Ilion High School - Class of 1888

Utica Herald Dispatch - October 3, 1905

Celebrates Her 90th Birthday

Article 6

Celebrates Her 90th Birthday
Ilion Woman Receives Congratulations of Friends in Many Sections
Lived In Ilion 60 Years
Born in Plymouth, Vt., Which Is Also President Coolidge's Birthplace
Lived In Ilion 60 Years

Born in Plymouth, Vt., Which Is Also President Coolidge's Birthplace Ilion, Feb 3 - The Benton home at 37 Armory Street was the scene of an unusual and happy event Thursday, the occasion being the 90th birthday anniversary of Mrs. Meriam L. Benton, a most estimable resident of Ilion for over 90 years, 50 of which have been spent in the home in which the anniversary was observed. The affair was most informal and from w to 5 o'clock neighbors and friends of ... smiled and extend their congratulations and were received at Mr. and Mrs. I. T. Onyans, a niece, Mrs. William Farnell, Mrs. E. T. , Mrs. Charles H. Clackner and Mrs. Joseph h. Ackler.

Messages Received

Congratulatory messages and letters were received from many areas of the country. And most pleasing ... from friends were the beautiful bouquets and clusters of flowers, the colors of which harmonized with the pink and white decorations of the beautiful home.

The same color scheme was carried out in the decorations of a large birthday cake, which bore the number '90' and was surrounded by candles commensurate with the years celebrated.

Enjoys Good Health

No one took more pleasure in the event than Mrs. Benton, who not only enjoyed splendid health and full possession of all faculties, but is as clear and keen on all subjects and current events as in her younger years. She takes pleasure in the fact that she was born at Plymouth, Vt. the birthplace of President Coolidge, but, at a date much earlier than he or his father, and while not a strong .... she did cast a vote for Coolidge at the time he was running mate of the time he was running mate of the President Harding.

Enjoys Good Health

No one took more pleasure in the event than Mrs. Benton, who not only enjoyed splendid health and full possession of all faculties, but is as clear and keen on all subjects and current events as in her younger years. She takes pleasure in the fact that she was born at Plymouth, Vt. the birthplace of President Coolidge, but, at a date much earlier than he or his father, and while not a strong .... she did cast a vote for Coolidge at the time he was running mate of the time he was running mate of the President Harding.

Married 60 Years

She was married about fifty years ago to the late Warren W. Benton, who died in Ilion in 1905. When she first came to Ilion it was a small hamlet of a few hundred people and in the vicinity of her home on Armory Hill there were few homes, but in the intervening years she has seen the village and in industries grow to their present size and the boundaries of the village expand beyond her expectations.