Alfred Washburn Benson, also known as Albert Washburn Benson (July 15, 1843January 1, 1916) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as a

United States senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...

from

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

Early life and education

Born in

Poland, Chautauqua County, New York Poland is an incorporated town in Chautauqua County, New York. The population was 2,201 at the time of the 2020 census. The town is on the county's eastern border. History The area that would become the town was first settled in 1804. The town ...

, Benon moved to

Jamestown, New York Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 28,712 at the 2020 census. Situated between Lake Erie to the north and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest pop ...

, in 1860, and attended Jamestown and Randolph Academies.

Career

During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, he

enlist Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job (volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Some nations (e.g., Mexico) require a ...

ed in 1862 as a private in the 154th New York Infantry Regiment, and at the close of the war held a commission as major. He studied law, and was admitted to the

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

, in 1866 and commenced practice in

Sherman, New York Sherman is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It is an interior town in the county, west of Chautauqua Lake. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 1,618. The town contains the village of Sherman. History The area wa ...

. He moved to

Ottawa, Kansas Ottawa (pronounced ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Franklin County, Kansas, United States. It is located on both banks of the Marais des Cygnes River near the center of Franklin County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the c ...

, in 1869, held various local offices, and was a member of the Kansas Senate from 1881 to 1885. He was a judge of the fourth judicial district of Kansas from 1885 to 1897, and was appointed as a Republican to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Joseph R. Burton; he served from June 11, 1906, to January 23, 1907, when a successor was elected. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1907 to fill this vacancy, and was appointed and subsequently elected justice of the

Kansas Supreme Court The Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Marla Luckert, the court supervises the legal profession, administers the judicial branch, and serves as the sta ...

, on which he served from 1907 to 1915, when he resigned.

Personal life

He retired from public life and died in Topeka in 1916, aged 72. Interment was in Highland Cemetery,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benson, Alfred W. 1843 births 1916 deaths Kansas state court judges Republican Party Kansas state senators Politicians from Buffalo, New York Politicians from Jamestown, New York People from Ottawa, Kansas Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court Republican Party United States senators from Kansas People from Chautauqua County, New York 19th-century American judges Union Army officers