Benezette had a thriving business district at times when the local industries were booming. Here is what's known about some of them:
1864
-
Proposals [solicited by the Post Office Department, Washington on 10 November 1863] will be received at the contract office . . . until 10 a.m. of Thursday, March 31, 1864 for conveying the mails . . . for four years commencing July 1, 1864 and ending June 30, 1868 . . . on the routes and by the schedules of departures and arrivals herein specified. Decisions announced April 25, 1864. [included in the list of routes was]: #2742. From Caledonia by Benezette and Hicks Run to Second Fork, 24 miles and back, once a week. Leave Caledonia Friday at 9 a.m.; arrive at Second Fork by 6 p.m. Leave Second Fork Saturday at 9 a.m.; arrive at Caledonia by 6 p.m. (Chambersburg-Franklin Repository, 20 January 1864)
- D. B. & R. Winslow were required to buy a Class 14 retail license for $8 (Elk County Advocate, 20 May 1864)
- Dr. W. W. Shaw was practicing "medicines & surgery" (Elk County Advocate, 8 August 1864)
1865
-
Venders of merchandise. As classified and appraised by the . . . duly appointed appraiser of Mercantile Taxes for the county of Elk, for the year 1865 [for Benezette Township]: D. B. Winslow, class 14, license $7.00; B. E. Morey, class 14, license $7.00. (Elk County Advocate, 22 June 1865)
1865
-
Venders of Benezette as appraised and classified by Wm. McCauley, duly appointed appraiser of mercantile taxes in and for the county of Elk for the year A. D. 1866: Erasmus Morey, Class 14, License $7.00; R. and D. B. Winslow, Class 14, License $7.00; Edward Fletcher, Class 14, License $7.00 (Elk County Advocate, March 1866)
