Beckwith, H. W. History of Fountain County, Indiana
Chicago: HH Hill, 1881 p 152
Benj. Gardner, grain dealer, Covington, well known to the citizens, is a native of
Richland county, Ohio, where he was born in 1820. He had little chance of acquiring an
education, his father dying when he was but fifteen years old. Until he was twenty-five he
assumed many of the responsibilities of the household, and aided in many ways his younger
brothers and sisters. In 1845 he came west and located at Covington, and began work for
Mr. J. G. Hardy, with whom he remained seven years. He then engaged in market butchering
and packing pork the principal part of the time until 1872, and from 1872 till 1877 on his
farm, which is located one mile southeast of Covington, and which he bought in 1856. In
1877, in company with Mr. J. M. Duncan, he engaged in the grain trade. Their grain-house
is located on the line of the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western railway, and has a
capacity of 10,000 bushels of wheat and 5,000 bushels of ear corn. Besides the business
interests owned by Mr. Gardner in and about Covington he has a large tract of valuable
land located near the town of Eldorado, Kansas. Mr. Gardner, from boyhood, has been wholly
dependent upon his own resources, and whatever success he has met with in life has been
due to his own energy, industry and good management.