Benjamin Family, McMurray Family (Click for Family Tree)

What a great picture! A first impression was, “This man has a story.” Well, we all have a story, but this appeared to be a story that might have a few twists and turns plus some interesting research. Also, Emanuel Clutter married Frances “Fannie” Drucilla Benjamin, the sister of our ancestor Hannah Melissa Benjamin McMurray, so he is kin, and we should tell his story, as well as Fannie’s. Additionally, sometimes one can learn more about a direct ancestor by researching siblings, so there was the hope of learning more about Hannah Melissa or their parents, Sylvanus Rufus Benjamin and Sarah Ann Palmer Benjamin.

Emanuel was born on Dec. 3, 1846, in Licking County, Ohio, where Fannie was born as well on June 4, 1843. Emanuel’s parents were James I. Clutter (1806-1896), born in Pennsylvania, and Rhoda Myers Clutter (1815-1897), born in Licking County. The Clutters likely knew Fannie’s parents, Sylvanus Rufus “S.R.” Benjamin (1819-1892), who was born in Licking County too, and Sarah Ann Palmer Benjamin (1822-1911), who was born in Ohio probably but some records state Kentucky. Licking County is located about the center of the state, and includes Columbus, Ohio today. Knox County is adjacent and just north of Licking, and where the Clutters lived at one point.

In 1850, both families lived in Burlington Township, probably on farms since both fathers were listed as farmers in the 1850 US Federal Census. They probably saw each other at the feed store or grocer, at community events, and maybe even attended the same church. As lands opened up out west, it is likely that migration was a hot topic of conversation in the community, especially when one or more families sold off, packed up, and moved to a new beginning.

James and Rhoda Clutter stayed in Ohio with some of their children, but others migrated west. We have not found Emanuel in the 1860 US Federal Census anywhere, including not with his parents and siblings in Ohio.We have not found him in 1870, either.

S.R. Benjamin and family were living in Burlington, where the Clutters lived, at the 1860 census as the division of our country over slavery increased rapidly. War was declared and the Union became desperate for soldiers by 1863. S.R. was actually drafted as a part of the “Old Man’s Draft”- he was 42- but he paid a substitute to serve for him instead. The Benjamin family then migrated all together to Jasper County, Iowa in 1865 or 1866- the year varies in obituaries of the children.

Did Emanuel just get missed on the 1860 census, and then migrate with the Benjamins? Was Emanuel working in Cedar County, Iowa, as a photographer/artist, since some of the pictures in the Clutter Photo Album were taken there? Or had Emanuel gone to work in Iowa and his sweetheart and her family followed after he told them how wonderful it was? (The Benjamins had another reason for the migration- that story is still to come as it was just found less than an hour before this was written, and needs a bit more research before telling.)

Some sources/trees state that Emanuel and Fannie married in Ohio, but apparently not- they were issued a license to marry in Jasper County, Iowa, on 29 December 1868. Fannie’s obituary states that they married about three years after she migrated to Jasper County with her family in 1865. We have not found a record of the actual marriage, but that is not unusual for this time period.

In the Jasper County, Iowa 1870 census, S. R. Benjamin, age 49, was listed as a farmer with real estate valued at $9,000 and a personal estate of $1,325. His wife Sarah Ann Palmer Benjamin, 48, was “keeping house.” Their son John Elliot Benjamin, 21, was still in the household and listed as a farmer, with his new wife “L.M.” Boydston Benjamin helping Sarah with the household- and ‘women’s’ farm chores. Daughter Hannah Melissa Benjamin (our direct ancestor, AKA, “The Scary Lady” in later years) was just 16 and attending school. Emanuel Clutter, age 23, and his wife Fannie were also living in the household, with Emanuel listed as an “artist” in the census, and Frances, naturally, ‘keeping house.’ Emanuel may have been an “artist” working in the photography business in Newton at this time, as per our previous postings on the Clutter Family Photo Album.

