Benjamin Hellman, farmer; P. O. Pleasant Hill; was born in Rockingham Co., Va., in 1812, and is the son of Jacob and Fannie (Stickela) Hellman, the former of Pittsburgh, Penn., and the latter a native of Virginia. Fannie Stickela's father emigrated from Germany, and located in Rockingham Co., Va., at an early day. Jacob Hellman emigrated to this State in 1835, and located with his family on the northwest part of Sec. 2, Newton Township; here he and his devoted wife passed the remainder of their lives, he dying at the advanced age of 96 or 97 years, and she dying the same year at the remarkable age of 103 or 104 years. They reared a family of five sons and three daughters, of which the subject of this sketch is the fourth child. He was brought up on a farm, and has devoted his life to agriculture not having the advantages of common schools, he adopted a method of self-culture, and thus acquired a fair education; he came to this State with his parents, and, in connection with one of his brothers, purchased the land on which the family settled; soon after this, he purchased his present place, and on these two farms he has resided since coming into the county. He finds his political creed in the Democratic party. He was married to Mary Casper, and has a family of six sons, all living, and located near the homestead.