The Benton Evening News dated 21 February 1938, and
includes a picture of a large white frame building with a porch that wraps around
the front and side of the building; there is a balcony atop the entire porch.
The following story concerning the old Benton House, was prepared by Mrs. Frederick
H Wykes, granddaughter of the late John C Swofford, who owned the hotel.
Benton House
We native Bentonites take great pride in our ancestry, some people think it unwise,
others think it vanity - but they usually have no ancestors of whom to be proud.
The person who does not know who his grandparents were naturally would not care
who they were. But we native Bentonites have pride of ancestry because we know
both who and what.
As a writer once said, "There are many excellent persons who can go no farther back
than papa and mama, who doubtless eat and drink and sleep as well and love as happily
as if they could trace an unbroken lineage back to Adam."
Nevertheless, we native Bentonites are proud of our ancestry and expect to remain
so to the end, for we believe that the simple story of the struggles , the sacrifices
and the triumphs of the men and women - our foreparents - (although we shall never
know that story in all its fullness and completeness) is the richest heritage which
shall ever come into our possession. If we can pass this story along to the young
people of their struggles, their love for country and home we may not fear for the
future of our homes not for the destiny of these United States.
Nowhere in Benton was the gracious hospitality of the south inherent in the
personalities of the first settlers (who mostly came from the south) evidenced more
than by the landlords and their families of "The Benton House", where the Swofford
building now stands, to the guests who came for a meal, for a day, and some, who
made it their permanent home.
In March, 1844, the commissioners of the county, Carter GREENWOOD, William EUBANKS
and Elijah TAYLOR, sold this town lot at auction to Abraham REA for the sum of $255
(on which he built a round log house, 14 by 16 feet, for a grocery store). It
bringing the highest bid of any of the townsite lots, which were given by W S AKIN
and Elijah T WEBB, because of the fine deep well of water on it. Within three months
the lot was sold to William ROGERS, who within six months sold it to James ROGERS
and from all data available James ROGERS built "The Benton House" in 1845, as it
appears in the picture.
The widow of James ROGERS sold the hotel to B W MARTIN on February 14, 1857, and
from this date we have been given many interesting items by the descendants of the
owners and landlords of this once famous house.
Mrs. W F DILLON, granddaughter of Mr. MARTIN, tells of the visit of Stephen A DOUGLAS
to Benton, who was a guest during MARTIN'S tenancy. In November 1858, B W MARTIN
transferred the property to Isaac WARD for consideration of $2450, who, with his
family lived in the hotel until Mrs. Sarah HOGE purchased it in June 1867, for $3000.
This deed having a $3 Civil War revenue stamp. Her husband, Marion HOGE, served as
sheriff of the county and while living there, their daughter, Lavicia Jane, was
married to one of Benton's former mayors, Sidney B ESPY, grandparents of Judge S M
WARD, an attorney of this city.
You note in this instance the Benton House was managed by a landlady instead of a
landlord. Mrs. HOGE held the property until November 1868, and then sold it at a
profit of $1500 to Lewis H BRITTON, the deed also bearing a war stamp of $4.50.
In February 1869, Lewis H BRITTON and his brother, Joshua BRITTON, made a deed to
William MOONEYHAM for $4000, including hotel and lots on East Main Street now known
as the Pemberton building. These were occupied by a large livery barn, which was
a very necessary adjunct to a hotel business. The travel was by horseback and horse
drawn vehicles and there had to be a place to feed and rest the teams as well as
the traveler.
Major MOONEYHAM and his wife, Sally Ann, made this their home for nine years, during
which time many noted guests, including John A LOGAN and wife were entertained. The
Major had seven daughters, five of whom were married in the hotel parlor. They were:
Sarah Jane to J G BUCHANAN: Louise Ellender to J W TAYLOR; Lucretia Margaret to S
FITZGERRELL: Malinda Caroline to Lawrence JONES; and Harriet Emaline to John C
SWOFFORD. The eldest daughter, Rebecca Angeline, was married to William R WEBB
prior to their removal to the hotel. Two daughters, Almira FITZGERREL and Mrs.
SWOFFORD, are still living.
Major MOONEYHAM will be remembered by many as Benton's first centenarian, his 100th
natal day being observed December 4, 1919. He was elected Captain of the Franklin
County Militia in 1839, taking an oath to refrain from dueling while serving as
Captain. He also served two 2 year terms as sheriff of the county, collecting taxes
and taking them on horseback to Springfield.
In the phonograph are the Major, his wife and son, Thomas J MOONEYHAM, on the south
upper porch, and daughter, Almira, on front upper porch. Below is James BARR, at
that time editor of the Benton Standard, Johnnie SPILLMAN, and Emma MOONEYHAM, now
Mrs. SWOFFORD.
In 1878, Dr. John S NORMAN, father of Mrs. L C PEMBERTON, bought the property and
on June 27, 1879, sold it to John C SWOFFORD. John C SWOFFORD was engaged in
business with William WARD and Carroll MOORE and at the time of his death was
president of the Exchange Bank of WARD-MOORE and SWOFFORD. Following his death,
management to the hotel fell to his widow, Mrs. Emma SWOFFORD. In a few years,
Mrs. SWOFFORD remodeled the building, removing the south porch and roof which
extended over the porches on the front replacing board walks with brick, removing
banisters on the lower porch, which section was reserved for ladies.
Ladies in those days did not go into the men's office, the smoke was too dense.
A street
light lantern on a post was put up at the corner of the square and East Main Street,
and the post holding aloft the sign "The Benton House" was taken down and with a new
coat of paint on the remodeled building, a new name, "The Arlington Hotel".
Some of the landlords that have been called to mind are John HILL, Tillman McCOLLUM,
Malin C TINGLEY, great uncle of Curtis E SMITH, Mr. GRADDY, and John B MOORE, SR,
who was elected sheriff in 1888. While he looked after the law and order of the
county, his versatile helpmate efficiently took part of landlady.
In the days of the hotel, the meals were announced by the ringing of a bell at the
front by a handyman. The parlor was a common meeting ground for the swains and
lassies on Sunday afternoons and the office, at all times, was for the businessmen,
the town philosophers, the Politicians, and the traveling men. There were no tele-
phones, no radios, and for many years no railroads nor hard roads. How welcome
were transients, who brought not only to the landlord, but also the townspeople,
the news, and when court convened the whole countryside came to town and the hotel
office and the ladies' parlor was the common meeting ground.
In 1904 the hotel building was destroyed by fire and was replaced in 1905 by a
brick business block..."
Submitted by: Sheila Cadwalader
