Benedict, Willis T.

WILLIS T. BENEDICT, farmer and dealer in phosphate, P.O. Centre Road Station, was born in Evansburg, this county, October 17, 1842; son of Robert and Sarah (Power) Benedict, former a native of New Haven, Conn., the latter of Pennsylvania, a member of the Presbyterian Church. She is a daughter of William Power, nephew of Alexander Power. Robert Benedict was for many years a merchant at Evansburg and a prominent business man. He died in 1852. His widow is now living with our subject. They were parents of three children, two now living: Willis T., and a sister, Anna B. Johnston, New Wilmington, Penn. Our subject, who is second in the family, received an academic education, which he obtained through his own efforts. He enlisted July, 1861, in the Sixty-second Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, attached to the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac, and was in the following engagements: Siege of Yorktown and with Gen. McClellan through the seven days fight on the Peninsula; at Gaines’ Mill, where he was wounded in the left eye. At Malvern Hill he was taken prisoner, and after remaining three and a half months in the Rebel hands, being confined in Libby and Belle Isle prisons, he was paroled and honorably discharged December 16, 1863, and returned home. He married, in 1869, Miss Martha T. Manning, a native of Ithaca, N.Y. Her father, Abram Manning, died there; her mother married William Miller, of Conneaut Centre, and moved to Crawford County, Penn. Mr. and Mrs. Benedict are parents of four children: Mary E., Robert A., William Power and George M. Our subject and wife are members of the P. of H. He is a member of the G.A.RB., and is a F. & A.M.; in politics a Republican. Mr. Benedict is owner of a good farm.