The third Benjamin daughter, Cynthia Adeline Benjamin, had married Reuben K. Lambert in Ohio, and they migrated to Jasper County with their two children who had been born in Ohio, Willie Rufus Lambert and Elliott Ellsworth Lambert. They may have traveled with the rest of the Benjamin family. The Lamberts were enumerated just before the S.R. Benjamin family in the 1870 US Federal Census in Jasper County, Iowa, so may have had adjoining farms. (The Lamberts did later have a daughter, Ida Bell Lambert, born in Jasper County, Iowa.)

Fannie and Emanuel Clutter had been married for five years before the only child we know of, Rufus E. Clutter, was born to them in 1873.  This is a longer gap than usual between marriage and first child for those days, so there may have been children born before Rufus who did not survive. Rufus did grow up, marry (to Mattie J. “Madge” Small), and became a father to Donald F. Clutter (1896-1984).

A recent very cold fall visit to Newton Union Cemetery in Jasper County, Iowa, with the bitter winds whipping across the prairie but the warmth of family togetherness both above and below the cold ground (thanks for the fun above-ground cemetery time, cousin! ;D), made us think of what our pioneer ancestors dealt with as they worked their farms every day. Even when crops were not growing, animals needed tending and repairs to buildings, fences,  and equipment were required. The family also needed to be fed, bedding and clothing cleaned, repaired, and even sewn from only a bolt of cloth. Dealing with the weather must have been brutal at times. So we found our pioneer fortitude genes within and searched for the Benjamin section of the cemetery as well as the McMurray plots, since Hannah Melissa Benjamin married Frederick Asbury McMurray. It was a surprise to find Frances/Francis/Fannie Benjamin Clutter’s stone in the group with the Benjamins, especially since Emanuel Clutter had no stone alongside, nor in that cemetery.

A search back through our records for Fannie’s obituary revealed more of the story:

“Mrs. Frances D. Clutter died at the home of her mother, Mrs. S.R. Benjamin… For over twenty-five years Mrs. Clutter had been an invalid, and the closing weeks of her life were especially marked with suffering, so that the death came as a blessed boon to her the beginning of a new life in which pain, sorrow and tears will never be known.”

Fannie was just 55 years old at her death- she had been very ill for almost half her life!

“Although her life had been one strangely mixed with sorrow as well as physical suffering, her Christian trust and faith never deserted her for a moment.”

Rufus, her son, had come from Chicago to be with Fannie during her last days, and her dear mother was there as well. (Her father had died in 1892.)

But what about Emanuel? There is no mention of him except that they married.

Stay tuned.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present…, by N.N. Hill, 1881, pp. 628-9 for bios of James Clutter and family. This source states Emmanuel was born in Iowa.
2. For your consideration: an interesting thread concerning the Clutter family to add to your analysis from daneil2229 on Family Tree Circles– https://www.familytreecircles.com/u/daneil2229/ We do not know of any followup of this query from over nine years ago, but it might be interesting to follow up to corroborate.
3. At http://iagenweb.org/jasper/marriage/bv1-b.htm it states Emmanuel and Fannie were issued a license only on 29 Dec 1868, p. 31 of Jasper Co, IA Marriage Records, Vol. 1 1848-1869. We have found no record of their marriage but have not searched extensively.
4. Panic of 1893– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_of_1893

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Every place has their old settlers- those who braved a hostile land and brought ‘civilization’: farming and ranching, churches and school houses, commerce and vice, as well as families and friends. Newton in Jasper County, Iowa, had meetings of these brave [some would say foolhardy] souls regularly in later years, and the original book recording those get-togethers is in the Jasper County Historical Society Library. The book may also be found online, at the Iowa GenWeb Jasper county page for Old Settlers of Newton, Iowa.

Wonderful records were kept by the Old Settlers Association, and they are a wealth of information for anyone whose ancestors were pioneers in the area. Even for those of us whose families were latecomers to the area, “Old Settler” groups recorded many stories of the life that was, and may have continued for some years after our ancestors moved to the area. Plus, these stories are just delightful reading!

