Arthur Benjamin Silliman

SILLIMAN

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 6/1/2010 at 19:08:59

Arthur Benjamin Silliman chief clerk at Boone for the Northwestern Railroad Company was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1868, and is a son of Benson J and Elizabeth A (Buchanan) Silliman, he former a native of New York and the latter of Pennsylvania. The father studied dentistry and practiced the profession for many years, keeping in touch with the advance ideas resulting from scientific investigation, research and broad experience. At the present writing, however his living retired. His wife passed away September 21, 1907, and her death was deeply regretted by many fiends as well as by her immediate family. She left, beside the husband a son and daughter: Minna who is the wife of C N Green of Troy, Pennsylvania and Arthur B.
The latter was sixteen years of age when he started out in the business world on his own account, being employed as a telegraph operator. He also took up the study of surveying and when twenty years of age he made his way westward to Denver, Colorado, where he ran the preliminary survey in connection with the work of bringing the water down for the Platte Canyon to Denver. H was afterward employed by a county surveyor there and subsequently went to Fort Worth, Texas, where he assisted in building an electric railroad through an addition which he helped lay out. Arlington Heights. He afterward accepted the position of agent for the Santa Fe Railroad Company at Ardmore, Indian Territory, where he remained for eight years. He was also representing the Associated Press at that time and sent to it he articles in regard to the Dalton train bandits. His sojourn in that section of the country made him widely acquainted with pioneer conditions in the southwest, and he also studied the methods of the government in relation to the Indians as well as other important problems relative to the settlement and up building of that section of the country.
On September 4, 1894, Mr Silliman was united I marriage to Miss Nellie Whitbeck, a native of New York, and a daughter of G R and Jane (Norton) Whitbeck, who are also natives of the Empire state and are now living in St Paul, Minnesota, where for eight years the father has conducted a successful business as a contractor ad builder. In the Whitbeck family were three children: Blanch the deceased wife of S D Dysinger, Mrs Silliman, and Melissa the wife of Dr H H Malteson of Bellingham, Washington.
Unto Mr and Mrs Silliman have been born four children. De Wayne, who was born September 10, 1895, in Indian Territory, was graduated from high school when seventeen years of age and is now attending Coe College in Cedar Rapids. Gilbert La Mont, born November 6, 1901, is also attending school. Lorenzo Martin was born November 14, 1904, and Delancy Eugene on May 1, 1908.
On leaving the southwest, Mr Silliman came to Boone in 1900 with the Northwestern Railroad Company. He occupied a clerical position for thee years and was then advanced to the position of chief clerk, in which capacity he has continuously served since 1904, his record being most acceptable. He is interested in the public welfare and is now serving as a member of the city council, in which connection he does everything in his power to further the interests and promote the welfare of the community. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and is a Royal Arch Mason, while his wife is a member of the Eastern Star. They hold membership to the Presbyterian church, and their interest and activities are such as place them among Boone’s best citizens and win for them the warm and enduring regard of those with whom they are brought in contact.

1914 Boone County History Book