Hello.  This information is taken from *History of Hart County *, written in 
1933, by John William Baker p. 49 and 50.

JOHN BLASSINGAME BENSON
Son of Enoch Berry and Esther Blassingame Benson, born at Pendleton, SC, 
September 2, 1822. Died at Hartwell, Ga., January 27, 1892
He married Miss Elizabeth Arlesa Norton, daughter of Jeptha and Elizabeth 
Moore Norton, Pickens, SC., September 2, 1847.
Mrs. Elizabeth Arlesa Benson died June 6, 1881.
Their children:  Myra Postell, married Dr. C. A. Webb; an infant son died 
soon after birth; Enoch Berry Benson; Fannie Norton, married A. G. McCurry; 
Mattie Cater, married S. W. Peek; and Mary Eliza: of whom only E. B. Benson 
and Mrs. Fannie N.  McCurry are now living.
Enoch Berry Benson, born May 19, 1852, married Miss Alice Elizabeth Adams, 
daughter of Moses H. Adams and Lavinia McMullan Adams, May 21, 1873.
The children of E. B. Benson and Alice E. Benson: John Berry; Lavinia Norton 
( both died in childhood); Paul Edwin, married Miss Lola Josephine Cox; Alice 
Elizabeth (died in childhood); Grace, married J. Loyd Teasley, Ethel, married 
Charles E. Matheson; Myra Edna; Enoch Blassingame, married Miss Christine 
Sanders of Birmingham, Ala.
Children of Paul E. and L. Josephine Benson: John Berry (deceased); Paul 
Edwin.
Children of J. Loyd and Grace Benson Teasley: Elizabeth Benson, Alice Benson, 
Grace Benson and James Benson (deceased).
Children of Charles E. and Ethel Benson Matheson:  Charles Edward, Berry 
Benson and Julius Daniel.
Child of Enoch Blassingame and Christine Sanders Benson: Beverly Sanders 
Benson.
John Blassingame Benson married Miss Martha A. Ethridge June 25, 1882.  No 
children by this marriage.  Mrs. Martha A. Benson died August 12, 1911.
Tracing the line of forbears of the Bensons, who came from Virginia to South 
Carolina:  Thomas Benson, who married Miss Martha Prince; their son Enoch 
Berry Benson married Miss Esther Blassingame, daughter of John Blassingame, 
and grandparents of Enoch Berry Benson, now living in Hartwell.
Thomas Benson and John Blassingame were both Revolutionary soldiers.  Jeptha 
Norton, father of Mrs. John B. Benson, was a captain under General Andrew 
Jackson in the war of 1812.  He and his company fought the British in the 
battle of New Orleans, the last battle of that war, fought, in fact, after 
terms of peace were agreed upon, but in those days of slow communication the 
news had not reached New Orleans.  In that battle, bales of cotton were used 
as breastworks by our troops.
The different lines of the Benson family have their Enochs and Berrys, the 
later having been a surname on the mother's side several generations back.
John B. Benson built the first house in Hartwell and had the first stock of 
goods in the beginning of the town, in 1854.  He was the first postmaster 
here.  He had been postmaster at Fairplay, S. C., before moving to Hartwell.  
Acted in that capacity in both places parts of the same quarter.
He served this district, then Hart, Franklin and Habersham, as State Senator 
during the Civil War and represented the county in the Legislature one term 
since.
He was engaged in mercantile business as Benson & Justice when the War 
Between the States began.
At his death the firm name was J. B. and E. B. Benson.  Succeeding that 
business, E. B. Benson operated in his own name several years, followed by E. 
B. Benson and Son -- the son being Paul E. Benson.
In 1877 J. B.  and E. B.  Benson bought The Hartwell Sun and printing outfit 
From R. E. Belcher who, with John H. Magill, established it in Hartwell in 
1876.
For several years the Bensons, in connection with John H. Magill, published 
the paper. J. B. Benson was business manager while connected with the paper 
and established a free delivery for The Sun which served the communities of 
Ford's Store, Parker's Store, and Kings Bench, and people along the route.  
This was continued until a mail route from Toccoa to Hartwell was established.
This, perhaps, was the first and only free delivery ever operated by a 
country newspaper. 

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