BENJAMIN BANCROFT, post office, Cantrall, section nineteen; was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, March 3, 1821. Son of Isaac Bancroft, who was born April 29, 1776, and Mercy Coburn who was born March 12, 1781. Native of Massachusetts, where they were married March 5, 1799, when two children was born, Mercy and Betsy. In 1803, his parents emigrated to St. Lawrence county, New York, being the first man that paid for his land in the county, where ten children were born, Jonathan C., Prudence, Lucinda, Alma S., Isaac, Joseph, Timothy, Benjamin and Harmon H., all of which lived to men and women, with the exception of one, who died in infancy. In 1839, left his home in St. Lawrence county, New York, coming through with teams and making the trip in six weeks, and located in Springfield, where they remained until 1844, when he died. Previous to his death he purchased the land where Benjamin now resides. Mother died February 10, 1868. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm and received a common school education. He spent two years in Plattville, Wisconsin, where he saved money enough to purchase seventy acres of land. September 19, 1854, married Miss Elizabeth C. Cass, daughter of John Cass of Ohio, who was born March, 1830. There were five children, two of whom are living, Martha L., Edward T., Maggie, Lucinda C., one of which died in infancy, Edward and Lucinda, of which are living. Mrs. Bancroft died February 3, 1871. Has one hundred and sixty acres of land valued at $50 per acre. Raises forty acres of corn, fifteen acres of wheat, turns off twenty head of hogs. In politics is a Republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.