History of Hamilton County Ohio
Portrait of (with biography) of
Benjamin Urmston and wife
between pages 378 and 379
transcribed by Linda Boorom

Benjamin URMSTON, fourth son of David and Mary (ENYARD) URMSTON,of Ligonier valley, New Jersey, is of English stock. They immigrated to Ohio about 1801, coming first to Cincinnati, then pushing northward to a tract in Butler county, three miles north of Sycamore township, where both lived and died. Their children numbered ten, among whom was the subject of this sketch, born December 20, 1800, in Pennsylvania, and was a babe in arms when brought by his parents down the Ohio river on a raft. His early life was spent on the farm with his father until his marriage, and for some years afterwards, when he removed to a small place given him by his father upon the paternal estate. Here he remained several years, and about 1838 removed to Springfield township, where he has since resided as a farmer. He occupied his present place in 1853. It is about a quarter of a mile south of Mount Pleasant, on the old Hamilton pike, and the residence is that in which Robert CARY, father of Alice and Phoebe CARY, spent his last years. The old Cary residence is near, and a part of the former Cary farm is now the property of Mr. URMSTON. Some of his children attended the district school kept by Phoebe Cary in this very neighborhood over thirty years ago. Here he is spending a tranquil and generally healthful old age.

Rebecca KENNEDY, wife of Benjamin URMSTON, is daughter of Samuel KENNEDY, son of Thomas KENNEDY, who ran the well known "Kennedy's Ferry" from Cincinnati to the Kentucky shore, and owned the cornfield upon which Covington, in part, now stands. Her mother's maiden name was Jane RICHARDSON, of a Pennsylvania family, whose father came from England at the age of eighteen. Rebecca was born three miles above Hamilton, October 26, 1801, where her father owned a large farm, which is still kept 'in the family, and is reckoned one of the finest places in Butler county. About 1822, upon the death of her grandfather, she removed with her parents to the ancestral residence in Covington, in the old Kennedy stone mansion. Here she was married to Mr. URMSTON October 16, 1828, and returned with him to the home of the elder URMSTON, in Butler county. She has since shared his fortunes, his joys and sorrows, and all of life's experiences, through the long and happy union of almost fifty-three years. Their children have been: Kennedy URMSTON, born December 30, 1829, died at the age of nearly three years; Robert, born August 10, 1830, married Sarah BEVIS, June 10, 1862, a prosperous farmer, residing near his father, has two sons and one daughter living; Mary Jane, born May 26, 1834, died March 27, 1858; Benjamin, born December 27, 1837, lives at home with his father, and manages the business of the farm; Edmond born June 25, 1840, married Margaret BUTTERFIELD October 12, 1869, resides on a farm opposite the old home in Butler county, has two sons and two daughters.

Mr. and Mrs. URMSTON have been members of the Old School Baptist church for more than forty years. The former has voted the Democratic ticket steadily for sixty years, and still goes regularly to the polls.