The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-03-29
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a Missouri Mansion. 8
Romance Which CIin0s to the Old BENJAMIN @
Residence. Near SheIbina. y


In the outskirts OF Shelbina. standing
well back i'm n thick old grove of elm
trees, is the finest and most famous res
idencc In all North Missouri
Around the old Benjamin mansion
there cling true tale embodying all the
elements of the novel and the play.
Erected at a cost of SS5.00O. the Benja-
min mansion was once the pride of the
entire region. but 1t followed In the
wake Of its master by falling into dis
repute, and was afterwards sold for
$i250.
The passing years have meanwhile
kindly woven veil OF oblivion around
them both.
1t was early I'm the "forties' that
young John Benjamin of Cicero, n. " ,, de-
cided TO accept the advice of Horace
Greeley to go West and grow up with
the country. Before going, however,
he called upon his sweetheart, plain,
homely Diana Hashrouck, and told her
he believed there was "A home and for
tune i'm the new country for those who
were willing a-xork- and strive for it,.
He asked her II she cared enough for
him to go out to the praries beyond
the Mississippi and help to earn and
share the honors and riches he felt con-
fident awaited him. Diana told him
she would go. They were married and
their star of empire took the westward
way.
In those days the rivers were the
highways OF the country. and the jour
ney from New York 10 Missouri was
made by the way of the Ohio river. IL
taking several weeks TO make the trip.
John and his bride landed at Hannibal
and Journeyed overland TO "a point on
the prarie near what is now known as
Bacon's Chapel, about six miles north
west of Shelbna. Here the roof OF their
log cabin soon emerged from the wav-
ing prarie grass and John began his
work of subduing the wilderness. With
a pair of oxen he turned the prairie sod
for the the first time, and after Ii be-
came too dark TO work longer out of
doors he would repair to the cabin,
where he and the faithful Diana usual
ly made AK handles until far into the
night.
After little while he began teaching
school, and i'm the course of time moved
20 Shelbyville, with the intention of
studying and entering into the practice
OF law. Just about this time the gold
craze broke out i'm California and John
contracted the fever. He held long
consultation with Diana, which re-
suited in her consenting 10 his going.
In company with several other men
from Shelbyville. he joined the army OF
forty miners" that were docking TO the
land OF promise. The journey over the
plains, the Rockies and the desert was
fraught with much hardship and adj
venture but Johns good star followed
him, and for eleven months he cleared
$1,000 in gold each month by hauling
ore from the mines to San Francisco.
Returning to Shelbyville early in the
Dos he took up the practice OF law and
resided there until the war broke out.
when he decided 20 leave Diana again
and enter the Federal service he being
an ardent unionist. His rise in the SER
vice was rapid. He was first made
captain. then major, after that "A
lieutenant colonel and later a brigadier
general. Following close upon these
honors came his election to Congress.
This was in 1864, and he was reelected
i'm 1866 and again in1S6S serving three
terms as "a member of the Thirsy-ninth,
Fortieth and Forty-first Congress.
After the war Col. Benjamin. as he
had come TO be known. moved To Shel-
-bina,- which had-by- this time secured
the railroad and was enjoying a boom.
In company with William A. Reid,
Daniel Taylor and several other gem
tlemen, he started Shelbina's first and
only national bank. This institution
grew and prospered and is yet one OF
the most substantial banking concerns
of that section.
Missouri being a hot-bed of DEM
ocracy, Col. Benjamin found o great
amount of prejudice existing against
him on account of his brilliant union
war record He was prosDerinE' in
Shelbina however. and thinking the
war feeling would soon die out. reCided
to make the place his permanent home.
Col. Benjamin had long desired to
own the finest residence in the county,
having built the best one Shelbyville
afforded while ne was a resident there
Early i'm the 70s he set about the erec-
ton of the finest home in all North
Missouri 1t was built of brick and
iron and marble. 1t was roomy and