Excerpt from Morton Montgomery's Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania
Henry Benfield raised eight sons and one daughter, all the sons becoming prominent farmers and business men. On Aug. 20, 1906, his descendants held a reunion at Huff's Church, the first gathering of this family, and six of his sons, as well as many grandchildren, were present on the occasion. Henry Benfield was born in Lynn township, Lehigh Co., Pa., Sept. 3, 1803, and in 1824 came to Hereford township, Berks county, where he worked one year for a Mr. Gluck, on the farm later owned by his son George and now the property of his grandson, Henry W. Benfield. He then learned the blacksmith's trade from Jacob Heydt, following that trade for several years, until he commenced farming on his own account. The rest of his active years he spent in agricultural work, from which he retired, however, many years before his death, which occurred Jan. 21, 1891, at the ripe age of eighty-seven years, four months, eighteen days. In hi early years he was a teamster, hauling for different forges. He bought a farm of seventy-five acres above Bechtelsville, in Washington township, which is now the property of his grandson, William Benfield. Mr. Benfield was a Reformed member of the Hill Church, where he is buried. He was a tall man, with black hair and dark complexion. Henry Benfield married Sarah Becker, born July 4, 1806, died Feb. 22, 1886, aged seventy-nine years, seven months, eighteen days. Of their nine children, (1) David, born March 26, 1827, died Nov. 27, 1903; his wife, Anna Maria, born in 1830, died in 1904. David was in his younger years a teacher and later a very prosperous farmer in Washington township, and the possessor of considerable real estate, being the owner of the house of his father, Henry Benfield. (2) Abraham and (3) Daniel both became farmers and contractors and lumbermen, and are the owners of oil land in Ontario, Canada, where Daniel had lived many years, pumping oil from their wells. Both reside near Huff's Church, and live retired. (4) Henry was a shoemaker by trade, but started farming, and still later became interested in iron ore mining, in Longswamp township, Berks county, and neighboring localities. This was his vocation for many years. Later he also became a lumberman, in which line of business he continued up to his death. (5) Jacob and (6) Aaron both worked at their trades, but later became tillers of the soil, and both are still living, Jacob in Washington township, near Bechtelsville, and Aaron near Huff's Church. (7) George B. also was a farmer all his life, living near Bechtelsville. (8) Samuel, also a farmer, finally drifted into the hotel business, living in Lehigh county, having hotels at Wanamakers, Kempton and Emaus. All these brothers have been very industrious and are men of means and stand high in social circles. Their descendants are scattered far and wide, and have engaged in various vocations, being farmers, mechanics, educators, doctors, prominent business men, etc. Henry Benfield's only daughter, Elizabeth, now deceased, was the wife of Joseph Dotterer.
Henry Benfield raised eight sons and one daughter, all the sons becoming prominent farmers and business men. On Aug. 20, 1906, his descendants held a reunion at Huff's Church, the first gathering of this family, and six of his sons, as well as many grandchildren, were present on the occasion. Henry Benfield was born in Lynn township, Lehigh Co., Pa., Sept. 3, 1803, and in 1824 came to Hereford township, Berks county, where he worked one year for a Mr. Gluck, on the farm later owned by his son George and now the property of his grandson, Henry W. Benfield. He then learned the blacksmith's trade from Jacob Heydt, following that trade for several years, until he commenced farming on his own account. The rest of his active years he spent in agricultural work, from which he retired, however, many years before his death, which occurred Jan. 21, 1891, at the ripe age of eighty-seven years, four months, eighteen days. In hi early years he was a teamster, hauling for different forges. He bought a farm of seventy-five acres above Bechtelsville, in Washington township, which is now the property of his grandson, William Benfield. Mr. Benfield was a Reformed member of the Hill Church, where he is buried. He was a tall man, with black hair and dark complexion. Henry Benfield married Sarah Becker, born July 4, 1806, died Feb. 22, 1886, aged seventy-nine years, seven months, eighteen days. Of their nine children, (1) David, born March 26, 1827, died Nov. 27, 1903; his wife, Anna Maria, born in 1830, died in 1904. David was in his younger years a teacher and later a very prosperous farmer in Washington township, and the possessor of considerable real estate, being the owner of the house of his father, Henry Benfield. (2) Abraham and (3) Daniel both became farmers and contractors and lumbermen, and are the owners of oil land in Ontario, Canada, where Daniel had lived many years, pumping oil from their wells. Both reside near Huff's Church, and live retired. (4) Henry was a shoemaker by trade, but started farming, and still later became interested in iron ore mining, in Longswamp township, Berks county, and neighboring localities. This was his vocation for many years. Later he also became a lumberman, in which line of business he continued up to his death. (5) Jacob and (6) Aaron both worked at their trades, but later became tillers of the soil, and both are still living, Jacob in Washington township, near Bechtelsville, and Aaron near Huff's Church. (7) George B. also was a farmer all his life, living near Bechtelsville. (8) Samuel, also a farmer, finally drifted into the hotel business, living in Lehigh county, having hotels at Wanamakers, Kempton and Emaus. All these brothers have been very industrious and are men of means and stand high in social circles. Their descendants are scattered far and wide, and have engaged in various vocations, being farmers, mechanics, educators, doctors, prominent business men, etc. Henry Benfield's only daughter, Elizabeth, now deceased, was the wife of Joseph Dotterer.
