Background
He was born in Ireland in 1807 and came to Kingston in Upper Canada with his family in 1819.
He was born in Ireland in 1807 and came to Kingston in Upper Canada with his family in 1819.
He represented Lincoln in the 1st Canadian Parliament as a Liberal-Conservative member until March 14, 1868, when he was named to the Senate of Canada for Saint Benson was president of the Niagara District Bank, the Welland Loan Company and the Saint Catharines Gas Company. He served on the town council for Saint Catharines and on the council for Lincoln County. He died in 1885 in Ottawa while still in office.
The city of Saint Catharines purchased his residence and used it for some time as the city hall.
Benson married the daughter of Charles Ingersoll.