Benjamin L. Wentworth

Benjamin L. Wentworth - was born on the 11th of February, 1825, in Foxcroft, Penobscot county, Maine. In 1835, at the age of ten years, he emigrated with his parents, Thomas and Rachel (Townsend) Wentworth, to the then far West, Ohio, and settled on the banks of the Maumee, in Defiance county, where tradition transmits the tale of barbarity by the dusky native. The sojourn here was not long, and in the Winter of 1839-’40 they removed to Harrison township, Paulding county, Ohio, being the first white settlers in the township, and the only ones in a territory embracing the whole Flat Rock country, extending from near the State line to the Auglaize river. At this time the country surrounding the many scenes of Mr. Wentworth’s early life was one unbroken wilderness, with none for neighbors save the red man, the howling wolf, and other wild inhabitants of the forest. On the 13th day of April, 1854, Mr. Wentworth was united in marriage with Miss Susannah Myers, of Defiance, Ohio, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Gruber) Myers, who was born in Chambersburgh, Pennsylvania, March 30, 1830. As a result of this union, there were born to them four children: Frank B., the present Superintendent of the Paulding schools; Eva Belle, Carrie Blanche, and Loe Myrtle. Mr. Wentworth has been Auditor of Paulding county three terms, and is at present the Probate Judge of the county, having been elected to that office in 1878, and re-elected at the last general election, in 1881. Much might be said that would be interesting, concerning the early life of Judge Wentworth, but space here will not permit. His postoffice address is Paulding, Paulding county, Ohio.