William Wallace Benjamin
William Wallace Benjamin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1851 Lincoln, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | 1917-06-02 Arlington, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Wholesale produce merchant |
| Known for | Innovative promotional tactics in produce business; orchestrating large cabbage shipment in Boston, 1909 |
| Spouse | Sarah Russell Welles |
William Wallace Benjamin (1851–1918) was a prominent wholesale produce merchant operating out of Boston, Massachusetts.[1] He gained recognition for his innovative promotional tactics on behalf of his company, W.W. Benjamin & Co. In 1909, he orchestrated the transportation of 140 crates containing approximately 6,300 cabbages from Boston’s docks to his produce warehouse at 26 Mercantile Street.[2] At that moment, The Boston Globe described it as "the largest vegetable load ever transported through [Boston] streets".[2] Benjamin was married to Sarah Russell Welles, who was the granddaughter of Gideon Welles, former Secretary of the Navy, and a cousin to President Franklin Pierce.[3]
Career
By 1893, Benjamin's business included dealing in both imported and domestic fruits such as oranges, berries, grapes, peaches, sweet potatoes, and various other produce items.[4] Two years later, in 1895, he attracted public notice by arranging the loading of 4,000 empty flour barrels onto a sizable coal barge.[5]
In an effort to promote his enterprise in 1909, Benjamin staged a notable publicity event. The Boston Globe reported this as the largest cabbage shipment ever pulled through Boston’s streets. The load was transported by two horses pulling a wagon owned by Benjamin himself.[2] The shipment consisted of about 145 crates, each holding roughly 45 cabbage heads; altogether amounting to approximately 6,300 heads and weighing around 7.4 tons.[2]
In 1908, he acquired a 250-acre parcel in Acton, Massachusetts with plans to cultivate strawberries on a large scale for commercial sale. He continued this agricultural pursuit until his passing.[6]
In 1912, Benjamin faced legal proceedings alongside other produce wholesalers at Municipal Criminal Court over accusations of underweight sweet potato sales by about 20 pounds per barrel.[1] However, he was subsequently cleared of all allegations.[7]
Early life
William Wallace Benjamin entered the world in 1851 in Lincoln, Massachusetts, as the son of William Oliver Benjamin (1821–1899), a farmer, and Susan Caroline Watts (1826–1909), a seamstress. He was one of five siblings. His paternal lineage traces back to John Benjamin, a notable early colonial settler, and his wife Abigail Eddy, who arrived in Massachusetts aboard the Lyon in 1632. On his maternal side, Susan was the daughter of William Watts (1804–1835) and Susan Bradford Davis (1803–1865). She descended from prominent ancestors including William Bradford, John Howland, John Alden, and William Brewster, as well as Thomas and Anne Putnam, figures linked to the Salem Witch Trials.
Marriage
Benjamin resided in Lincoln until relocating to Wareham, Mass., where he married Sarah Russell Pierce Welles in 1875. Together they had six children, three of whom survived into adulthood. Their family later settled in Arlington, Massachusetts. Sarah was the granddaughter of Gideon Welles, who served as Secretary of the Navy under Abraham Lincoln.
In 1907, Sarah initiated legal proceedings seeking $20,000 in attachment against her husband, accusing him of cruel and abusive behavior.
Homes
By 1882, Benjamin had moved to Somerville, Massachusetts, purchasing a residence at 18 Grove Street. He was an early adopter of telephone technology, registering the number “Somerville 99” for his home.
In 1908, he acquired land in West Lenox, Massachusetts, where he constructed an expansive Victorian-style house featuring fourteen rooms.
Automobile accidents
In 1910, Benjamin was involved in a tragic incident when ten-year-old John C. McManenon was fatally struck after running in front of his vehicle.
Four years later, in 1914, while driving his automobile that overturned during the journey, his two-year-old granddaughter Virginia Benjamin lost her life; his daughter-in-law and other passengers sustained injuries.
In 1915, Benjamin was connected to a high-speed collision involving two cars. Although he was not behind the wheel at the time, his presence was mentioned in a Boston Globe report covering the accident the following day.
Final years and death
In June 1916, his sons Percy Howard and Chester Welles were conscripted for service in World War I, while his other two surviving sons were exempt from the draft.
Toward the end of May 1917, his doctor identified a sizable tumor located in the lower intestine and mesentery area. On May 31, 1917, surgeon Dr. W. F. Wood performed an operation attempting to excise the tumor; however, the procedure did not succeed. He passed away two days later, on June 2, 1917, at the age of 66, leaving behind an estimated estate valued at $500,000. His burial took place on June 5, 1917, in the Benjamin family plot at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Arlington, Massachusetts, following a funeral held that same morning.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:4 - ↑ Bicha, Gloria Wall; Brown, Helen Benjamin (1977). The Benjamin family in America. Family History Library.
- ↑ Easterbrook, Horace H. (1893). History of the Somerville Fire Department from 1842 to 1892. Boston: Press of Robinson Printing Co. p. 90.
- ↑ "Along the Water Front". Boston Post. May 26, 1895. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "William Wallace Benjamin Sells Strawberries". The Boston Globe. May 28, 1916. p. 42. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
- ↑ "BENJAMIN ACQUITTED". The Boston Globe. September 14, 1912. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.