Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 25.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[379] as nearly as can be reckoned, was in the year 1815. He did not go to Fayetteville, if at all, until 1825, and must have been fifteen years old that year, and must have lived in Charleston for at least ten years before he became Mr. Belden's classmate, unless it shall transpire that Mr. Belden really attended school with Judah at the old brick school-house in St. Michael's alley, Charleston.

There is no doubt that Mr. Benjamin lived in Charleston, and went to school in this city. He told Mr. Levin that such was the case. Mr. B. C. Hard, of Williamston, S. C., who is still living, says that he was in Judah's class; that Judah was a very bright pupil, and quoted Shakespeare while playing marbles; that his teacher was Robert Southworth. Among his classmates, or school-fellows, were N. Russell Middleton, T. Leger Hutchinson, W. J. Hard, Mitchell King,——Wilson, B. C. Hard, Stephen Thomas and others—all for many years residents of this city. The Hebrew Orphan Society paid for his schooling. The store in which his father did business was situated in King street, near Clifford street, and his aunt, Mrs. Wright, as we were told yesterday upon good authority, also did business in this city. Probably when she moved to Fayetteville, in 1825, she took her nephew and niece with her.

If further evidence were needed to prove that the Benjamins lived in Charleston it can be found in the records of the United States Court in Charleston, which show that the elder Benjamin obtained his naturalization papers here. After the war, when Judah wished to enter the English Bar, it was necessary for him to prove that he was born a British subject, and the proof of his father's application for American citizenship was found on file in the United States Court at Charleston.

Mr. Benjamin was a great man, and we are not surprised that many cities should claim the honor of his residence. We hope that the Hon. Francis Lawley, of London, will not omit Charleston from his story of the ‘Life of Judah P. Benjamin.’ But for the care which was taken of his friend and confidant in this old town, probably the world would never have known him; the world, as we all know, is full of ‘mute, inglorious Miltons.’