Only those persons who were residents of the Newton area prior to 31 May 1855 were invited to the party held by Albert Lufkin, himself an early settler, at his home on 30 May 1885. Albert had arrived in the area on 31 May 1855, but since the 30th anniversary of that date fell on a Sunday, the gathering was held on the Saturday before. Albert invited about 50 persons, which was all he could entertain with the size of his home.

Of course, as the years went on the gatherings became smaller due to further migration, old age, and death of the members. They began to invite those who had come after 1855 in order to keep the party at about 50, and at one point, had over 100 people, the largest gathering in Newton to that date.

The Old Settlers Association met on 1 June 1891 at the Lambert House Parlors in Newton.

“The tables were lighted as of old Pioneer days with tallow dips and cotton wicks hanging out of saucers of Lard. All at once however, (as the eyes of the Company were not as good as 36 years ago,) the full blaze of the Electric lights – was turned on and the dainties disappeared in a manner to reflect – credit – upon the digestion of the company, and the skill of those who prepared the repast.”

What changes those early pioneers, some of whom may have been born about 1830, witnessed throughout the century!

One of my favorite stories from the Newton Old Settler’s Association:

“I might tell of some of our meetings; I will mention one that was dismissed without the benediction, in consequence of bees stinging the preacher and congregation, but enough for now.” B. Aydelott.”

There are newspaper accounts of the meetings, and those include many of the events of the meeting as well as the historical. Food was, of course, a primary focus of the event, with storytelling, songs, and speeches after, although sometimes, that good food was a problem:

“A. J. Osborn had eaten too much and didn’t feel much like talking.”

By the time my ancestors arrived, there was probably little prairie left to break, but farming was still a difficult task back then- even today. (What would our ancestors have thought of air conditioned, GPS-guided combines???) Our  families who took up residence in Jasper County were:

Sylvanus Rufus Benjamin and Sara Ann Palmer in 1865 or 1866

Jonathan N. Benjamin and Hannah E. Ford in 1867

John S. Roberts and Elizabeth Ann Murrell  by 1868

Robert Woodson Daniel and Margaret Ann Hemphill (between 1866-1870)

Frederick Asbury “F.A.” McMurray and Hannah “Melissa” Benjamin by 1870

 

Cynthia A. Benjamin (1841-1925), sister of Hannah Melissa Benjamin, married Reuben K. Lambert- perhaps she was the “Mrs. Lambert” who prepared such delicious repasts for the Old Settlers?

A handwritten note under the newspaper article for the [likely] 1896 Old Settlers Association meeting noted that $6.68 was collected, and the disbursements were listed. The reunion had been planned to be outdoors but because of rainy weather, it was moved to the Armory. Three dollars were disbursed to “Will McMurry for rent of hall.” William Elmer McMurray (1874-1957) was the son of F.A. and Melissa (Benjamin) McMurray. There was also a note that, “The drapage bill is still unpaid, and nothing in the treas.” (Drapage would be cloth hanging festively, such as red, white, and blue festoons/banners.)

 

The moral of the story? Even though I knew my family members were not early settlers in Jasper County, Iowa, reading through this booklet gave me information about times both past and present. One can do a search within the document to find family names, but sometimes it is just more enjoyable to read through and get a sense of what life was like for early settlers, and those same folks when they became “Old Settlers.” You never know what you will find- the payment to Will McMurray was quite a surprise in this booklet!

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1) Old Settlers of Newton, Iowa: http://iagenweb.org/jasper/history/OldSettlers/Newton.pdf

2) The “dainties” referred to in the 1891 meeting would have been small appetizers and desserts.

3) Old Settlers of Newton, Iowa, page 6.  Bee Sting- unknown date of newspaper article, unknown newspaper.

4) Ibid., 14. Eaten too much- unknown date of newspaper article, unknown newspaper. Probably between 28 Apr and 9 June 1896.

5) Ibid., Will McMurry- page 19, Secretary’s note of 09 Jun 1896.

 

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