Alanson Benson, Arispe, who is one of Bureau County’s self-made and prosperous farmers, was born February 27, 1823, in Douglass, Mass. His father, Alanson Benson, Sr., was born in 1783 in Massachusetts. He came to this county in 1839, and settled on Section 21, in Arispe Township, and died here in 1857. His mother, Lucina (Lapham) Benson, was born April 25, 1792, in Burrilville, R. I. She died here in 1853. She was the mother of nine children, viz.: Mrs. Maria Blake, Rufus, Mrs. Sarah Sherman, Mrs. Henrietta Woodford, Alanson, Elias T., Mrs. Mary A. Culver, Mrs. Lucina Allen and Darius Benson. The Benson family is of Scotch and English descent, and the grandparents of our subject were Aaron and Lydia (Bairbanks) Benson, natives of Massachusetts. The former was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and his ancestors were among the pioneers of New England. Our subject was educated in his native State and this county. Here he commenced to farm with eighty acres, but at present owns 1, 500 acres of land in this county, also a farm of 400 acres of land in Iowa, and an interest in a cattle ranch in Montana. Mr. Benson was married here February 27, 1851, to Sarah Loop, who was born November 3, 1828, in St. Lawrence County, N. Y. Mrs. Benson is the mother of the following children: Alanson, who was born March 31, 1858; he died in his early manhood March 9, 1876; Clara P., wife of James M. Gardner; Lucina and Lora Benson. Financially, Mr. Benson’s life has been a grand success. Religiously, he and wife are members of the Baptist Church. Politically he is a Republican, and has been Supervisor for two years.
Source: History of Bureau County, Illinois, H. C. Bradsby, Editor. World Publishing Company Chicago 1885