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Benedict
Benedict.WilliamLewisBenedict1877r1.1 - 12 Apr 2009 - 20:04 - Main.guesttopic end
---+ William Lewis "Luke" Benedict

| :born:    |Born   |21 Oct 1877| |New York City, NY|
| :married: |Married|Date       |Bridget Alice Casey| at Location|
| :died:    |Died   |Date       | |at Location|

[[WilliamLewisBenedict1877images][ :album: ]] - [[WilliamLewisBenedict1877images][Family album]] of photos and documents.

Parents:
   * Father:[[FrederickLeeBenedict1853][Frederick Lee Benedict]]; 1853-
   * Mother:Melvina Horton ca 1855-

Children:
   1. John Gilbert Benedict; 1896-
   1. Alfred Benedict; 1897-
   1. Bridget Alice Benedict; 1900-
   1. Luke Benedict; 1904-1944
   1. Mary Benedict; 1910-1926
   1. Grace Benedict; 1919, died at 4 months

---+++_The Parents of Luke_


---+++_Luke’s Early Years_
William Lewis Benedict is my great grandfather. He was born to Frederick and Melvina Horton Benedict. He was born in New York City, in Hell’s Kitchen. His family was from Warwick, New York. They were dairy farmers (this is oral history from what little my grandmother shared with her children). At some point, the family moved to Jersey City, New Jersey.

- _Source: Main.BridgetRevell_ 

---+++_Luke and Bridget Casey_
<img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/JMHortonIceCream.jpg" alt="Horton Ice Cream"  align="right" width="333" height="240" Hspace="10" Vspace="10">
William Lewis Benedict, called “Luke” by his family, married my great grandmother, Bridget Alice Casey. The families were not happy because the Caseys were Irish Catholic and the Benedicts were Baptists of English descent. Luke was given a milk route and wagon. I am unsure if the Hortons or the Benedicts provided the milk route because the Horton family were owners of JM Horton Ice Cream Company and were doing quite well…..It was said that Old Luke lost his finger when the wagon horse bit him.
<BR clear="all">

James Madison Horton was an ice cream maker founded, apparently, in 1873. At one point, it was the largest ice cream company in New York, selling three-fifths of all the city's ice cream, and providing desserts to several presidential inaugurals. It existed in that Columbus Avenue location even before 1904, when the IKT, New York's first subway line, began running on nearby Broadway. A few shops down the block was a little store called Hellman's Deli. You will recognize the name as the maker of the mayonnaise that we can't eat as much of as we'd like to.


<img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/Bridget_and_Luke_Benedict.gif" alt="Bridget and Luke"  align="left" width="210" height="180" Hspace="10" Vspace="10">
Luke and his wife had several children. Bridget Alice (called "Alice”), John Gilbert (called "Gilbert”), Mary, Lewis (called "Luke”) and baby Grace. 

Left: Photo of two of their children: Bridget Alice Benedict and her little brother, Luke.
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<img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/Penitentiary.jpg" alt="Hudson County Penitentiary"  align="left" width="400" height="232" Hspace="10" Vspace="10">
They had a terrible childhood. William Lewis and his wife were incarcerated in the Hudson County Penitentiary at Snake Hill Secaucus. They are listed there in the 1910 Census. Mary, young Luke and Alfred were sent to an orphanage. Bridget Alice and John Gilbert are found living with persons listed as family. I have attempted to find out why they were incarcerated, however, I can find no records.  Hudson County is a strange place--records disappear mysteriously. My grandmother, Bridget Alice, worked at Dixon Mills Pencil Company since she was 7 years old. Gilbert worked as a wagon driver at 14.
<BR clear="all">

My grandmother, Bridget Alice, married at 16 and immediately got Mary out of the orphanage. Somewhere aroung 1917, Bridget and Lewis Benedict were released from prison. They had another baby, Grace. Grace and her mother died in 1919. They are buried in Holy Name Cemetery, a Catholic Cemetery in Jersey City.

Old Luke lived with his unmarried sons, Luke and Alfred in the 1920 Census. Frederick was also living in Jersey City, with his second wife Deliah. Old Luke died and was buried in Bayside Cemetery, because he was not Catholic. His daughter Mary and son Luke are buried with him in an unmarked grave. My family has recently located the grave and are making arrangements for a small gravestone to be placed. 
I have a copy of William Lewis Benedict’s death certificate. It lists Fred Benedict and Melvinia Horton as his parents.  I have noticed that our family does use middle names more often then their first names. My Uncle Dick and Aunt Joan as well as my father’s cousin Clair are still alive and verify all of the above information.

I want you to know that Alice was a fabulous grandmother. She was tough and funny and never felt sorry for herself.  She was an original and I am blessed to have had her in my life for my first 22 years.  She had many, many grandchildren.

- _Source: Main.BridgetRevell_

---+++_Notes on the Children_
---++++_Alfred Benedict_
Alfred Benedict was born in 1897. I could not locate him in 1910, when his parents were incarcerated. He was very much loved by his sister (my grandmother, Bridget Alice).

