The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-05

Especial 70 the Mcssenxerl

Especial TO the Mcssenger.)
Greensboro. ~. C. September AT . |
O'Clock this moralng. after a lingering
illness OF over twelve months, DR.. De-
Witt Clinton Benbow. breathed his last
in his apartments It the Benbow hotel, |
surrounded by his devoted children.
Mr.. Charles D.. 3enbow. Mrs. Mary Il.
Crawford. Miss Lily Benbow and num-
crous attached friends
DIR. Benbow was seventy[wo years
OF age, n survived. his wife who was
Miss Mary Scott, daughter Of Mr.. Dan
lei Scott, five years For more than a
year his health had failed and several
times his death had been expected. Last
winter he went TO Johns Hopkins for
treatment, receiving some benefit. but
each time he exerted himself in bust
ness matters, ne would suffer a re-
lapse. Two months ago he went TO At
lantic City, and only returned last
Wednesday, apparently some better.
but he had only come home TO die,
amid the scenes of his long. strenuous.
honorable, business life, in the con-
fines of the city he had done so much
to bring forward after long years OF
exertion to the front rank OF progress
sive towns OF MS native state and
county.
He will be laid 10 rest tomorrow in
| Green Hill cemetery at $3.50 o'clock.
| the funeral being conducted from the
| Benbow hotel by pastors OF the Friends
church, of which he was a member.
In the death Of DR.. Benbow, not only
does the city and county lose a devoted
son and a strong right arm, but the
state can we'll be called on to mourn
the loss of one of its best and most
oneSt citizens.
When a member Of the board OF al
dermen of Greensboro he planned and
pushed to success the first graded
schoo in Greensboro and the first in
North Carolina. When an alderman he
established the first city market in the
Piedmont section, and in all public en-
terprises DR. Benbow never laid claim
to philanthropic motives to glorify him
self, scorning cant, but ever working
Indirectly for the public good.
He organized and was the principal
Stockholder in the North State I'm
provement Company, which built the
Cape e railroad. In the panic
which followed this splendid property
was Swamped. and DR.. Benbow alone
of all concerned stood by his guns
compromising obligations against him
to the satisfaction of his creditors.
1t would take a volume to recount
the many public acsts of this son o.
Guilford; how he manfully fought
overcome in his last years off
ficulties which would have appalled, {
heart less stout. His last great worl
was the prepai alton of plans and per
sonal supervision for his sou, Mr.. Chas
D.. Benbow, of the new n hotel IL
Greensboro. He lived to see it com
pleted and to die within the portals o
one of the best arranged and most com
modious buildings it's kind in the south
He was a man of strong individual
ty, which impressed itSelf upon all h
came in contact with and upon all mat
ters which received his attention. III
bad, as all strong characters have, de
voted friends. determined enemies, blu
through it all he lived to bind hi
friends closer 10 him and to realiZ
that his enemies had ceased to oppres
or treasure ill will.
Before beginning his active and re
markable business career DR.. Benbo'
mad practiced dentistry in Fayetteville
Wilmington, Raleigh and other Mort
Carolian towns. with eminent success
finally locating permanently in Greens
boro after his marriage in 1860.