Unwitting Drink of Death

On January 18, 1888, Civil War veteran Albert Benedick's wife Anna (Dornon) Benedick gave birth to their last child, Ernest George.

Ernest George Benedick

According to text drafted for Ernest's obituary, my second great-grandfather "was the youngest son of Albert and Annie Benedick and was born on the old Benedick Homestead 4 1/2 miles east and 1/2 mile north of Plainville [Kansas] where he has made his home practically all his life..."

Text drafted for Ernest's obituary by his wife following his 1946 death

The January 19, 1888 issue of the Plainville Times announced that, "There was a bran (sic.) new boy appeared at the home of Albert Benedick on last Wednesday morning. The fat little fellow was taken in and it is more than probal (sic.) that he will [unintelligible] the republican ticket as soon as possible."

Ernest Benedick birth announcement - January 19, 1888 Plainville Times

The birth announcement strongly hinted at Albert's politics. Having served with the Union Army, he clearly felt strong loyalty to the party of Lincoln.

He Farmed Extensively
Ernest married Bessie Bair on May 18, 1910 at the courthouse in Stockton, Kansas. The Plainville Times wrote that, "The bride was dressed in white Mohair trimmed in white ribbon and the groom wore the usual black suit."

The young couple had three children: Della, born in 1911; Alice Aretta, born and died in 1913; and, my great-grandmother, Hazel Nevella, born in 1917.

Up until his last year of life, Ernest "farmed extensively" according to his death notice.

Ernest Benedick's family (left to right): Della, Nevella, Ernest, and Bessie.

Ernest Benedick with a crop of corn

In an oral history interview, my grandmother Marilyn remembered, "Everybody loved grandpa. He was loving and giving. He loved kids. He was a good grandpa. Kids and people loved him. They all called him Ernie."

Ernest and Bessie "moved to town [Plainville] within a year or two of his dying," Marilyn added.

It Was A Terrible Death
My Aunt Diane asked her grandmother, Nevella, about the circumstance of Ernest's death.

Diane shared that, "There was always people coming in the house [homestead]. They always had company and I guess there was a bunch of them in the living room or kitchen area. One of the aunts - a sister to Grandma [Bessie] Benedick - said, 'Hey Ernie, look what I found,' and she grabbed a bottle out from under the sink and tossed it to him. And him, just being silly, he uncorked it and took a big old drink."

"It was a bottle of lye."

"I don't think it came on immediately. It was a period of some time before the cancer overtook. It was esophageal. Grandma [Nevella] told me he wasn't able to eat or drink. He would sometimes have a little bit of whisky in a dish with milk, and I'm pretty certain the whisky was to dull the pain. He wouldn't eat at the table with any of them after that illness progressed," Diane added.

Marilyn said, "He must have known he was dying [from] cancer of the esophagus."

In the February 7, 1946 issue of the Plainville Times, the society pages wrote, "Ernest Benedick who has been seriously ill the past few weeks has been much worse the past few days."

Diane added, "Close to the end of his life he was talking to [his daughter]. He told her, 'Nevella, I've seen the green river. It's beautiful. Do you want to go with me?' She said, 'No, dad, I want to stay here and take care of my kids.'"

On February 10, 1946, Ernest Benedick passed away. Marilyn remembered, "It was a terrible death. He was still a young man. He was only in his fifties when he died."

He was interred in the Plainville Cemetery. A year later, Ernie's family penned a poem that was published in the Plainville Times:

Ernest and Bessie (Bair) Benedick's grave

In Remembrance of Dad
T'was just a year ago today,
Our dear Old Dad was called away,
To dwell upon that Heavenly shore,
And walk with God forevermore.
His kindness now is missed by all,
But when we hear our Master's call,
We'll meet again on that bright shore
Where pain and suffering is no more.

Small Town Marriages: When Sibling Sets Tied The Knot

In the years immediately following the end of the Civil War, two brothers - both Union veterans - returned home to Lawrence County, Ohio and married. 

