Born July 10, 1841, in Exeter, Me. Educated in the common schools, supplemented by a few terms at East Corinth Academy, Levant High School and Gould's Academy, Bethel, under the tuition of his cousin, now President of the State College at Orono—M.C. Fernald. Benjamin afterwards received instruction at Kent's Hill and at Edward Little Institute, entering Bowdoin College in 1865. Illness prevented the completion of his course. He partially recovered his health, however, and was admitted to the bar in February, 1868. He followed teaching sometime after his admission to the bar, removing to Winn, where he has since resided. He has held several offices of trust, and has also been a newspaper correspondent for several years, contributing to the Lewistown Journal, Bangor Whig and Courier, etc., and wrote the history of several towns for the work on Penobscot County.