The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-24
E. G.. BENEDICT,
BROKER,
Commodore Victim of Heart
Disease After Illness of More
Than a Year.
REGAN BUSINESS IN 1868
Member of Exchange Over
Half a Century-Travelled
100000 Miles.
REGAIN BUSINESS IN 1856;
Commodore Elias Cornelius Benedict.

Commodore Elias Cornelius Benedict.
long a prominent figure in the yacht
ing world and for more than half
century engaged in the brokerage bust
ness in New York, died last night in
his home at Indian Harbor, Green
wich, Conn. He was in his eighty
seventh year.
His death, which was due to heart
disease, followed an illness that be-
gan in September 1919. He had been
under the almost constant care Of his
physician since then, at times show
ing evidence of Improvement and then
suffering relapses that indicated the
end.
At the time he was first stricken
Commodore Benedict left Greenwich
on board his yacht for a trip South.
He returned last April only slightly
improved, and the reports from Indian
Harbor had shown him to be sinking
slowly.
Commodore Benedict leaves three
daughters Mrs. Ramsay Thrnbull OF
Bernardsvile. ". J. Mrs. Thomas Hast
ings of Westbury. L. l.. and Mrs. Cliff
ford b. Harmon. who makes her home at
Indian Harbor. His son. Frederick, was
killed in an automobile accident nine
teen years ago.
Travels TotaIied 100000 Miles.
Commodore Benedict whose activities
in Wall street extended from the time OF
.f 10 W. y
and whose rowing spirit and love OF
yachting carried him 100000 miles over
the earth's surface was born in Somers.
n little town in Westchester county. near
the Croton River. on January "a, 1884.
He was the son OF Presbyterian clergy
man. In Wall Street he was known not
only for the wide extent OF his interests
and the talents which made millions for
him, but also as one of the oldest OF the
members of the New York Stock Ex-
change who still retained an active in
terest in financial affairs. He was a
member Of the exchange in 1868. and he
did not retire from his brokerage firm
until November. 1917. when he had
reached the age Of sS
How long a period of years Commo-
dore Benedicts recollections covered NAV
perhaps be most strikingly illustrated by
quoting a letter he wrote to THE SUN on
December 10. 1917. in response to the
query OF a correspondent. who asked
whether any one could remember as Gar
back as the year 1S40 when on the eve
Of January 10. on Long Island Sound.
the steamboat Lexington took fire and
burned 20 the waters edge, over one
hundred persons pcrishing
"As a lad six years Of age I remember
my brother, tea years older than ]. rush
ing in on the evening Of January IA with
the particulars of that disaster. which
was Witnessed by the residenta OF this
town (GreCnwich. CounD. and all along
the shore as far as Westport." he wrote
II also remember that Capt. Chester
Illiard was the only survivor. his life
being saved by bale of cotton. which he
used az life raft"
His Memory Great Ala.
That retentive memory Commodore
Benedict so strkirgly demonstrated in
the letter 20 THE SuN played no small
part IN his success for throughout his
years In wall street he could look back
over past crises and events IN the finan-
cial history of the country for parallels
for the difficulties then present For this
reason his counsel was sought eagerly by
the biggest bankers OF the country and
it was rare indeed that Commodore Bene-
dict could not aid them
At the age of nfecu young Benedict
moved with his family TO New York city
and in this same year. tS49 he entered
the service 81 Corning q Co bankers.
For eight years ~ clerk he served that
firm. and them at the age Of twenty-thrce
struck out for himself Ills success was
rapid. and six years later he WAS q MEM
ber Of the stock Exchange. which then
was known as the Gold Board He be-
came a me nber Of the Exchange on June
g. 1853 lie organized the Gold Exchange
Bank, which grew ont OF gold speculation
OF the COS and 70's
As the United states grew like
young giant in the years following the
civil war Mr. Benedict became more and
more interested IN the field OF public
utilities and with other associates ac-
quired many valuable franchises IN
various growing cities OF the country
Tie was best known as a handler OF gas
stocks At the time when the Chicago
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