Benjamin Franklin Bailey was the son of Silas Prater Bailey and his second wife, Almira Kelley Bailey. He married Sarah Ellen Faris on 23 November 1892.

Hon. Benjamin F. Bailey of Grafton Dead. Preston County Journal, Kingwood, WV. Thurs. Dec 3, 1914

Excerpt--News was received here yesterday telling of the sudden death of Hon. Benjamin F. Bailey of Grafton, who died suddenly in New York from heart failure. Mr. Bailey was well known to many of Preston County's people. He was a lawyer of prominence, ability and had practiced in Taylor and adjoining counties for a number of years.

Manual of the State of West Virginia 1907-08 (1908), p. 121:

[BENJAMIN F. BAILEY (Republican), Senator from the Eleventh Senatorial District, was born in Taylor county, West Virginia, where he has since lived. He was educated at Adrian, Michigan, and at the West Virginia University at Morgantown. He is an attorney by profession, and in 1900 was elected prosecuting attorney for Taylor county, which position he held from 1901 to 1905. In 1906 was elected to the State Senate; assigned to following committees: Judiciary, Privileges and Elections, Railroads, Mines and Mining, and Finance, and chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Humane Institutions.]

Men of WV (1903), Vol. 1, pp. 204 and 205:

[BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BAILEY, one of the prominent and substantial citizens of Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia, identified with all the leading enterprises of the city, was born in Taylor County, West Virginia, November io, 1864. He is one of the six surviving children of Silas P. and Almira (Kelley) Bailey. The early education of Mr. Bailey was obtained in the common schools of Taylor County, and it was supplemented by attendance at Adrian College, Michigan. Later he graduated with honors from the law department of the University of West Virginia in the class of 1891 with the degree of LL. B., and in the same year was admitted to the bar. Mr. Bailey has carried on a very successful practice at Grafton, and is well known all over Taylor County. He has always taken an active part in politics and is a leading member of the Republican party in his section. For eight years he served as chairman of the Republican County Committee and also for the same length of time was a member of the executive committee. Mr. Bailey has also been a useful member of the City Council and has advocated many of the improvements, which have placed Grafton on an equal footing with cities of greater population. In 1900 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Taylor County and still continues in office. Mr. Bailey has many very important business interests, is a stockholder and member of the board of directors of the Crystal Ice Company; a stockholder and member of the board of directors of the Grafton Building & Loan Association; a member of the board of directors of the Grafton Machine & Foundry Company, and of the Consolidated Telephone Company and a number of less important organizations. In 1892 Mr. Bailey was united in marriage with Sarah E. Faris, who was born in Harrison County, West Virginia, and is a daughter of George T. and Mary Ann (Sheets) Faris. A family of four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bailey, the two survivors being Arline B. and George Silas. Mrs. Bailey is a devout member of the Baptist Church. Fraternally Mr. Bailey is associated with several secret organizations, the Modern Woodmen of America; the Elks, in which he is exalted ruler; and the Knights of Pythias. He is one of the representative men of Taylor County, where he is held in high esteem for his legal ability, business qualifications and personal attributes.]