History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

JAMES M. BENSON AND FAMILY      1854 - 1858
Data furnished by Mrs. Bell Benson Maheur       D.M.C.

     James M. Benson was born in Lodi, Seneca county, N.Y. June 22, l828. He arrived in Dog River November 1854, coming with his sister, Mrs. Jenkins, from N.Y. Nathan Benson, an older brothers and William Jenkins, a brother-in-law, had located in this new settlement in June 1854 and already had comfortable houses built and other improvements on the way. James Benson took a homestead on Indian Creek and built a log cabin. He and Mr. Jenkins began raising stock, the bunch grass of the valley providing excellent feed.
     Nathan Benson went to N.Y. in the fall of 1858 and returned bringing with him a wife, Mrs. Martha Benson. They were accompanied to this coast by the fiancee of James Benson, Miss Margaret Williamson. She was a native of Schenectady N.Y., born in 1834.
     The party came by way of the Isthmus to San Francisco then took a steamer to Portland but were wrecked off the coast near the mouth of the Umpqua River. They reached Portland November 30, after a voyage of nineteen days from San Francisco. James M. Benson was in Portland to meet them. They went to the BirdsEye Hotel where Mr. Benson and Miss Williamson were married the same evening. L.W. Coe and H.P. Isaacs were vritnesse8 and Judge William Strong performed the ceremonies.
     The Benson families came up the Columbia River the next day and the women began their pioneering among the lonesome pines of the Columbia Gorge. A little Indian village was located on Indian Creek when James Benson took his claim and the Indians had continued to live there.
     During the summer they were away hunting, fishing and gathering berries but when winter came, that was their home. The arrival of Mrs. James Benson caused considerable excitement among the Indian women who crowded around the house and peeped in the windows trying to get a glimpse of her. She was a handsome woman and they were full of admiration and greatly pleased to be noticed by her.
     On January 1st, 1859, Mr. and Mrs. S.B. Ives, Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Benson, Mr. and Mrs. James Benson were guests at a New Year's dinner given by the Coe's. James Benson improved his little cabin by filling the cracks with mortar and covering the wails with house lining.
     Their first visitors to take dinner with them were H.P Isaacs and Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius McFarland of The Dalles. The table cloth was made from four flour sacks.
     On February 22, 1860, they were made glad by the arrival of a son, Francis Coe Benson who was born in the little log cabin on Indian Creek. The present address of that son (April 1919) is 364 Ross Street, Portland, Oregon. The father, by way of appreciation of the happy event, sent to Portland for lumber (costing $80.00 per M.) with which he manufactured a cradle for the boy, a, table for the family, and put in a better floor.
     William Jenkins and James Benson were partners in the stock business; early in the winter of 1861 - 62, they took their stock to the Powder River mines, selling all but one cow. As most of the stock east of the Cascade Mountains perished that winter, they were fortunate in disposing of their holdings early in the season.
     On May 24, 1862, another son, James C. Benson was born. His address (April 1919) is Route 1, The Dalles, Oregon. On May 5th, 1869, a daughter, Mary Bell Benson was born at the home on Indian Creek. Her address (April 1919) is Mrs. Bell Maheur, 364 Roes Street, Portland, Oregon.
     In 1871 the family sold their home on Indian Creek and moved to Five Mile Creek near The Dalles, where they bought a farm. The children grew up on the farm at Five Mile Creek, and the youngest son celebrated his twenty first anniversary on May 24, 1883, with a birthday party.
     On November 28, 1888, the daughter, Mary Bell Benson was married to Harry Maheur. Rev. A. Brongeest officiated. They moved to Eight Mile Creek where they made their home.
     James C. Benson was married to Fannie Wilkerson of Portland January 1, 1896.
     Mr. and Mrs. James Benson moved to The Dalles in 1902 and Mrs. Benson died there after a prolonged illness on February 20, 1905. She was buried on the 22nd, her son's birthday.
     On October 11, 1907, James Benson died and was buried by the side of his wife. On October 19th, the same year, Harry Maheur died, leaving Bell Benson Maheur a widow with three children. The children were Anna Margaret, now Mrs. Linehan, born April 30, 1892, Harry Francis, now in France, and James Vigil Maheur, born October lst, 1898. Harry Francis Maheur was born June 9th, 1894.

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