BioA: Benedict, Mr. and Mrs. Rollie (60th - 1973)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Benedict, Young, Adams, Alderson, Falconer, Crothers, Schmidtke

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 1/18/1973

Benedict, Mr. and Mrs. Rollie (60th - 1973)

Mr. and Mrs. Rollie Benedict, Rt. 2 Loyal, enjoyed the congratulations and good wishes of 114 friends and relatives at the York Town Hall, Sunday. His nephew and wife, the Nyle Benedicts, has started the plans and neighbors joined in planning a potluck dinner and open house for the 60th wedding anniversary.

Mrs. Earl Falconer had charge of the guest book. Mrs. Marcia Crothers provided a potted plant for the gift table and Mrs. Flossie Schmidtke made the cake noting the occasion. During the afternoon the gifts were opened and greetings read.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Benedict have lived much of their lives in the immediate community. He was born on a farm nearby and built the house in which they have lived for more than 40 years. It was first the home of his parents, Sanford and Margaret (Lawrence) Benedict, in 1913.

Rollie Benedict claimed Alice young as his bride on her birthday, January 17. 1913. She was the daughter of Edwin and Cynthia (Adams) Young. After the death of her father when she was a small child, she and her mother moved from the village of Loyal to the home of her grandparents, the Samuel Adames in the Town of York.

They were married at the parsonage of the M. E. Church in Loyal with the Rev. Nelson J. Alderson officiating. Mr. Benedict recalls the snowless January with a six-inch coating of ice on the roadway when Grandfather Adams took the newlyweds with the team and surrey to the train in Loyal to leave on their honeymoon. The horses, although shod, fell on the ice several times on the way to the train.

While working in the paper mill at Mosinee, Mr. Benedict started with about 100 colonies of bees which in time gained him the reputation of the “Honey Man” during the more than 40 years he sold honey. Last January he retired after 18 years as bee inspector. This past summer he had the opportunity to sell all his bee equipment and did so, but is not planning to get a few bees again. During this time he was a Watkins dealer for 7 years and the past 20 years was a Raleigh dealer.

Mrs. Benedict is an active member of Diamond Rebekah Lodge No. 64 of Neillsville, the Sew and So Homemakers club and the United Methodist Women.

He is a member Of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Neillsville and in the past has held offices as assessor and health officer of the Town of York, and various school board church and lodge positions.

Both are members of the York Center United Methodist Church and the Friendship club. When they aren’t attending a meeting they may be involved in a friendly game of Sheepshead with neighbors.

Enjoying the good fellowship of the celebration, Mrs. Benedict shared her husband’s enthusiasm in looking forward to celebrating their 75th anniversary.