Fred W. Benson, now deceased, was a Butler county pioneer, and during his lifetime, was a prominent factor in the affairs of this county. He was born in Vermont in 1862, and was a son of Joel and Elvira (Hulett) Benson, both also natives of Vermont, and are now deceased. They were the parents of two children: William F., of El Dorado, who is the present State Bank Commissioner of Kansas, a sketch of whom appears in this volume, and Fred W., the subject of this sketch.

The Benson family which consisted of the parents and two sons, removed from Vermont to Oneida, N. Y., in 1867, when Fred W. was five years of age. Here he attended school and when eighteen years of age, or in 1880, the family came to Kansas, locating in Chelsea township, where they bought 320 acres of land. More land was added to the Benson farm, and the estate now consists of 1360 acres, and is jointly owned by Fred W. Benson's widow and his brother, William F. It is located in the Walnut River valley, and consists of the most valuable bottom land in Butler county, and general farming and stock raising is carried on extensively.

Fred W. Benson was married April 14, 1885, to Miss Robie Colgrove, of Terre Haute, Ind., a daughter of William and Mary (Ostrander), natives of New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Fred Benson were born three children, as follows: Kenneth, married Carrie Darwin, of El Dorado, and they reside at El Dorado; Mrs. Inez Gill, of El Dorado, Kans.; and Harold, died at the age of nineteen.

Fred W. Benson took an active part in the political affairs of Butler county, and in 1904, was elected registrar of deeds of Butler county, and at the expiration of his term, was reelected to succeed himself. His term of office expired in 1908. While Mr. Benson held the office of register of deeds, his wife was his deputy. Fred W. Benson had a broad acquaintance over Butler county, and his kindly manner and many excellent qualities won for him many friends. He was ambitious, and a thorough and capable business man, and belonged to that type of men who succeed in their undertakings by reason of their industry, ability, and definiteness of purpose. His untimely death was not only a loss to his family and friends, but to his county and State. Mrs. Benson resides in El Dorado, where she is well known and has many friends.

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