Complex sentence: Benton's father, Maecenas Benton, was a lawyer and United States congressman, and his namesake and great-uncle Thomas Hart Benton was one of the first two United States Senators from Missouri.
Split into simpler sentences: Benton's father, Maecenas Benton, was a lawyer and United States congressman. His namesake, great-uncle Thomas Hart Benton, was one of the first two United States Senators elected from Missouri.