Hervey J. Benedict was born in New York on October 5, 1852. He married Clara Evadne Uttelley who was born on Christmas Day, 1859.

Hervey J. and Clara E. (Uttelley) Benedict

The children of Hervey J. and Clara E. (Uttelley) Benedict are (not necessarily in order):

1. Charles
2. Leon
3. Mabel (McLaren)
4. Eliza (Zunkel)
5. Lydia (Chase)
6. Ray
7. Ethel m. Bert Warren
8. Herbert Clarence b. Dec 1, 1890 in Olivet, SD
9. Maud (Jackman)

History will record that the Hervey J. Benedict family first came to Emmons County [North Dakota] from Olivet, South Dakota in 1904. However, a picture of Hervey and his sons, Charles and Leon, with a covered wagon was discovered in the North Dakota State Library files. This was taken on the present site of Linton in 1903.

Maud (Benedict) Jackman, daughter of Hervey J. Benedict, relates that Hervey and his sons Charles and Leon helped string telephone wires in Linton. In the spring of 1904, Hervey and his youngest daughter, Mabel (McLaren), came to Linton to file on a homestead five miles east of Temvik, Section 26, 134-74. Two of Hervey's married daughters, Eliza (Zunkel) and Lydia (Chase) remained in Olivet, South Dakota; the other children, Ray, Ethel (Warren), Charles, Herbert, Maud (Jackman), Leon, and Mabel (McLaren) accompanied their Hervey and his wife Clara to their new home.

On the homestead they built a one room sod house [picture of the sod house], later adding another room without a wooden floor. The sod house had a skylight that was covered in times of bad weather. There were two weddings and four births in this house. For a number of years church services were held at their house.

When Ethel married Bert Warren on Christmas Day, 1904, a blizzard raged outside. The minister had to remain overnight.

Hervey's wife Clara (Uttelley) served as a midwife and helped in the delivery of at least 137 babies. A list of their names was recently discovered. Later, she assisted Dr. Wolverton in maternity cases and continued for a number of years.

Hervey J. Benedict died in 1924. Clara (Uttelley) Benedict died in 1935. They are both buried in the Linton Cemetery in Linton, Emmons Co., North Dakota.

Sources

A History of Emmons County, edited by Ellen Woods & Euvagh Wenzel, 1976.