From "The History of North Washington" Published 1904

Transcribed by: Nancy Grubb (nancyg@theofficenet.com)
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BENJAMIN S. STURGIS 
	Benjamin S. Sturgis resides on the banks of the Sachene of Rocky 
Ford lake, where he has an estate of two hundred and forty acres. It is an 
ideal place for a summer resort and Mr. Sturgis has on hand a large quota of 
boats and so forth, for the accommodations of visitors. He does general 
farming and raises stock and gives much attention to timber cruising, having 
located a number of parties in the last five years. Mr. Sturgis settled on 
his place in 1897, it being then unsurveyed. Since that time he has devoted 
himself steadily to the occupation mentioned and to improving the farm in a 
becoming manner. To the original homestead he added eighty acres of railroad 
land, by purchase.
   Benjamin S. Sturgis was born in Bedford, Iowa, the son of Joseph and Mary
(Shannon) Sturgis. The father was killed by the Indians on the Arkansas river
in 1862, the mother, who is a relative of ex-Governor A. Shannon, of Ohio,
is now living in Spokane county, Washington. He had four children: Willie
H., Orlando R., Nervesta, deceased and Benjamin. Our subject's father was a
nephew of the first large dealer in wheat in Chicago, namely Dan Sturgis.
Benjamin Sturgis was educated in the public schools of Kansas and when
seventeen went to the lead mines in the vicinity of Joplin, Missouri. There
he bought a lead mine that was supposed to be worked out and after three
weeks of investigation found deposits of ore which made it one of the 
valuable mining properties of the section. Six years later he sold out and
went to Texas for his health he bought some cattle and drove them to Colorado.
Later we see him in San Francisco, whence he came to Spokane county, Washing-
ton and in 1897 he came to his present place in Stevens county.
   On February 7, 1901, Mr. Sturgis married Mrs. Sarah J. Hockersmith of
Bloomfield, Iowa. She was the widow of Decatur H. Hockersmith and has two
children, David and Laura L. Mrs Sturgis' maiden name was Maxwell. Her
father still lives in Nebraska and her mother is deceased. Mr. Sturgis is a
Republican and one of the most active men in political affairs in this
section of the county. Mrs. Sturgis is a member of the Methodist church.    
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