----Source: 1918 History of Clark County, Wisconsin, Clark County Family History ©

Sanford William Benedict, 1853
 

SANFORD WILLIAM BENEDICT, an official of York Township, where he is successfully engaged in agriculture, was born in Fond du Lac County, Wis., Nov. 20, 1853, on the farm of his parents, Adonijah and Clarissa (Bryant) Benedict. He was reared in Fond du Lac County and was 19 years old when the family came to Clark County. Here he went into the lumber woods, working there in the winter, but residing at home the rest the year until he struck out for himself. This he did finally by securing piece of land adjoining his parents' farm on the east, it being a tract forty acres, all wild. After a year, however, he sold it and moved to is present location in section 9, York Township, it also being a tract of forty acres of wild land. On this he built a log house, 16 by 24 feet in size, which stood on the site of the present eleven-room residence, and which contained only two rooms.

He was rnarried, July 1, 1878, to Margaret Lawrence, who was born in Sheboygan County, Wis., daughter of Harvey and Sophronia Lawrence. Her father died in the Civil War from disease contracted in the service. Her mother was a daughter of Anson Windsor, who with his family, settled in York Township, Clark County, where he cleared a farm. After their marriage Sanford, W. Benedict and his wife began domestic life on his land, and which he started to develop into a farm. At first they had nothing but their hands to depend on, and it was two years before they got an ox team. Their crops were grubbed in and Mr. Benedict exchanged his labor for the use of a team, so was not able to put all of his time on his own farm. In time he got the forty acres cleared, however, and gradually accumulated more land, which he has given to his sons. He now has good barns and other buildings and is proprietor of a flourishing and profitable farm. One of the prominent citizens of his township, he has served eighteen terms in the office of assessor, was chairman of the township board two years, justice of the peace several years and a member of the school board. His religious affiliations are with the Methodist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Benedict have four children: William E., who resides at York Center Merle, who married Nora Judd, and, has one child, Harvey Belle, wife of Guy Smith, residing three miles east of Loyal, who has five children, Isabella, Violet, Robert, Glen and Eugene and Rollie, a resident of York Township.

************************

SANFORD WILLIAM BENEDICT

Stanford William Benedict, son of Adonijah Benedict, and his wife, the former Margaret Lawrence settled on a forty acre tract of wild land in Section 9 of York Township in 1879. Their first home was a log house which stood on the site of the present dewelling. They had nothing but their hands to depend on at first and it was two years before they were able to get their first team of oxen.

There were four children born to this family; William, married to Susanna Davis; Merle, married to Nora Judd; Belle, married to Guy Smith; and Rollie, whose wife was the former Alice Yound. These four children all grew up on this same forty acres. William and his wife were blessed with five children: Lulu, who is Mrs. Leo Kronberger of Town of York; Neva, Mrs. Frank Lulloff of Loyal; Nyle, whose wife was Aura Bradbury (they are the present residents on the old home place); Marvin, married to Marian Peterson and lives in Loyal; and one little girl Marie who died in infancy.

The Kronbergers have six children all grown and married. They are Dorothy Prior, Ivan, Betty Pabich, Wayne, Jean Lavey, and Jerry.

The Lulloffs have three grown children also: Robert, William, and Donna Seltrecht.

The Marvin Benedicts have three children: Kenneth, Gary, and Susan.

The Nyle Benedicts have three children who have grown up on the old Benedict far too. Donald is married to Joan Peroni and has four children, Randy, Cheryl, Beth, and Kari Sue.

Georgia who is Mrs. Donald Pinkerton has two children, Norman and Judy, and Larry, who married Darlene Fleischmann in 1968.

Merle Benedict, his wife, and only child are deceased as are Mrs. Belle Smith, her husband and one daughter. The remaining children are one daughter, Mrs. Isabelle Rundle; and three sons, Robert, Glen, and Eugene.

Rollie Benedict and wife, Alice, live in the Town of York about one half mile from the old home place.

In 1918, Sanford Benedict and his wife moved into a residence a short distance away, and William and wife Susie Benedict moved on to the family farm as renters, doing dairy farming, and William also served as Clerk of Town of York for more than twenty years.

In 1935, Sanford Benedict, better known as "Sam", passed away at which time William and sister, Mrs. Belle Smith obtained the farm by way of inheritance. Mrs. Sam Benedict passed away in 1937. In 1945, William's son, Marvin, and wife purchased the farm and lived there until 1950. Mrs. William Benedict passed away in 1948.

In 1950, Nyle Benedict and wife bought the farm from his brother, Marvin, and have made their home there since. William passed away in 1952 at the age of 72.

In 1953, Nyle sold all but the buildings and seven acres of land as he is a cheese maker by trade and could not do the farming too. Later on, the barn was taken down and sold also, but the house which was built in 1900, still remains as it has been for the past sixty-nine years. Mr. & Mrs. Nyle Benedict hope to maintain residence on the farmstead at least until it has been the home of some Benedicts for one hundred years.