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Their son Joseph was graduated from Yale College in 1842, he being the Valedictorian of his class, and from Yale Divinity School in 1847.
He was for a time Principal of Brainerd Academy in Haddam Conn. [Connecticut], and subsequently engaged in pastoral work in South Malden Mass. [Massachusetts].
His attention was, however, called to the Pacific Coast, and leaving New York by sea he arrived in San Francisco on the ship Edward Everett on the sixth of July 1849. There was then no Congregational Church in California and but one Congregational Minister, Dr. Benton being the second of three to arrive in the year 1849.
From the hour he landed he was a Californian. He proceeded to Sacramento, and began preaching, gathering audiences about him under a tree or in a canvas tent. In the middle of September he organized the "First Church of Christ" in Sacramento, it being the second Congregational Church formed in California
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He was ordained by Council in March 1851, and continued in this pastorate until the Spring of 1863, a period of thirteen years and a half. He then resigned and became Pastor of the Second – now Plymouth – Church in San Francisco. He remained in charge from March 1, 1863 until the summer of 1869, a period of six years and a half.
These two important pastorates covered a period of twenty years – nearly half of Dr. Benton's life in California. They are marked by conspicuuous [conspicuous] ability and fidelity and are of themselves sufficient to place his name high upon the roll of California's Christian leaders.
In 1859-60 Dr. Benton spent a year and a half in foreign travel, continuing his journeys from San Francisco until he had passed around the world, visiting its chief cities in nearly all lands. After his return he embodied his observations in a volume with the little – "The California Pilgrim."
On the 7th day of July 1863 he was
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married to Miss Frances Sargent of Sacramento, whose helpful interest in all that which most absorbed his benevolent thought has added contributed much to the Effectiveness of his work.
[written in ink] To her our sympathies are extended and for her comfort our prayers are offered.
The two pastorates ref of Dr. Benton, although leaving their indelible impress upon the churches to which he ministered comprise, however, but a small portion of his work in this State.
He was the first Editor of The Pa- cific, and for forty one years gave to it almost constant service as Editor or contributor, nearly all of it which was gratuitous, and helped more largely than we can measure to give character and success to the paper. Through its columns he not only gave voice to the religious principles of our churches, but also in the crises of the State, to their convictions concerns, free schools, free speech, free labor, and loyalty to the Nation's flag.
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For more than fifteen years he was a member of the Permanent Committee on Home Missions, and he entered into deep and active sympathy with Christian work throughout the State and up and down this Coast. He was often seen at Councils of ordination and recognition, at local Associations and Conferences; x and In the meetings of this General Association he was a speaker to whose oratory all were pleased to listen, and whose opinions had great weight.
Has was Moderator at its Organization in 1857 and twice since has been called to preside.
In the latter half of his California life Dr. Benton stood in very close relation to our churches through his connection with our Educational work.
As he had been identified with the founding and operation of the College of California, so also was he one of the founders of our Pacific Theological Seminary and of Hopkins Academy.
He was one of the original Board of
[written vertically on left edge] and in the late International Conference at London was present to represent our Seminary.
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He was one of the original Trustees and continued to be a member of the Board until while he lived.
He was the first to occupy a professorship in the Seminary, and from Aug. 19. 1869, when he began instructing five students, until April 8. 1892, when he closed his Earthly labors – a period of nearly twenty three years, his life and that of the Institution were so closely interwoven that we cannot think of him apart from his service to the Seminary – a service that won his supreme love and enlisted his whole soul, a service that needs only to be mentioned in this Association to awaken the praise and gratitude of all.
In the ripeness of his years, in the fullness of his powers, with heart aglow for the cause of his Divine Master, ready for further work, and equally ready, at the call of God, to lay aside down his Earthly service, he passed,