Probably nothing would have made Ben Stuart prouder than being remembered as a grower of fine fruit and a loving "Papa." But in fact he was much more – a school teacher, an inventor with a number of patents to his name, newspaper writer and interviewee, and four-term member of the Missouri House of Representatives - serving one term as Speaker pro tem.
He was named for his father, Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Stuart, and grew up in the Sugar Creek community southeast of Rushville, MO. Interestingly, young Benjamin was first named "Breckinridge" in honor of Kentucky Senator and presidential candidate John C. Breckinridge - but the name seems to have been quickly changed to Benjamin. His father had come from Kentucky by way of Indiana and his mother – Martha Cox Stuart – came from Bartholomew County, Indiana.
Ben was the youngest of seven children – three sisters who died in infancy and three other sisters – Mary Ellen, Ida Virginia, and Anna Polina – all of whom also died relatively early in life. He grew up with a nephew who was close to his age, Leon N. Stuart (first known as Edward) – the son of his oldest sister, Mary Ellen.
In his younger adult life, Ben taught children in three Buchanan County country schools and married Clara Virginia Gray, daughter of Madison Gray of DeKalb, MO. They had one daughter, Crystal – but both Clara and Crystal died when the small family was still very young; they are buried in nearby DeKalb's Westlawn Cemetery. Following their deaths, Ben filled the void in his life with school teaching, serving in the state legislature, and improving the orchards on Highland Farm. Additionally he owned a farm atop the bluff just south of Rushville. Through his deceased wife's father, Ben learned of a young woman in Lewis Co, Kentucky and began corresponding with her. After his parents' deaths in 1891 and 1892, Ben married Mary Louisa Wellman and brought her home to the Highland Farm – where they reared a family of six: Claire Elizabeth (Caudel), Jessie Mary (Turpin), Ben Wellman, Blanche Irene (Beitzel), Leo Ramey and Julian Edison. (Daughter Blanche Irene is not shown in linked children's sites, as her wish was to have her body cremated and ashes scattered in Pacific Ocean.)
Ben died amid his fourth term in the Missouri General Assembly, while returning to the Sugar Creek farm from a political meeting in St. Joseph. His funeral was the first to have a motorized procession in the Sugar Creek Cemetery.
He was named for his father, Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Stuart, and grew up in the Sugar Creek community southeast of Rushville, MO. Interestingly, young Benjamin was first named "Breckinridge" in honor of Kentucky Senator and presidential candidate John C. Breckinridge - but the name seems to have been quickly changed to Benjamin. His father had come from Kentucky by way of Indiana and his mother – Martha Cox Stuart – came from Bartholomew County, Indiana.
Ben was the youngest of seven children – three sisters who died in infancy and three other sisters – Mary Ellen, Ida Virginia, and Anna Polina – all of whom also died relatively early in life. He grew up with a nephew who was close to his age, Leon N. Stuart (first known as Edward) – the son of his oldest sister, Mary Ellen.
In his younger adult life, Ben taught children in three Buchanan County country schools and married Clara Virginia Gray, daughter of Madison Gray of DeKalb, MO. They had one daughter, Crystal – but both Clara and Crystal died when the small family was still very young; they are buried in nearby DeKalb's Westlawn Cemetery. Following their deaths, Ben filled the void in his life with school teaching, serving in the state legislature, and improving the orchards on Highland Farm. Additionally he owned a farm atop the bluff just south of Rushville. Through his deceased wife's father, Ben learned of a young woman in Lewis Co, Kentucky and began corresponding with her. After his parents' deaths in 1891 and 1892, Ben married Mary Louisa Wellman and brought her home to the Highland Farm – where they reared a family of six: Claire Elizabeth (Caudel), Jessie Mary (Turpin), Ben Wellman, Blanche Irene (Beitzel), Leo Ramey and Julian Edison. (Daughter Blanche Irene is not shown in linked children's sites, as her wish was to have her body cremated and ashes scattered in Pacific Ocean.)
Ben died amid his fourth term in the Missouri General Assembly, while returning to the Sugar Creek farm from a political meeting in St. Joseph. His funeral was the first to have a motorized procession in the Sugar Creek Cemetery.
