Albert Adolphus Benjamin was born December 1, 1923, in the district of Brandon Hill, the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, West Indies. He was the seventh of nine children. His parents, Uriah and Rosetta, were small farmers. Albert married Pearl, the daughter of a minister of religion, in 1945. Together they had nine children.
He attended Brandon Hill All Age School until the age of 14 years. Though he loved school and described himself as a brilliant student, he never graduated. He had a teacher whom he described as being a tormentor because of his abusive attitude towards his students. A decision he regretted but inspired his commitment to his children’s education.
Albert’s fortune was closely linked to his ability to diversify his business endeavors. He seemed to be a natural businessman. His entrepreneurial endeavors ranged from being a carpenter, a farmer, a real estate investor, and a merchant. Of all his efforts, he was most prosperous as a merchant. His connection and interaction with Percy Junior and Granville DeLeon laid the path that catapulted him to become the leading purchaser of local produce such as ginger, cocoa, pimento, and coffee beans. Percy Junior and Granville DeLeon were wealthy merchants who were international exporters of Jamaican spices and produce. At the height of his entrepreneurship, he was well known by the richest Jamaican business people: L.P. Azar, the Mahfoods, the Issas, Azans, and the Hannahs.
Albert was a devoted Christian and served as a deacon in the local church for many years. Although many individuals encouraged him to go into politics, he thought he could be of service in other ways. He was appointed in 1971 as a Justice of the Peace. He loved people and worked tirelessly to help others who were less fortunate. He provided work, food, books, shoes, and clothing for those in need. He especially loved the church and his family. His wife, PEARLY MAY ADOTTIE HARRIS, was his greatest supporter.
In September 2005, the Benjamin Preparatory School was established in Vinings, Georgia, the United States, in his honor. Albert’s last years were spent quietly at his home in Kellits, the adjoining district from where he was born. He occupied himself with biblical studies and consistently conversed with his nine children, who were very grateful for their level of education because of his unwavering support and encouragement. He died on March 5, 2022, and was buried at the local church cemetery in Brandon Hill.
Pearly May Adottie Harris, daughter of the late Reverend Samuel Harris and Icilda Stewart, was born September 29, 1927. She has three sisters and two brothers. Born in Crofts Hill, Clarendon, her religious and educational beginnings were rich and diverse. Pearly affectionately called “Sister Pearl,” they got married to Albert in 1945 at the age of eighteen. Together they yielded nine children: Sonia, Elaine, Carol, Verna, Varieta, Addisson, Evet, Dwight, and Albert. Her dedication to her husband and children was unmatched and exemplary in how she tended to her family.
Pearl’s dream of being a nurse was aborted because she was determined to support Albert while being a hands-on mother. The domestic help that Albert provided to aid in caring for the children did not deter her from attending to the needs of each child. Pearl was multi-talented, so although her family brought great joy to her life, she wanted to help others. As she developed, she mulled over the real purpose of her life, and like the Psalmist, David, she pondered, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me (Psalm 116:12, NLT,1996/2015)?” Echoing the Psalmist’s response, she, too, said, “I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord in the presence of all his people (Psalm 116:17, NLT,1996/2015).” With that commitment, her life as a servant leader has been one of ministry and service, reflected in the various capacities in which she has served her church and community.
She had been a prayer group leader, choir director, youth group president, Sunday school teacher, church secretary, clerk, and treasurer for 45 years, president for the local and district Ladies Ministries, lay preacher, and island executive board member and coordinator. She served her community as the registrar of births and deaths for over 36 years, secretary for the Brandon Hill Parent Teachers Association (P.T.A.), member and leader of the Jamaican Federation of Women at the local level. In the community, she served as the Kellits Citizens’ Association president, treasurer for the Kellits Skills Training Center, and the Kellits Library Association member.
Combined with these duties, she conducted the haberdashery business for years. Above all else, she has held the esteemed position of mother of the nine successful children whom she reared punctiliously without complaint. As if nine were not enough, she added Leah, a foster child, to her family.
Throughout her life, Pearl supported less fortunate children. She provided funds to help children to achieve their educational goals; she gave clothes and food to the poor. Above all else, she was humble, true to herself, and never failed to lend a helping hand, even until her transition to being with the Lord.
Six months after her husband Albert’s passing, Pearl transitioned to join him at the age of ninety-four on August 12, 2022. Her departure has left a hole in many hearts. However, Pearl’s memorable imprint on so many’s lives makes her unforgettable. The words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) from A Psalm of Life certainly capture that impression:
The lives of great [wo] men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.