Using the skills he acquired while under an apprenticeship with his mother’s cousins, the Lathrops, Benedict established himself as an effective owner of his own apothecary and bookstore. In addition to running his own shops, he joined the mercantile business, forming a partnership with Adam Babcock (Bio.com). He became fairly well-known for sailing the American coastline and receiving sugar, molasses, and manufactured goods in return for the lumber and horses he exchanged (Fahey, Curtis). When the Stamp and Sugar Acts were passed, complications arose with the trading system he and his partner took part in, reducing the steady flow of money they were obtaining. The effects of British taxes on business owners and those who took part in mercantile
