Obituary

Benajah Williams, who died at his home in Chagrin Falls, April 9th, 1890, was born April 17th, 1820, At West Mendon, (now Honeoye Falls) Monroe County, New York. His father, Rev. Benajah Williams, was a pioneer Methodist preacher in Western New York, uniting with the Genesee conference in the year 1818. He died in 1864 and was buried at Chagrin Falls, where also lie the remains of his mother. Benajah, the subject of this sketch, was of the eighth generation in direct descent from Robert Williams, who came to America from England and settled in Roxbury, Mass., in 1638. There were of Rev. Benajah's family ten children, most of whom were well known at Chagrin, three daughters, one of whom died in infancy in 1833, and seven sons. One daughter, now about 79 years old, lives in Rochester, N.Y. One brother, Wm McKendres, now 72 years old, lives at Honeoye Falls, N.Y. The three other surviving brothers are younger than Benajah, viz, Francis S., residing at Minneapolis, Adam C. at Columbus, and A.J. at Cleveland. Lorenzo D., the oldest of the brothers, was for many years a teacher at Chagrin Falls, and was the first postmaster at the place. He died and was buried in Meadville, Pa. John W., the next brother, died and was buried in this place.

Benajah removed with his parents from his birthplace to Ohio and settled in Chagrin Falls in June 1840. He attended his brother, L.D.'s school for some time, and then entered as a clerk in the store of the late A.C. Gardner. Perhaps the firm then was Gardner & Halleck. On the 5th of January 1842, he married Hannah Marie, daughter of Mr. Gardner. He continued in the employ of Mr. Gardner until the fall of 1844, when he removed to Newbury, Geauga county, and in partnership with the Mr. Gardner engaged in general merchandise, which was continued until the spring of 1851, when he return to Chagrin and there continued the business for many years. In his long-continued and extensive business as a merchant, Mr. Williams established his well-earned and well-merited reputation as an energetic, enterprising, liberal and thoroughly honest man. His wife, Hannah, died at Chagrin Falls, April 23d, 1865, leaving two daughters, Mrs Dr. Leonard, of Detroit, and Mrs. E. Varian, of Chagrin. A daughter, Althea, died March 3d, 1857, aged nine years. On January 21st, 1866, he married for his second wife Mrs. Ann S. Kent, who bore him two daughters, Ann and Fanny, who were living at his home at the time of his decease. She died February 2d, 1887. On the 26th day of December, 1887, he married Mrs. Cynthia B. Cooper, who survives to mourn his loss.

The Chagrin Falls Exponent, 24 April 1890.