Julius Benedict, Berlin, was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., August 6, 1826. His parents, L. Nathan and Clarissa (Thatcher) Benedict, were both natives of Vermont. At the age of sixteen years he left home and worked for three years in Rochester, N. Y., and in 1846 came to Lamoille, Ill., which he made his home for three years, though during that time he traveled south through Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas, engaging in whatever work presented itself. In 1849 he made the overland trip to California and engaged in mining for three years.
In 1852 he returned to this county and was married May 9, 1852, to Henrietta Cleveland, a native of Skaneateles, N. Y. After marriage they settled on Section 1, Berlin Township, and made that their home until January, 1884, when they broke up housekeeping and have since resided at different points.
Mr. Benedict has been very successful in his agricultural pursuits; his home farm contains 1,200 acres, and he also owns a ranch of 7,000 acres in Dawson County, Neb., which is stocked with cattle. His family consist of five sons, viz: Emerson, born September 1853, a farmer in this county, married to Ida Chamberlin, of Mason City, Ill.; Harry, a farmer in this county, is married to Belle Kyle, of Princeton; Lewis, is a commission merchant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Charles and Frank, in Dawson County, Neb.
Mr. Benedict is an Independent Republican in politics. He is a member of the Baptist Church of Lamoille.
Source: History of Bureau County, Illinois, H. C. Bradsby, Editor. World Publishing Company Chicago 1885