Neither brother traveled outside the county to marry. In fact, neither brother searched for their significant other outside a single family.

Albert Benedick, my third great-grandfather, and his older brother George Washington Benedick, married two sisters: Anna Dornon, my third great-grandmother, and her younger sister Abigail Dornon.

Albert Benedick and Anna Dornon - October 1866 marriage, Lawrence Co., Ohio

George W. Benedick and Abigail Dornon - August 1869 marriage, Lawrence Co., Ohio

It shouldn't come as a surprise that a man would marry someone near home in the 19th century. After all, as Richard Conniff noted in his article Go Ahead, Kiss Your Cousin, "Until the past century, families tended to remain in the same area for generations, and men typically went courting no more than about five miles from home—the distance they could walk out and back on their day off from work."

A Family Tradition

In the early 20th century, two Benedick sisters carried on their grandfather's tradition and married two brothers from a single family.

On August 18, 1929, Della Benedick married Irwin Roy Lumpkins at the courthouse in Stockton, Rooks County, Kansas. The local paper - the Plainville Times - reported that, "Miss Benedick wore a blue silk and lace gown...and carried a bouquet of pink roses."

Della's younger sister, Nevella Benedick, married Roy's younger brother, Marion Lumpkins, on Valentine's Day 1934. The Plainville Times reported that my great-grandparents "were married by Probate Judge Case at Stockton" in the same county courthouse as their siblings.

Della (left) and Nevella Benedick (right) pictured with their parents center and
husbands Roy Lumpkins (left) and Marion Lumpkins (right) superimposed on
Rooks County, Kansas Courthouse where they all married.

Perhaps because of the proliferation of the automobile and increased mobility, my family has not seen another marriage between sets of siblings of two families. 

What did your family's small town marriages look like? Any sets of siblings tie the knot? 

Albert Benedick's Final Enlistment: Grand Army of the Republic

Grand Army of the Republic Memorial
Washington, DC (photo by author)

On a prominent street corner across from the US National Archives in Washington, DC, sits a stoic granite obelisk. Two bronze soldiers embedded in the hulking stone overlook the oblivious mobs of tourists exiting a nearby metro station and making a beeline for neighboring museums.

In a city peppered with monuments, few passerby pause to read the memorial's inscription:

Grand Army of the Republic 

Organized at Decatur Illinois April 6, 1866

By Benjamin Franklin Stephenson MD

Stephenson organized the fraternal organization that brought Civil War "veterans of the late unpleasantness"¹ together for camaraderie. Membership requirements stipulated that you must be an honorably discharged veteran of the Union forces.¹ Over time, the organization became a powerful advocacy group that lobbied for legislation that promoted the welfare of veterans, including pensions. With over 400,000 members at its peak in 1890, the organization's political clout was so strong that, "for a time, it was impossible to be nominated on the Republican ticket without the endorsement of the GAR voting block."¹

An Underage Enlistment
The youngest of four sons, Albert Benedick - my third great-grandfather - watched as each of his brothers enlisted in Ohio's volunteer forces beginning in late summer 1861. By early spring 1865, the Civil War was finally coming to a close with the Union's victory visible on the horizon.

On February 16, 1865, Albert was done watching. Eager to play his part, he completed enlistment papers and gave his age as 18. Born on March 8, 1849, Albert was in fact only 15 years old.

Albert Benedick Civil War Enlistment

While the majority of Union forces were between the ages of 18 and 45, it wasn't uncommon for boys as young as 12 to enlist.² The minimum enlistment age was 18, otherwise parental consent was required. Anecdotes from the time tell of boys writing the number 18 on a piece of paper and placing it in their shoe, so they could honestly say they were over 18 when enlisting.³ With three of her sons already serving, I speculate that Albert's mother wouldn't consent, which prompted him to fudge the numbers.

