George W. Benton was born in the city of Utica, New York, February 16, 1832. His father was a merchant. When George was four years old the family emigrated to Ohio and the father stated a tailor shoo. He lived but three years after this, leaving the mother to bring up her two little boys alone.

George left home at sixteen with a horse he had himself earned, and went to Logan county to work on the construction of a railroad. He afterward engaged in teaming at Belle fountain. He was married to Caroline. J. Royer in the autumn of "52, when not quite twenty-one years of age.

He next engaged in burning lime and selling building stone, and later trader in horses. He '56 he brought a drove to St. Paul and returning to Ohio through Mower county to visit his brother Elon. He was so pleased with the country that he left his man and a few horses he had been unable to sell satisfactorily and returned to Ohio, bringing back his family in December. That winter was a hard one and Mr. Benton had some ill luck, in the loss of some valuable property. He spent that season with his brother, teaming from McGregor, Wabasha and Winona to Austin.

In the spring he took up land in Windom, but lived in Austin until the log house on his claim was ready for occupancy in '58. The memorable hail storm and high water destroyed his first crop, so for nearly one year his family subsisted on corn alone. But the tide of fortune turned and now he owns five hundred and sixty acres exclusive of timber lands and ten lots in Austin. He has been twice married and has six children. He is a Republican in politics, but has always been too busy with other pursuits in active business life to accept any proffered office.

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Submitted to MnGenWeb by Darrel K. Waters