Excerpt from Morton Montgomery's Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania
Henry Benfield raised eight sons and one daughter, all the sons becoming prominent farmers and business men. On Aug. 20, 1906, his descendants held a reunion at Huff's Church, the first gathering of this family, and six of his sons, as well as many grandchildren, were present on the occasion. Henry Benfield was born in Lynn township, Lehigh Co., Pa., Sept. 3, 1803, and in 1824 came to Hereford township, Berks county, where he worked one year for a Mr. Gluck, on the farm later owned by his son George and now the property of his grandson, Henry W. Benfield. He then learned the blacksmith's trade from Jacob Heydt, following that trade for several years, until he commenced farming on his own account. The rest of his active years he spent in agricultural work, from which he retired, however, many years before his death, which occurred Jan. 21, 1891, at the ripe age of eighty-seven years, four months, eighteen days. In hi early years he was a teamster, hauling for different forges. He bought a farm of seventy-five acres above Bechtelsville, in Washington township, which is now the property of his grandson, William Benfield. Mr. Benfield was a Reformed member of the Hill Church, where he is buried. He was a tall man, with black hair and dark complexion. Henry Benfield married Sarah Becker, born July 4, 1806, died Feb. 22, 1886, aged seventy-nine years, seven months, eighteen days. Of their nine children, (1) David, born March 26, 1827, died Nov. 27, 1903; his wife, Anna Maria, born in 1830, died in 1904. David was in his younger years a teacher and later a very prosperous farmer in Washington township, and the possessor of considerable real estate, being the owner of the house of his father, Henry Benfield. (2) Abraham and (3) Daniel both became farmers and contractors and lumbermen, and are the owners of oil land in Ontario, Canada, where Daniel had lived many years, pumping oil from their wells. Both reside near Huff's Church, and live retired. (4) Henry was a shoemaker by trade, but started farming, and still later became interested in iron ore mining, in Longswamp township, Berks county, and neighboring localities. This was his vocation for many years. Later he also became a lumberman, in which line of business he continued up to his death. (5) Jacob and (6) Aaron both worked at their trades, but later became tillers of the soil, and both are still living, Jacob in Washington township, near Bechtelsville, and Aaron near Huff's Church. (7) George B. also was a farmer all his life, living near Bechtelsville. (8) Samuel, also a farmer, finally drifted into the hotel business, living in Lehigh county, having hotels at Wanamakers, Kempton and Emaus. All these brothers have been very industrious and are men of means and stand high in social circles. Their descendants are scattered far and wide, and have engaged in various vocations, being farmers, mechanics, educators, doctors, prominent business men, etc. Henry Benfield's only daughter, Elizabeth, now deceased, was the wife of Joseph Dotterer.
Henry Benfield raised eight sons and one daughter, all the sons becoming prominent farmers and business men. On Aug. 20, 1906, his descendants held a reunion at Huff's Church, the first gathering of this family, and six of his sons, as well as many grandchildren, were present on the occasion. Henry Benfield was born in Lynn township, Lehigh Co., Pa., Sept. 3, 1803, and in 1824 came to Hereford township, Berks county, where he worked one year for a Mr. Gluck, on the farm later owned by his son George and now the property of his grandson, Henry W. Benfield. He then learned the blacksmith's trade from Jacob Heydt, following that trade for several years, until he commenced farming on his own account. The rest of his active years he spent in agricultural work, from which he retired, however, many years before his death, which occurred Jan. 21, 1891, at the ripe age of eighty-seven years, four months, eighteen days. In hi early years he was a teamster, hauling for different forges. He bought a farm of seventy-five acres above Bechtelsville, in Washington township, which is now the property of his grandson, William Benfield. Mr. Benfield was a Reformed member of the Hill Church, where he is buried. He was a tall man, with black hair and dark complexion. Henry Benfield married Sarah Becker, born July 4, 1806, died Feb. 22, 1886, aged seventy-nine years, seven months, eighteen days. Of their nine children, (1) David, born March 26, 1827, died Nov. 27, 1903; his wife, Anna Maria, born in 1830, died in 1904. David was in his younger years a teacher and later a very prosperous farmer in Washington township, and the possessor of considerable real estate, being the owner of the house of his father, Henry Benfield. (2) Abraham and (3) Daniel both became farmers and contractors and lumbermen, and are the owners of oil land in Ontario, Canada, where Daniel had lived many years, pumping oil from their wells. Both reside near Huff's Church, and live retired. (4) Henry was a shoemaker by trade, but started farming, and still later became interested in iron ore mining, in Longswamp township, Berks county, and neighboring localities. This was his vocation for many years. Later he also became a lumberman, in which line of business he continued up to his death. (5) Jacob and (6) Aaron both worked at their trades, but later became tillers of the soil, and both are still living, Jacob in Washington township, near Bechtelsville, and Aaron near Huff's Church. (7) George B. also was a farmer all his life, living near Bechtelsville. (8) Samuel, also a farmer, finally drifted into the hotel business, living in Lehigh county, having hotels at Wanamakers, Kempton and Emaus. All these brothers have been very industrious and are men of means and stand high in social circles. Their descendants are scattered far and wide, and have engaged in various vocations, being farmers, mechanics, educators, doctors, prominent business men, etc. Henry Benfield's only daughter, Elizabeth, now deceased, was the wife of Joseph Dotterer.
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