Sickly Tour of Duty
Albert's enlistment as a sergeant in the Ohio volunteer infantry was likely not what he expected. Perhaps he envisioned a romanticized notion of courageously fighting for his country. Instead, he quickly fell ill with the measles and was checked into a military hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on March 20, 1865 (less than two weeks after his 16th birthday). Later, writing in support of his pension application, his brother John told how Albert "came very near dying" and even lost his ability to speak for several weeks. More about the dramatic toll of the illness is in the post Disease in the Civil War.

Albert Benedick, age 15 (or 18 if Big Brother is asking)

Final Enlistment
In an undated letter, perhaps 1883 or 1884, 18 veterans wrote to the Kansas Department Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic requesting a charter for the creation of a GAR post in Plainville, Kansas. Among the signatories was Albert Benedick. These original charter members affirmed that they were "honorably discharged" soldiers from the "late War for the suppression of the Rebellion."

Petition for GAR Charter in Plainville, Kansas

The charter was granted on January 7, 1884, and the group (now Plainville Post 298) determined that they would meet monthly "every Saturday evening after the full moon." Over the ensuing years, Albert held several leadership positions within the organization, including Post Commander (PC), Senior Vice Commander (SVC), Junior Vice Commander (JVC), Surgeon (PS), Sergeant Major (SM), Officer of the Day (OD), and Officer of the Guard (OG).

Membership in the GAR was clearly something that meant a great deal to Albert. Not only did he take on a variety of leadership positions, but he wore his pride on his sleeve, or rather on his lapel. In two photos, you can make out his GAR membership pin.

As time went on and veterans began to pass away, the Plainville, Kansas GAR post saw its membership begin to decline. In April 1889, membership peaked at 44 veterans but slipped to 23 by December 1900. In June 1917, membership was reported to include just 10 men. Albert was still among them.

In December 1917, Post Commander W.A. Clark wrote to GAR Kansas headquarters to inform them that "it is hard to get a quorum to do business in our post..." With three more members moving away from Plainville, "we this day voted to send in our charter...it is impossible to keep the post any longer although we regret to make this move."

Albert passed away on February 14, 1931 when he was 81 years old. His initial death notice published in the Plainville newspaper touted that he was "one of the last three members of the Plainville GAR Post which had 85 members 30 years ago." Curiously, the Plainville GAR quarterly reports never reported membership near 85 men, but the sentiment remains. A generation that fought to salvage the Union was slipping away.

I can only imagine what Albert thought as his fellow soldiers moved or passed on, and he found himself one of the final few in town who recalled the hellish experience of the Civil War when men forgot the better angels of their nature. I imagine he found healing in the camaraderie of the Grand Army of the Republic.

"The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearth-stone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. -Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1861 Inaugural Address

 Footnotes

¹ "Grand Army of the Republic History." Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
² "Who Fought?" Civil War Preservation Trust.
³ "The Common Soldier." Civil War Preservation Trust

John Benedick At Rest

I'm laser-focused on finding my 4th great-grandfather Burr Zelah Dornon's grave. I believe he rests eternally in a cemetery somewhere in Lawrence County, Ohio or across the river in Jackson County, West Virginia.

I've been so focused on that search, though, that I've neglected another 4th great-grandfather, John Benedick, who's closely linked to Burr.

According to the U.S. Federal Census, John was a stone cutter in 1850 and a farmer in 1860. We also know he was an active supporter of the Whig Party's presidential candidate in 1840.

Celebrating her 90th birthday in 1899, John's widow Mary Ann (Miser) Benedick reflected on "the years of her young womanhood when history was being made so rapidly during the middle of the century."

She recounted for the local newspaper how she and her husband helped host a dinner in their Harrison County, Ohio orchard for General William Henry Harrison during his campaign for president (Tippecanoe and Tyler Too).

Unlike Burr, I know where John is buried  His grave was documented in a survey of Miller Cemetery burials in Lawrence County. Curiously, John died in May 1863, which is very near to the time frame I speculate that Burr died.

