Stephen BENEDICT
Biography

TEPHEN BENEDICT was born in Milton, Saratoga County, N. Y., January 15th, 1801. He was the son of Thomas and Zelota (Sprague) Benedict, and a descendant of Thomas Benedict, who came to this country in 1638. He settled first in Massachusetts, then removed to Long Island, and subsequently in Connecticut, where he became a man of influence. Stephen's father, Thomas Benedict, was a soldier in the revolution and was an enterprising farmer. In 1833 he removed from Otsego County, N.Y., to Central Falls, where he died. Stephen was employed on his father's farm, attending school in the winter until near his majority, receiving the best of home training and religious instruction. In 1821, as his half brother, Reverend David Benedict, D.D., the Baptist historian, had settled as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Pawtucket, he went to that place and engaged to work in a machine shop and afterward in a cotton mill. In 1828 he formed a co-partnership with Honorable Joseph Wood and removed to Bellingham, Mass., where they operated a cotton mill for Jabal Ingraham. In 1829 they removed to Albion Village, R.I., where they operated the mills belonging to Mr. George Wilkinson. In 1831 they removed to Central Falls and purchased of Dwight Ingraham an interest in the mills of the thread company and commenced the manufacture of cotton print cloths, their mill being known as the Benedict & Wood Mill. Their business was managed with remarkable regularity and conscientiousness for 37 years, during which time they were greatly prospered. In 1865 the firm was dissolved and Deacon Benedict succeeded to the entire charge of the old business, which he conducted with his usual ability and success till his death.

He early united with the First Baptist Church in Pawtucket, and filled the office of deacon for about 25 years. He was a quiet, thoughtful, prudent man, faithful and thorough in the discharge of all the duties required of him. He was president of the People's Bank and also of the First National Bank of Pawtucket and director in different institutions. In the anti-slavery movement he was a pioneer, and during the civil war, though exempt from service by age, he was particularly active by counsel and contributions in sustaining the nation. Industrious and far seeing, he acquired a handsome estate, while his kindness, benevolence and integrity gained for him the highest regard of his fellow citizens.

He married August 9th, 1830, Bathsheba A. Barber, of Bellingham, Mass., who since his death has brought special honor upon the Benedict name by her benefactions. The Benedict Institute, of Columbia, S.C., is really all her own work. It has become virtually a college, and its influence for good among the colored people of the country generally is already recognized. At the commencement exercises of the year 1889 23 more students of the institute graduated, with the various degrees of classical honors conferred on such occasions, and the numbers from year to year are increasing. Mr. Benedict died December 25th, 1868. In his will he left $2,000 to the American Baptist Home Mission Society for general purposes. Mrs. Benedict added to this contribution $1,000, and when the educational needs of the freedmen were laid before her added to the above sum $10,000, making $13,000 in all, which sum was used in purchasing this school property. Since the first purchase Mrs. Benedict added at one time $10,000 more, and since then has made yearly donations of about $1,000, until she has now given about $35,000 in all. Various buildings have been erected from time to time until now the Institute has assumed proportions commendable in size, and worthy of the rank and name of a college. The buildings are located in a beautiful park of 80 acres, and number some half dozen in all. The number of students is now about 200.

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