressions of genuine regret, for he nuumbered all of them as his friends. John Benson was the son of William Benson, and was born in North Lebanon township, what was then the Benson Homestead, being now occupied by the American Iron and Steel manufacturing company, the farm lying east of Front street and north of the Berks and Dauphin turnpike. Like his father, he became a grist miller, but when the P. and R. railroal was being built, he became a of the engineering corps. Later he taught in the public schools and when the late Associate Judge Andrew Light became Clerk of the Orphans' Court, he was appointed his deputy. Next he determined to enter the law and became a student in the office of the late Amos Boughter and was admitted to practice on January 3, 1865. Soon after his admission to the bar Judge Pierson appointed him district attorney to serve for an unexpired term and so satisfactory was his conduct of the office that he was subsequently elected to succeed himself for a full term. In politics Mr. Benson was a Republican and look an active interest in the success of his party. He served as a member of the borough school board and was a member of borough councils at the time of the introduction of the present water supply. During the almost half century of his active practice of the law, Mr. Benson was prominently identified with some of the most important cases tried in the local courts but it was during the closing months of his life that he recorded one of his greatest legal victories, a Lebanon county jury awarding his client. Mrs. Matthias Roland, of this city, a verdict of $9,000 against the Reading Railway company, for the killing of her husband on the Front street grade crossing. It was the largest verdict in the history of the local court and an appeal to the Supreme Court taken by the company is still pending. He was the preceptor of Attorneys S. P. Light. B. B. Strouse, J. G. Adams and C. L. Benson. Mr. Benson was in his 73rd year, having been born on September 3, 1836. He was married to Miss Sarah A. Lantz, a sister of Hon. C. R. Lantz, of this city, whose death occurred about 18 months ago. Five children, four daughters and a son survive, as follows: Mrs. Laura, wife of Attorney J. G. Adams; Mrs. Charlotte, wife of Deputy Postmaster Chas. S. Havard; Misses Sarah and Mary Benson, and Cyrus L. Benson, all of this city. Four sisters and a brothers also survive, Mrs. James Dissinger, Mrs. Simon Fox, Mrs. John Boyer and Mrs. Charles Weand, all of Independent District, and Israel Benson, of Boulder, Colorado. Attorneys Robert L. and Paul O. Adams, of this city, are grandsons. The body will be brought here by his grandson, Attorney Paul G. Adams, who was with him in Philadelphia, and the funeral held on Monday afternoon, at 2 o'clock, with services at the house, 29 South Seventh Street. Interment will be made at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery. [Lebanon Daily News, March 13, 1909, Page 1]