Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-04-11
Editor in Chief of the Free Press
Victim of Heart Disease Early
Monday Morning.
END CANE IN CAMDEN, S. c.
Was Returning North from n Six
Weeks stay In FIorida-Peaccful
Close of an Active Life of 80
Ycars--Dean of Vermont
Journalism

George Grenvile BENEDICT, for 50 years
connected with this paper and for - years
IT'S editor-in-chief. died in Camden. S. c.,
at 12I5 o'clock Monday morning. on
February Mr.. and Mrs. Benedict left
Burlington, with the intention of passing
the balance of the winter and the carly
spring in the South, Miami. Fla, being
their objective point. I'm 81. Augustine,
where they stopped with the intention Of
remaining a few days. Mr.. Benedict suf-
| fercd on February II serious attack Of
heart failure. being unconscious for an
/ hour. He rallied from tho attack and
seemed to gain in strength. although slow
| ly. The trip to Miami was abandoned
and Mr.. and Mrs Benedict remained in
| ST. Augustine until April /. whom they
started North. stopping first IN Savannah,
Ga, and rea ching Camden last Thursday,
! A letter written by Mr.. benedict the fol-
lowing day was received in Burlington
Monday morning. few hours before the
| telegram came announcing his death In
1.-THE letter Mr.. Benedict said that he stood
the journey well and it is supposed that
the final summons came very suddenly.
probably from another attack of heart
failure.
| Mr.. Benedict was born IN Burlington
! December 10, 1926, direct descendant Of
Lieut.. Thomas Benedict. who came from
Nottingham shire England. to America in
1898. He rrepar red for college in the acad-
envy In this city, graduated from the Uni
versity of Vermont in 1877 and three years
later received from the same institution
the degree of master of arts. After leav-
ing college he was teacher in the Wash
ington Institute in New York city for
about year, and for the three years fol-
lowing was occupied in building and SUI
pcrintending the lines OF the Vermont &
Boston Telegraph company. OF which COM
panV he was president from 1850 10 1865
| In August 1862. Mr.. Benedict enlisted az
q private in Company {. 18th regiment of
Vermont volunteers. In January follow
| ing he promoted 70 a lieutcnancv
and was subsequently detailed az aide de
camp on the staff of Gen. George J. Stan
nard. commanding the second Vermont
brigade He received medal of honor
a wa rded by Congress FOR distinguished
conduct in the battle OF Gettysburg July
g. 1863. He was mustered out OF service
| July A. 1863. He later served as assistant
enlargement of the State militia. with
the rank of major. and in 1866 was aide
de-camp on the STAFF of Governor Paul
"A
close student OF army matters and a
graceful writer. Mr. Benedict was in 1878
appointed State military historian, In
which capacity he prepa red the history Of
Vermont in The civil War" in TWO VOL
umes. He also published vermont at
Gettysburg" and a volume OF army letters
entitled Army Life In Virginia"
MIR. BenediCts interest In tho University
Of Vermont was active and unceasing
from the years when he was n student
! there. His father was for q years a pro-
tessor there while three of his brothers, A
son and several nephews were students at
different times For 40 years Mr. Benedict
has been trustee and secretary OF the in
stitution and Cor a long time one of the
executive committee.
In politics Mr.. Benedict was always a
Staunch republican. He served at diff
ferent times as secretary and chairman Of
the state committee OF his party and
WAS delegate to various State and ma
tional conventions, In 1869 he was elected
State senator from Chittenden county and
was reelected the following year. For the
next four years he was postmaster for
Burlington and from 1889 to 1879 was col
lector OF customs for the district of Yer
mont. In non political offices he at diff
Yerent times was president Of the Yer
mont Press association, president of the
Vermont Historical society. president OF
the Vermont Society OF the Sons of the
American Revolution, governor Of the
Vermont Society Of Colonial Wars and
was a member Of the Grand Army OF the
Republic and of tho Military Order Of the
Loyal Legion. He was a devoted member
and for long term OF years clerk OF the
College street Congregational Church q
corporator of the Burlington Savings
bank and director OF the National Life
Insurance company of Montpelier.
Mr.. Benedict became associated with
his father IN the management OF the
Free Press in 1883 and 10 years later. IN
1866. took up the duties of editor in chief
Il position which ne held at the time
Of his death, being the dean of Vermont
journalism.
Mr.. Benedict was twice married, his
frs, wife being Mary A. Kellogg OF
Canaan, N. Y. She died in 1887. leaving
n daughter. Mary. In 1864 Mr.. Bcnedic,
ina rricd Katharine A. Pease She sur
wives him. together with a son. Prof. G.
W. Benedict of Providence, Y. !. Two
brothers. Robert y. and b. Lincoln, re-