But that's not all they share in common. Two of Burr's daughters married two of John's sons, including my 3rd great-grandparents Albert and Anna (Dornon) Benedick.

These links made me eager to see a photograph of John's headstone. I submitted a request several years ago through FindAGrave.com. Unfortunately, the request was never taken up. Until this week.

Carl Murdock, an administrator for the Lawrence Register - a Facebook group dedicated to Lawrence County genealogy - trawled through Miller Cemetery and found the weathered headstone. After more than 150 years, the stone is still upright.

John Benedick's stone pictured center. Photo by Carl Murdock. Used by permission.

Time has taken its toll on the memorial; it could use a gentle cleaning. The inscription is worn and hidden behind rust-colored lichen, but the name is still visible. The hand pointing heavenward still attests to his faith.

John Benedick. Photo by Carl Murdock. Used by permission.

The existence of John's headstone, after all these years, is encouraging. Perhaps Burr's stone may still be out there waiting to be rediscovered. My search continues, but, in the meantime, I honor an ancestor at rest and am thankful that his marker still has its place.

Finding Clues in Land Records

When and where did my 4th great-grandfather Burr Zelah Dornon die? The investigation continues. Recently, through the Ancestry.com online community, I was able to connect with a distant Dornon cousin who's also interested in this question.

In October, she was able to visit a Lawrence County, Ohio library and locate a small collection of land records that shed more light on Burr's dealings in his final years.

Do these land records provide subtle clues about Burr's death?

Bookend Records
Readers of this blog are familiar with the ongoing research into Burr's death (see Running From the Rebels and Stone Broke). The historical documents we've located to-date have enabled us to narrow his passing to a six-year window.

Burr and his family are living in Jackson County, Virginia (soon to be West Virginia) on July 7, 1860 when the U.S. Federal Census is enumerated.

B.Z. Dornon Family enumerated in Jackson County, VA 1860

According to his son Andrew, we know that the Dornon family fled Jackson County in 1862 when the Confederates briefly took control of the county. The family fled west to Ohio where they had previously lived.

The marriage of Burr's daughter Anna helps us to bookend his life. Anna Dornon and Albert Benedick (my 3rd great-grandparents) obtain a marriage license in Lawrence County, Ohio on October 20, 1866. 

The marriage record indicates that they demonstrated, "consent of the mothers of the above named parties and that their fathers are dead." Burr Zelah Dornon is alive July 7, 1860, but has passed away by October 20, 1866.

Anna Dornon & Albert Benedick - Ohio Marriage License October 20, 1866

Land Records
My Dornon cousin was able to locate two records where Burr purchases land in Lawrence County, Ohio in July and August 1856.

First, on July 29, 1856, he pays $300 for two tracts of land - one consisting of 40 acres and the other 60 acres. The land is being sold to settle the debts of the recently deceased John McComas.

July 29, 1856 $300 Land Purchase by Burr Z. Dornon

I was able to locate journal entries from the Lawrence County probate court overseeing the settlement of Mr. McComas' estate. On July 29, 1856, the probate judge approved the sale of  some of Mr. McComas' property and "ordered that said petitioner [James White who is the appointed administrator of John McComas' estate] execute and deliver to the purchaser [Burr Z. Dornon] a deed in fee simple for the real estate..."

John McComas probate record, FamilySearch pg. 272

The next month, on August 18, 1856, Nathaniel and Matilda Burcham sell 40 acres to Burr Dornon for $75, "paid by means of John McComas deceased." I'm not exactly sure what this wording regarding payment means.

Burchams sell land to Burr Dornon for $75

These are the only land records found that mention Burr by name. The next set of land records are dated June 3, 1863. On this date, Burr's eldest son Albert pays $120 for land belonging to two of his siblings: Mary Susan and Joseph. Curiously, the land's description matches the land descriptions that Burr purchased in 1856.

