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Note: BENJAMIN Sheets, Kilbourne. Prominent among the self-made men and successful agriculturists in this county, who have come up from poverty's ranks to wealth and affluence, and attained position through their own individual exertions, unaided by proffered patrimony or outside aid, is Benjamin Sheets; he was born in Augusta Co., Va., Aug. 28, 1817 ; is a son of Henry and Sarah Reese Sheets; they were of German descent. Benjamin came to this State when in his 18th year, in 1835 ; his parents were poor and unable to endow him with any patrimony ; their advice and counsel was all they had to bestow. Benjamin started out with the resolve and determination that he would some day have a home if hard labor and economy would accomplish this end; his first work was done for Joseph Conklin at $10 per month, for which he took store pay; the next month, he worked for -Mr. Potter at the same price; worked thirty-eight days in harvest for Rodney Smith, at 50 cents per day; he husbanded his means, and was soon enabled to make a purchase of a small amount of land, and from this beginning he at length acquired 530 acres of land. Has been thrice married, first to Mary Ann Hagerman, who bore him five children, three living-Silas, Margaret (now Mrs. Alexander D. Finley), Celia (now Mrs. John M. Cowgill), all of this township ; after his marriage, he lived fourteen years south of Delaware ; in April, 1849, from Stratford came to northeast of Brown ; his wife died Oct 22, 1855. Married, second time, Nancy E. Yates, of Delaware Co.; she died March 6, 1864, leaving one child, Edwin D. Oct. 22, 1868, he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Reese, daughter of Joseph Park and Elizabeth Richards ; her parents were natives of Pennsylvania, where she was born Oct. 11, 1833, and emigrated to this State in 1852. Since Mr. Sheets' location here, in 1848, he has been a constant resident member of the M. E. Church ; was taken into the church under Henry E. Pilcher's ministration ; has officiated as leader in the same for many years ; Mrs. Sheets is also a member. Farming and stock-raising has been the business in which he has been engaged since his location on the farm.
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