Posted on: DeSoto Parish La Query Forum Reply Here: http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/gc/USA/La/DeSoto/10838 Surname: ------------------------- >From J.A.H. Slawson's DeSoto Parish History and Cemetery Records (1967, n.p.) "Not much is known of Benson before the Civil War but we do know that among the first settlers of the community was Dr. Benson, who was a charter member of the Mansfield First Baptist Church when it was organized in 1851. Other old settlers included the family of Emmett Nolan, whose family was active in the Coushatta riot after the Civil War." "Dr. Benson reared a large family as a country doctor, and was honored and loved by all that knew him. Among his children was Emerson Benson, a long time Justice of the Peace, member of, and president of the Police Jury of DeSoto Parish." "A story of note as told by Mr. Emerson Benson was that during the great freeze of 1889 some of their cattle were found frozen standing up around the barn." "Among the oldest settlers and largest land owners in the vicinity was a Mr. Hale." "A saw mill owned and operated by Mr. Wilson Tatum was the principal economy of the town for years." "For a number of years Benason had its own high school and a depot of the T & P railway until it was taken up in 1965." "Other old families of the community were the Montgomerys, Newells, Sebastians, Fords, Hills, Powells, Procells, Shadoins, Paddies, Rascoe, Evans, Norwoods, and others." "Churches of the community are Baptist, Methodist, and Catholic." There is more info about the town of Benson, and various Benson family members to be found in past issues of the 'Plume', and in online records. Use the search engines that are linked to the DeSoto Parish web page. Link: DeSoto Parish URL: <http://www.rootsweb.com/~ladesoto/index.htm>