R. S. (RICH) AND CLARA "CALLA" BENHAM

Children: Grant, Clyde, Glen, Sperry "Spud", Betty and Doug.

No story of the early Orchard Gardens area compete without the colorful people who lived in that secluded and beautiful home southwest of the railroad station.

R. S. "Rich" Benham and his wife, "Calla", moved from Minneapolis in 1914 and built their home. Glen, the eldest daughter was 8 years old and was the only one not born in that home. A latter-day neighbor, not knowing this fact, registered surprise at the unusually mischievous behavior of "number three" son. "He is not at all like the other Benham children," she said, "are you sure, Calla, that the nurse at the hospital didn't get your baby mixed up with someone else's, maybe young Sperry is not a Benham at all?" Clara went along with the story for a while and enjoyed the joke. Finally, much of the neighbors chagrin, Calla announced, "You bet he's mine! I ought to know for he was born in this house and I remember distinctly being there!"

Early school records show how much effort was expended by Mr and Mrs Benham for the school and school board. Few have ever done more. The school study desks which have all been recently removed, were designed and built by Mr Wempel, an uncle of "Doc" and "Rich" Benham.

Mr Benham was concerned with road improvement and helped plan and build the road past Huddleston's store to the schoolhouse and down to Orchard Lake.

We cannot forget "Rich" Benham in the role of deputy sheriff for the community. He first made his rounds on horseback and later by motorcycle. What a figure he cut; tall, straight and imposing. It was with some surprise that it was learned that hard liquor was taboo in the Benham household. Many of us remember catching glimpses of a circular rotating cabinet in his dining room which was filled with every conceivable size and shape bottle. This we were told much later, was the hiding place for all confiscated liquor. Woe to anyone who did not abide by the law.

This was the family who owned an apple press. Each fall, people in the area with orchards would hire the press plus one son and then the fun began. It was an exciting time and unbearable wait began for the luscious juice to ferment. Not so in the Benham household. Apple juice was one thing, but cider? Never! To make sure, Glen was sent to the cities to buy a concoction to prevent fermentation.

The beautiful black Hambletonian horse, Ted, was purchased in Redwood Falls, Minnesota by Mr Benham who rode him all the way home to the "Gardens." The trip took several days. Ted was a familiar figure to everyone and just once more we would like to see him galloping into the yard, saddle bags flying, with "Rich" astride him, delivering the daily paper. By the time Ted had finished his service to the family and community, his black hair had turned white.

R. S. Benham passed away in 1945, and Clara (Sperry) Benham died in 1955. None of the Benham children now live in the area, but this fine family added to our history, development and surroundings.
June Dille