Library of Congress

BENSON, Alfred Washburn, a Senator from Kansas; born in Poland, Chautauqua County, N.Y., July 15, 1843; moved to Jamestown, N.Y., in 1860; attended Jamestown and Randolph Academies; during the Civil War enlisted in 1862 as a private in the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and at the close of the war held a commission as major; studied law; admitted to the bar in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1866 and commenced practice in Sherman, N.Y.; moved to Ottawa, Franklin County, Kans., in 1869; held various local offices; member, State senate 1881-1885; judge of the fourth judicial district of Kansas 1885-1897; appointed as a Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Joseph R. Burton and served from June 11, 1906, to January 23, 1907, when a successor was elected; unsuccessful candidate for election in 1907 to fill this vacancy; appointed and subsequently elected associate justice of the supreme court of Kansas and served from 1907 to 1915, when he resigned; retired from public life; died in Topeka, Kans., January 1, 1916; interment in Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, Kans.