David M. Benjamin
Portrait and Biographical Album, Mecosta County, Michigan
Published by Chapman Bros. – Chicago, Illinois
Page 538 – 539 1883
David M. Benjamin, lumberman, resident at Grand Rapids, was born at East Livermore, ME., July 28 1834. He is a son of David and Catharine C. (Stanwood) Benjamin, and was, until the age of 16, brought up on a farm and attended the common school. He then entered the academy at Farmington, where he studied two terms, going successively to Litchfield and Westbrook, attending the academy in those places the same length of time.
His first business venture was at East Livermore, where he was station agent on the Androscoggin River. After a year there he engaged as a lumberman on the Penobscot River, and acted in that capacity until he was 28 years old. He came to Muskegon, Mich., in October, 1862, where he had a year before invested in pine lands, and operated in lumber. In the summer of 1864 he erected a large steam saw-mill, fitted with gang-saws and all the most approved appurtenances pertaining to similar establishments. The works were among the most extensive in that city, having a cutting capacity of 240,000 feet daily. He conducted his business alone until 1873, when he entered into partnership with O. P. Pillsbury and Daniel W. Bradley. The firm style at present is O. P. Pillsbury & Co., and includes the senior member named, Mr. Benjamin, and Will. H., Edward and James W., sons of D. W. Bradley. The house is operating extensively in lumber traffic, and have offices at Muskegon and Milwaukee. Their timber tracts include 15,000 acres of pine lands in Michigan, 60,000 in Wisconsin and a considerable acreage in Minnesota. Their house and jobbing forces combined number about 200 men. The firm have a large plaining-mill at Milwaukee, with a working capacity of 25,000,000 feet annually. They own about 9,000 acres of pine lands in Mecosta (bounty.
Mr. Benjamin was married in Portsmouth, N. H., June 16, 1869, to Annie Louise, daughter of Andrew J. and Annie Fitts, born in Southampton, N. H., April 16, 1848. They have one son, Fred W., born at Grand Rapids, Jan. 23, 1878. Mr. Benjamin is a Democrat in his political views. (Copied Verbatim)