Henry Wetherby Benchley (February 20, 1822 – February 24, 1867) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

politician who served in the

Massachusetts Senate The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the st ...

and as the 22nd

Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts The lieutenant governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts. The constitutional honorific title for the office is His ...

. In the 1850s, he was one of the founders of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...

Biography

Benchley's immigrant ancestor was William Benchley, who had settled in Rhode Island from Wales. By the 1840s, Benchley's line had moved from Smithfield, Rhode Island to

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 census, making it the second- most populous city in New England after ...

. He married Julia and they had two sons, Charles and Julian. Benchley became active in regional politics, helping found the Republican Party in the 1850s. He also served in the

from Worcester, and was elected as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in the mid-1850s. After Julia's death in 1854, Benchley arranged for relatives to care for his sons and went to Texas to oppose the institution of slavery. He was arrested and jailed in Houston for helping run an

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

station. This was after the

Fugitive Slave Law The fugitive slave laws were laws passed by the United States Congress in 1793 and 1850 to provide for the return of enslaved people who escaped from one state into another state or territory. The idea of the fugitive slave law was derived from ...

of 1850 was passed, which increased penalties for anti-slavery activism. He died in Houston in 1867 after the Civil War ended.

Legacy

*His grandson,

Robert Benchley Robert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. From his beginnings at '' The Harvard Lampoon'' while attending Harvard University, thr ...

, became a famed humorist based in New York City. His great-grandson, Nathaniel Benchley, and great-great-grandson,

Peter Benchley Peter Bradford Benchley (May 8, 1940 – February 11, 2006) was an American author, screenwriter, and ocean activist. He is known for his bestselling novel '' Jaws'' and co-wrote its film adaptation with Carl Gottlieb. Several more of his works ...

, also became noted authors.

References

* Billy Altman, ''Laughter's Gentle Soul: The Life of Robert Benchley''. (New York City:

W. W. Norton W. W. Norton & Company is an American publishing company based in New York City. Established in 1923, it has been owned wholly by its employees since the early 1960s. The company is known for its Norton Anthologies (particularly ''The Norton A ...

, 1997. ). * Norris W. Yates, ''Robert Benchley''. (New York City, Twayne Publishers, 1968.). * Roger D. Joslyn, "The Benchley-Bensley Family", ''New England Historical and Genealogical Register''. Vol. CXLII No. 565-567 (January, April 1988, July 1988). {{DEFAULTSORT:Benchley, Henry Wetherby 1822 births 1867 deaths Lieutenant Governors of Massachusetts Massachusetts Know Nothings Republican Party Massachusetts state senators Presidents of the Massachusetts Senate American city founders Politicians from Chester County, Pennsylvania Texas Republicans Politicians from Houston

Biography

Legacy

See also

References