Robert Benham was born on June 29, 1913 in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Raised in Gloucester, Benham was uprooted with his family to Somerville as he was about to begin high school. He learned about the mysteries of the sea from his father Robert Burns Benham, who began fishing in the days of the schooners. "My interest in art, however, started in St. Clement's High School where I did cartooning, and illustrating for the paper," he said. Benham made his mark on the school boy sports world as captain of three sports, football, hockey, and baseball, during his senior year.

The rugged athlete played amateur hockey until a back injury placed him on the sidelines. During time out from painting the ...