Joseph Price Benham

Other Events:

• Occupation: Grocer, Washington Twp., Montgomery Co., Ohio
• Census: 1850, Washington Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, United States; as Joseph Benham, in the household of John Benham
• Census: 1860, Washington Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, United States; as Joseph Benham, farmer, in the household of John Benham
• Military: Between 2 May 1864 and 25 Aug 1864; Civil War, 131st Regiment, National Guards
• Census: 1870, Washington Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, United States; as Joseph Benham, laborer, in the household of Albina Benham
• Census: 1880, Centerville, Montgomery County, Ohio, United States; as J. P. Benham, grocer, head of household
• Census: 1900, Centerville, Montgomery County, Ohio, United States

Notes:

...Joseph P. Benham, merchant, Centerville. Joseph P. Benham, son of John and Albina Benham was born in Washington Township, Montgomery County, Ohio December 17, 1838. His father, born October 17, 1811, in Greene County, Ohio came with his parents to Montgomery County, Ohio, when about two years old. The larger part of his life was spent in Montgomery County. Died in Centerville April 28, 1862. Albina Benham, born October 17, 1815, in Pennsylvania, came with her parents to Greene County, Ohio, March, 1820; moved from Greene to Warren County, Ohio, March, 1825; then from Warren to Montgomery county, Ohio, in March, 1827. Married, March 9, 1837, to John Benham, Jr.; from this union were six children, three sons and three daughters, five of whom are now residents of Montgomery County, Ohio. The eldest child, Augustus, resides in Wabash, Ind.; is a merchant of that place. During the war of the rebellion, all three of the sons were in the army at one time, 1864. While they were in the tented field, the mother was at home in the agricultural field. That year, she raised five acres corn, one hundred bushels of Irish potatoes and nine bushels of sweet potatoes. Of the above farming, she hired out but one and one half days plowing in the crop; the balance of the work she did with the hoe. Of the potato crop, a neighbor farmer said he had out a much larger patch and only raised ten bushels.
...Joseph's principal occupation was farming up to the time he went into the army; was a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment National Guards; served his entire time at Fort Federal Hill, Baltimore, Md.; mustered out of service latter part of the summer of 1864; discharge papers signed by Edward Stanton, Secretary of War, December 15, 1864. Again engaged in farming until the fall of 1870; then taking a Western trip, spending the winter of 1870 and 1871 with a traveling One-Dollar Store in Illinois; also paid a visit to relatives in Missouri, and returned home in the spring of 1871. Joseph rented a suitable room up-town for the office, and added a small stock of groceries; made that his business, his actual capital being $32. Prosperity has attended him, and business increased until he is now the owner of the best business property in town, with several smaller pieces of less value. Since the death of his father, he has been looked upon as the head of the family, which at that time was mother and three sisters. Since then two sisters have married; family now mother, one sister, niece and himself. (Source: Evansville, Indiana: Unigraphic, Inc., 1973, a reproduction of, "History of Montgomery County, Ohio", (original published - Chicago, Illinois: W. H. Beers & County, 1882), Biographical Sketches, Washington Township, pg. 260)