Benson Leonidas moved with his parents to Jefferson County as a child in 1897, where his Father taught scool for many years. He grew up in the rugged West End of Jefferson County, and was an expert hunter, guide and canoeist. For years, he worked as Fire Warden in the Summer. Ben loved the frontier life and experienced many hardships and thrilling times, but he took particular pride in his ability to manage an Indian canoe in the swift waters of the rivers. Ben married Myrtle May Anderson, the daughter of a pioneer couple, Isaac and Maud Anderson, who resided on the Hoh River.
Ben lived at Clearwater until 1941. When he moved his family to Brinnon, Washington, he brought a large ocean-going canoe and a small one with him and enjoyed taking his friends for rides on the canal and on the rivers. He had launched his canoe at the Bunnell place on the Dosewallips River and brought it safely down, and he also maneuvered it upstream. Ben kept a diary since 1916, never missing a day to record the important daily happenings. His data has often been used to settle disputes or to aid the memory of incidents which might have been forgotten. (His daughter, Florence Miles, had the diaries and had transcribed portions and is compiling information for the pioneer club.) Ben was an earnest and sincere Christian and was loved and respected by all who knew him. He was a memeber of the Baptist Church in Port Townsend at the time of his death.
I recently met Florence in Quinault at her Cousin, Tom Northup's cabin and she shared with me briefly. She has sent many photos that I am in the process of up-loading and linking to these pages, so book-mark this page and follow it closely in the days ahead as I get it updated and modified.
Benson Leonidas Northup's page is under construction.
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Children of Ben and Myrtle (Anderson) Northup
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