Mortimer Murrey Benton (January 21, 1807 – March 5, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the first mayor of Covington, Kentucky.
Biography Benton was born in Benton, New York, and was educated at private schools. In 1817 he moved with his father's family to Franklin County, Indiana, and then in 1827 moved to Cincinnati, where he become a store clerk and studied law. Around 1828 he moved to Covington, Kentucky, and was admitted to the bar in 1831. He married Angeline Clemons on March 10, 1832. In 1834 Benton become the first mayor of Covington, and later represented Kenton County in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1863 to 1865. He died in 1885 at his home in Covington.
References
Professional timeline Year/periodRole1831Admitted to Kentucky bar1834–1835First mayor of Covington1835Covington city clerk1839–1851Covington city council1844Attorney in partnership Benton & Mooar1853–1856President of Covington & Lexington Railroaduntil 1861Attorney in partnership Benton & Nixon1863–1865Kentucky House, Kenton County1865–1866Kentucky Senate He was seemingly a land owner as was common during that era amongst many wealthy and well to do persons from persons from Covington at the time. This was especially true after the creation of the railroad line that continued from Covington and passed through the town now commonly referred to as Kenton in southern Kenton County, KY. No doubt this is the reasoning in part for the RR station in Kenton to be referred to as "Benton Station" for some periods of time.
After the creation of the rail line to and through Kenton, it opened up all of the areas to and continuing past to various of forms of development and expansion. This led to the migration of persons from the north to newly created settlements and some areas of retreat for families of Cincinnati and Covington to locations such as Ryland Heights. These areas were often summer accommodations for these more well to do families as there were now connected with passenger train service on a regular basis.
He and Angeline had many children together, 10 were known with many having died at a very young age.
Also he served as a member of then named Covington and Lexington RR, later renamed KCRR (Kentucky Central Railroad).
During his tenure as a member of the CLRR, He served as:
attorney for the Covington & Lexington Railroad director later president of the railroad (1853–1856)
https://kentoncountyhistoricalsociety.org/data/documents/May-June-2014.pdf