According to my family and the NJ State Archives National Guard records, Alfred was a World War I war hero, having fought in the battle of Meuse/Argonne defense in France. He sustained injuries to his lungs, possibly from mustard gas, as per relatives.

Alfred was a member of the NJ National Guard, Company F 4th Infantry and was promoted from Private to Corporal.  He was transfered to Co E 113th Infantry and later Company K 114th Infantry until his discharge in March 1919.  
 
- _Source: Main.BridgetRevell_

---++++John Gilbert Benedict
John Gilbert Benedict was also a WWI vet.  He was also in France in 1918 and 1919.  He was in the US Army according to the NJ State Archives, John Gilbert was assigned to 31 CO 153 Dep Brig until 17 July, 1918 and transferred to Sup Co 335 to discharge in March 1919.

- _Source: Main.BridgetRevell_

---++++Young Luke Benedict
Lewis Benedict (called young Luke) was born in 1904.  He died of heart failure in 1944.  Luke lost his leg as a boy, after an accident near the railroad tracks in Jersey City.  He lived with his parents until they were incarcerated.  I could not find him in any census in 1910, but my relatives believe that he was also placed in a home, along with his sister Mary Benedict (1910-1924).  Young Luke lived with his father in the 1920 Census and in 1930, he was living with my grandmother, Bridget Alice.  He always worked and was very loved.  I have one photo of him as a young man.  He is buried with his father in Bayview Cemetery, Jersey City.

- _Source: Main.BridgetRevell_

---++++Mary Benedict
Mary was taken out of the orphanage by my grandmother, Bridget Alice Benedict Revell, after her marriage in 1916.  Mary met Johnny Anderson and married him at age 16.  She become pregnant immediately and had a daughter, Dorothy.  Mary died in childbirth.  Dorothy stayed with my grandmother, Bridget Alice until Johnny Anderson was able to care for her.

- _Source: Main.BridgetRevell_

---++++Grace Benedict
Baby Grace was born after her parents were released from the Hudson County Pen.  She lived 4 months and died shortly before her mother Bridget Casey Benedict (in 1924).  Family members stated that they had contracted the Spanish Flu (Great influenza Pandemic).

Grace and her mother died in 1919. They are buried in Holy Name Cemetery, a Catholic Cemetery in Jersey City.

- _Source: Main.BridgetRevell_

---++++_The Childrens' Lines_
   * John Gilbert; born May 5, 1896; married Grace. 
      * Clair; married Matthew Jennings
      * Geraldine
      * John Jr. 
   * Alfred; born 1897
   * Bridget Alice; born April 22, 1900; married Richard Revell.
      * Teresa; born 1920; married James Brennan.
         * Barbara
         * James
         * Richard
      * Richard Jr.; born 1924; married Phyllis.
         * Paula
      * John; born 1930; married Florence Duffy.
         * John Jr.; married (1st) Joyce; married (2nd) Leigh.
         * Susan; married Michael Arnone
         * Elaine
         * Kim
         * Richard
         * Nancy Children
      * Joan Helen; b. 1932; married Edward Pfleging.
         * Laura; married Lance Symons
         * Edward; married Karen !McClinski
         * Jane; married John !DiMasso
         * Thomas; married Tracy Bauer
         * Amy; married Jeffrey Howes
      * Thomas Joseph; married (1st) Catherine Massett; married (2nd) Dorothy Larkin.
         * Bridget Alice; married Scott Hakes.
         * Theresa Lorraine; married Raymond Andrusiak.
         * Mary 
         * Thomas Aquinas; married Jennifer Fallon
         * Joan; married Carlos Cabrera.
         * Luke
         * Margaret Mary; married Glenn Roles.
         * Ann Bernard; married Michael !DiMase.
   * Mary; born 1910; married Johnny Anderson at age 16; died 1926 in childbirth; buried in Bayside Cemetery with her father and brother Luke
      * Dorothy; born 1926
   * Luke
      * Buried in Bayside Cemetery with his father and sister Mary

---+++_Sources_
*Per Benedicts of America,* Vol II, Pg 151<BR>
420. Frederick Lee Benedict b 29Jul1853 m Melvina Horton, res NYC, NY. CH: <BR>
I) - Alfred<BR>
II) - *Louis* <BR>
III) - Fred<BR>
IV) - Blanch, b 2Mar1881 NYC m James Henry Muth. Children<BR>
     a. Sarah Muth b 19Dec1906 m Mr Lyon<BR>
     b. James<BR>
V) - Clark Branch b 27Feb1884 NYC, NY m 1904 May Buckley. res 14 Woodland Road, Spotswood, NJ. Children: <BR>
    a. c. Welma Julia b 12Dec1906<BR>
    b. Walter Clark b 2Jul1908. m 1st Laura Duboise. m 2nd Nell Stormer. CH: <BR>
        1) Clark Jr with 1st m <BR>
        2) Richard with 1st m<BR>
        3) Craig with 2nd m<BR>
    c. Ruth May b 27Feb1917 m Harry Edgar Sindall. CH: <BR>
        1) Patricia Ruth Sindall<BR>
        2) Richard Edgar Sindall<BR>

---+++_Footnotes_

-- Main.SandeeToo - 04 Apr 2009
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