Nellie Gray Hill Benson, Nebraska's "first lady of rural electrification" was instrumental in taking the oil lamp out of the window and putting in the light bulb.  When a vacancy occurred on the board of the Polk County Rural Public Power District in 1936, Mrs. Benson's name was proposed.  She ran for election and was returned to office by a large majority and continued to serve for more than two decades.

She resided six miles north of Osceola and was one of the first to receive power when the district's lines were energized in June 1938.  It proved very gratifying to Nellie to look down at the lights in the valley at night when coming home.

Nellie was born January 24, 1879, at Johnstown, Ohio, to Tilton and Angenora Hill. In 1882 her family relocated to Nebraska where she attended primary school at Schuyler and secondary school at Silver Creek. At the age of 14, she took an examination for a teaching certificate and began her long career of public service at the age of 15. Some of the pupils were older but she kept it a secret from them.

On June 3, 1903 she married DeAlton Benson at Silver Creek. They moved to the homestead of her father-in-law, John V. Benson. John had purchased this homestead from the government in 1878. This was also the place of DeAlton's birth on December 22, 1875. They raised three children: Hazel Lorene, Emmett Hill Benson, and Gilbert Eugene Benson. Her husband passed away July 15, 1934.

DeAlton and Nellie Benson were among the first organizers of the Polk County Farm Bureau. She served as a member of the state board of directors for two years and was elected vice president from 1924 to 1925. From 1926 to 1929, she served as president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation. She served on the State Board of Control from 1929 to 1935. In 1939 she served as vice president of the Nebraska Rural Electric Association (NREA) and in 1941 was the first woman elected as president of the NREA.

A true pioneer in agriculture organizations and a long advocate of electricity on the farm, this lady of two firsts stated that it was time women should know what is going on in the world. They should help make this country a better place for posterity and assume civic responsibility.

Thus, we salute this early leader of our organization. Thank you, Nellie Gray Hill Benson, for carrying the torch in the early years!