Probably nothing would have made Ben Stuart prouder than being remembered as a grower of fine fruit and a loving "Papa." But in fact he was much more – a school teacher, an inventor with a number of patents to his name, newspaper writer and interviewee, and four-term member of the Missouri House of Representatives - serving one term as Speaker pro tem.
He was named for his father, Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Stuart, and grew up in the Sugar Creek community southeast of Rushville, MO. Interestingly, young Benjamin was first named "Breckinridge" in honor of Kentucky Senator and presidential candidate John C. Breckinridge - but the name seems to have been quickly changed to Benjamin. His father had come from Kentucky by way of Indiana and his mother – Martha Cox Stuart – came from Bartholomew County, Indiana.
Ben was the youngest of seven children – three sisters who died in infancy and three other sisters – Mary Ellen, Ida Virginia, and Anna Polina – all of whom also died relatively early in life. He grew up with a nephew who was close to his age, Leon N. Stuart (first known as Edward) – the son of his oldest sister, Mary Ellen.
In his younger adult life, Ben taught children in three Buchanan County country schools and married Clara Virginia Gray, daughter of Madison Gray of DeKalb, MO. They had one daughter, Crystal – but both Clara and Crystal died when the small family was still very young; they are buried in nearby DeKalb's Westlawn Cemetery. Following their deaths, Ben filled the void in his life with school teaching, serving in the state legislature, and improving the orchards on Highland Farm. Additionally he owned a farm atop the bluff just south of Rushville. Through his deceased wife's father, Ben learned of a young woman in Lewis Co, Kentucky and began corresponding with her. After his parents' deaths in 1891 and 1892, Ben married Mary Louisa Wellman and brought her home to the Highland Farm – where they reared a family of six: Claire Elizabeth (Caudel), Jessie Mary (Turpin), Ben Wellman, Blanche Irene (Beitzel), Leo Ramey and Julian Edison. (Daughter Blanche Irene is not shown in linked children's sites, as her wish was to have her body cremated and ashes scattered in Pacific Ocean.)
Ben died amid his fourth term in the Missouri General Assembly, while returning to the Sugar Creek farm from a political meeting in St. Joseph. His funeral was the first to have a motorized procession in the Sugar Creek Cemetery.
He was named for his father, Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Stuart, and grew up in the Sugar Creek community southeast of Rushville, MO. Interestingly, young Benjamin was first named "Breckinridge" in honor of Kentucky Senator and presidential candidate John C. Breckinridge - but the name seems to have been quickly changed to Benjamin. His father had come from Kentucky by way of Indiana and his mother – Martha Cox Stuart – came from Bartholomew County, Indiana.
Ben was the youngest of seven children – three sisters who died in infancy and three other sisters – Mary Ellen, Ida Virginia, and Anna Polina – all of whom also died relatively early in life. He grew up with a nephew who was close to his age, Leon N. Stuart (first known as Edward) – the son of his oldest sister, Mary Ellen.
In his younger adult life, Ben taught children in three Buchanan County country schools and married Clara Virginia Gray, daughter of Madison Gray of DeKalb, MO. They had one daughter, Crystal – but both Clara and Crystal died when the small family was still very young; they are buried in nearby DeKalb's Westlawn Cemetery. Following their deaths, Ben filled the void in his life with school teaching, serving in the state legislature, and improving the orchards on Highland Farm. Additionally he owned a farm atop the bluff just south of Rushville. Through his deceased wife's father, Ben learned of a young woman in Lewis Co, Kentucky and began corresponding with her. After his parents' deaths in 1891 and 1892, Ben married Mary Louisa Wellman and brought her home to the Highland Farm – where they reared a family of six: Claire Elizabeth (Caudel), Jessie Mary (Turpin), Ben Wellman, Blanche Irene (Beitzel), Leo Ramey and Julian Edison. (Daughter Blanche Irene is not shown in linked children's sites, as her wish was to have her body cremated and ashes scattered in Pacific Ocean.)
Ben died amid his fourth term in the Missouri General Assembly, while returning to the Sugar Creek farm from a political meeting in St. Joseph. His funeral was the first to have a motorized procession in the Sugar Creek Cemetery.
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