New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-09
4 REMARKABLE OLD MN.
BENJAMIN d. sILLIMAN WILL BEGIN HIS NINE
TIETH YEAR NEXT FRIDAY.

! BENJAMIN d. sILLIMAN WILL BEGIN HIS NINE
TEETH YEAR NEXT FRIDAY.
| BROOKLYN possesses among its citizens some re-
| markable old men, who bear the burdens OF four
score years and upward with wonderful ease and
continue take almost as active an interest as
ever In the affairs Of the busy world around them.
| Among the octogenarians who are not old, despite
| their years. place in the front ranks must be
I given 10 BENJAMIN p. Slman. who on Friday OF
this week will enter his n!neticth year. IL IS a
commonplace TO say that Mr.. Silliman IS the Nestor
among the lawyers Of Brooklyn MISUNDERSTANDING
| hts years and although he virtually retired from
regular practice several years ago ne stu has a
law ONCE which he visits with more or less regu-
lnrity
Like many other men who have occupied large
place in the life and activity Of Brooklyn, NJ. Silt
man is OF New England birth, ana ancestry. In
truth he can trace his descent back In drec'
line to John Alden and 1.-THE Puritan maiden Pris-
ella" One of his ancestors Judge Ehcnezer Sill
man. lons active in the affairs OF Connecticut
and was elected annually for twenty-thtee success
slvc terms to the bench of the Supreme Court OF
| the colony lie died in l179 HIS son. General Cold
S Snrnan was Kings attorney in Fairfield county
Conn. but when the Revolution broke out threw his
influence on the side OF the struggling colonis's.
General Silliman's bearing the same name who
came 10 Brooklyn early IN the century, was the
father OF Benjamin d. Silliman. who was porn III
Newport. X. September il. lSO1. In MS ch!ld-
hood his parents brought him to Newborn ana III
1893 the family established themselves In brooklyn
SO that Mr.. Slliman has been dcniihed with Inc
village and city for more than seventy years. lie
was graduated Yale College in 1924 following the
example OF all the Smans in taking his course a;
the NewHaven institution. ana innc1.a'eIy ehteIra
the study OF law in the office OF ChanceHor keht
and his son. William Kent. afterwarG Judge OF the
Supreme Court Mr. Sillman was admitted to ihe
bar In 1920 and soon gained a high standing In the
legal profession. He also became interested in poll;
@ snssr G Of % Ss sa9 rTSE 10 s't@
that J. s. r.. Stranahan. who shares with nm me
brooklyn, was representing rura! district in that
body. .,
which nominated William Henry Harrison for Presi-
dent repssentnf the dsrc a,S e1a
in 1916 he was nominated as the Wing candidate Tor
Congress in the Id District, but was defeated In
1853. after receiving a nomination as state senator
he declined TO be candidate. President Lincoln
appointed Mr. Sman as the rTt rniied Of s rS
York He resigned this office IN 1866. In ls72 he was
Fam, member S %h o h ae
ton and in 1873 he was the Republican candidate
Mr. Sllliman received the degree OF LII. d. from
Columbia College in 1873 and In ls the he's same me-. dT
With the affairs and institutions OF Brooklyn and |
OF New-York he has been closely identified When |
securing the passage bin incorporating Green !
wood Cemetery and for many years he served az |
one OF its directors. For more than twenty years |
ne president OF the BROOKLYN Club He has !
also been the president Of the Yale Alumni Asso-
New England Society Of Brooklyn from its organi-
cation until 1856 when he declined further re-elec
ton. Mr. Sllliman OF the founders OF the
New-York city Bar Association and for time
served as OF its vice-presidents. For nearly |
twenty years he was member Of the Board OF
Managers of the House Of Refuge in New York.
He has also been identified with a considerable
number of financial and other local institutions.
On May "A. 1883. the completion OF Mr. Slmans
sixty years practice at t.e bar was celebrated by
4 dinner at Delmonico's at which speeches were
made by many leading men OF both cities.
For many years Mr.. Siliiman has lived in
square, od-fashoned brick house at Clinton and
Pierrepont SITS Across Clinton-st is the fine
building OF the Brooklyn Savings Bank. and
the opposite side OF Perrepont-st. is the Long
Island Historical Societye building.