Forest B. Benson
24 May 1863 - 23 Dec 1950A Letter of Condolence From An Old Friend This letter of condolence was sent to my aunt, Lucy Benson Clarke, several weeks after the death of her father and my grandfather, Forest B. Benson, on 23 Dec 1950. Forest had died at the home of his only daughter, Lucy B. Clarke of Maysville, KY. Forest was a master carpenter and local contractor for some 50+/- years in the Williamstown, KY and surrounding area. This letter is from a long time friend, J.B. Miller, a Williamstown pharmacist for over 50 years and the Mayor of Williamstown for 16 years. Incidentally, my grandfather served as 'Mayor' of Williamstown in 1921, and possibly until 1924. At that time, the position was called the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Williamstown (changed to Mayor in 1934 and the Trustees to the City Council).
Here is the letter just as it was written by Mr. Miller:
Forest B. Benson, Christmas 1934
Jan 9, 1951 Mrs. John W. Clark; [sic]
Dear Lucy,
As the strains of Auld Lang Syne die away on the air heralding the New Year our minds turn back to yesteryear and to old friends and ponder on their fortunes and misfortunes that life is bound to bring to each and every one of us as the years pass.
Events move fast these days and pictures change. New friends, new contacts, new customers fill the gaps of those who have passed on or moved away, and yet these new friends of this modern age, intelligent, affables [sic] though they be, can they in truth take the place of those friends of our formative years, those to whom we are forever attached by some invisible umbilical cord of the spirit?
I have built my store back to the alley and put in a new front and I am in a position to really realize the difference in attitude and performance of the old fashioned artisan, which was your dad and my friend, and the modern automaton who builds by rule and rote devoid of imagination or pride of workmanship.
I was up to my neck in Christmas, not the consecrated night of faith and hope but the tinseled hullaballu [sic] which is the golden rule debauched. I did not know of your dads [sic] passing until I read it in the paper, and although he has gone beyond my power to hinder or help I am going to take advantage of the occasion and tell you what I should have told him before it was too late, and that is that knowing him and you and your personal integrity has increased the values in this thing called life and I have been proud to call you friend.
Sincerely,
(signed) J.B. Miller
Note: This letter was written on the letterhead of J.B. Miller, Pharmacist, The House of Service. Of interest, J.B. had listed on his letterhead that he sold RCA Radios, Fishing Tackle, General Electric Refrigerators, and Sherwin Williams Paint. The letter also had a 'footer': "I Give My Pledge As An American To Save And Faithfully To Defend From Waste The Natural Resources of My Country--Its Soil And Minerals, Its Forests, Waters, And Wildlife."
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Copyright © 2001 by Ben N. Benson, M.D.
