The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-10-10
Hon. George w. Benedict.

We take the following from an obitu-
ary in the Free Press of Sept. 26th.
George Wyllys Benedict, was born in
North Stamford, Conn.,, January IL.
l706, the oldest son Of Rev. Joel Tyler
Benedict and Currance Wheeler, his
wife. At the age of nineteen, he entered
the Sophomore Glass at Williams Col
lege. September, 1915, and graduated in
1918 with the highest honors. After
graduating he became principal of the
Academy 10 West6eld, Mass, but soon
after, 1919, appointed tutor in Williams
College, which position he held for three
years, when he accepted the charge of the
Academy in Newburgh, n. Y. While
there, he was elected Professor of Math.
ematics and Natural Philosophy in the
University of Vermont. He accepted
the position in January, 1925, and for
the twenty-five years following, he gave
the prime of his life and the best of his
strength to that institution.
Mr. Benedict left the University TO
avoid threatened breaking down of his
health. Seeking some more out-of door
occupation, he was engaged as an assist
ant by Ezra Cornell, who was then, in
the construction of the Troy and Canada
Junction Telegraph line, making the be.
ginning of the fortune which has since
enabled him to found Cornell University
He assisted Mr.. Cornell in raising the
stock and in the construction of the line,
and became the first superintendent of
the company. Hon. John w. Stewart,
now Governor of Vermont. and Hon. l..
g. Dodge, present mayor of Burlington,
were among the operators under him.
lie held this position but short time,
leaving it to engage in telegraph building
on his own account. He raised the capi.
tai stock of the Vermont and Boston
Telegraph Company, and was the contrac-
tor for the construction of the first line
of that Company from Boston to Burling.
ton, and Of its extensions to Montreal,
Ogdensburg, and through the Connecticut
River Valley.
In 1852, in company with his second
son, he purchased the Burlington Free
Press, and devoted himself to it. as editor
and publisher, for fifteen years, till in
1866 he sold his interest to his interest
to his youngest surviving son, and retired
from active labor. In 1854, he was
elected State Senator from Chittenden
County. and was reelected in 1855.
In 1857 he received the degree of LII.
D., from the University of Vermont.
He was married June 9th, 1923, to
Eliza Dewey, daughter of Stephen and
Elizabeth Owen Dewey of Sheffield
Mass, by whom he had six sons, four Of
/, whom, Hon. c. L. Benedict and r. d.
Benedict, Esq. of Brooklyn, n. Y, G.
, G.. Benedict and b. l.. Benedict of Bur
lington, survive him. He married again
August sth, lS4l. Evelina, daughter oil
Ebenezer Dimen of Fairfield, Conn, and
; widow of Robbins Kellogg, Esq. of Yves,
Stockbridge, Mass. who survives him
Seven or eight years since, an attack o.
whooping cough was followed by catarrl
of the throat, which become chronic, and
obliged him to seek warmer climate
He spent eight months in ls66-67, in th'
Island of Santa Cruz, and a subsequent
winter in Florida, but without securing
release from the grasp of his disease. Or
Wednesday of week before last, he caughr
cold, and was prostrated by congestion o
the lungs and fever. The attsck was con
sidered alarming from the first but h
rallied from the acute disease and SCENE,
on Saturday last, to be gaming strength
On Sunday morning, after a restless nigh
he fell into comparatively quiet sleep
in which he passed away, quietly ant
without a struggle.