Did Burr die and bequeath this land to his children? And why are both of them selling land on the same day to the eldest son? Is Albert the appointed administrator of his father's estate?

Albert Dornon pays $60 to sister Mary Susan for land

Albert Dornon pays $60 to brother Joseph for land

On July 30, 1873, over a year after the death of Burr's wife Sophronia, their son Lorenzo pays $200 for 100 acres of land belonging to Burr's heirs: Abigail, Lucinda, Andrew and Anna. These are the remainder of Burr's children. Again, the land description matches the land bought by Burr in 1856. It seems they are all parting with their inheritance.

Lorenzo Dornon buys land from Burr's Heirs

The critical document that remains missing is a probate record for Burr Dornon. Can we infer that he died before June 1863 when two of his children are selling their stake in land that he purchased in July 1856? I speculate yes.

If a probate record doesn't exist, what other documentation could help answer this question? Perhaps tax records? For each year I find him paying taxes we know he's still alive, and when those payments stop we can assume he passed in that year, right?

The questions persist and the search for answers continues.

Family History on the Road - Day One

The day after my maternal grandmother's funeral, I set out on a 7-day family history road trip with my mother and aunt. We traveled across five states, nearly 2,200 miles in total, and paid our respects at the graves of 36 direct ancestors.

It was my hope that the week-long trip would be a healing experience and an opportunity to see and connect with our ancestors' lives. Family was important to my grandmother, and this experience was an opportunity to reinforce and honor that legacy.

My grandmother was from Plainville, Kansas. It's a small farming community with a population today of approximately 1,900. My 3rd great-grandparents Albert and Anna (Dornon) Benedick were among its early settlers. Following their arrival, several generations called the town home and today rest eternally in the Plainville Cemetery. In total, 11 of my direct ancestors are buried on the grounds, including my grandmother who always called Plainville home.

From Plainville, we traveled north to Stockton where my grandparents were married (and later divorced) in the town courthouse. Making our way east, we drove to the small community of Cuba, Kansas. My 2nd great-grandmother Minnie (Hawks) Lumpkins Barber was born in a dugout nearby in 1881.

Coincidentally, the town was holding a festival. Main Street was closed to vehicles, and folks were cooking BBQ and playing games. In one game, people would pair up, grab hold of a rope and pull a sled weighted with blocks down the street. As the couple hauled the sled, onlookers would toss more weights onto the load to heighten the challenge. The crowd's cheering and laughing was occasionally drowned out as biplanes would come in low over Main Street, climb skyward, turn around and make another swoop.

We drove about four miles east of town to the Hawks Cemetery, which is situated alongside a dirt country road. The cemetery is fenced off from the farmlands that stretch for miles in every direction. The grounds are beautifully kept despite the seeming isolation from human activity. 

The Hawks Cemetery is the final resting place for my 4th great-grandfather George Chalkley Haworth and his father Mahlon Stanton Haworth. George and his brother founded the now abandoned ghost town of Haworth. George was the town's first postmaster. Sadly, the road to what remains of Haworth was muddied and prevented my wimpy rental car from making the trip. If I needed a reason to return, this would be added to the list.

Mahlon, my 5th great-grandfather, was a Quaker and an ardent abolitionist. After his death, it was learned that he served as a station manager on the Underground Railroad. His home in Iowa was found to contain secret rooms to hide slaves seeking freedom in the north. That's a legacy in which I take great pride. Not a bad start to our family history journey.

Day One Recap

Miles Traveled: 260

Direct Ancestor Graves Visited: 13

Disease in the Civil War

Earlier this week, I renewed my US National Archives research card. I requested Civil War pension files be pulled for two direct ancestors who served with the Union in the War of the Rebellion.

I made my way to the Archives early in the morning. The weather was gorgeous, but I didn't mind being holed up inside. In fact, I was excited to see what new information the pensions would provide. In what ways would they bring to life the war experience for my ancestors? What new information, if any, would advance my genealogy?

This was my first experience having original records pulled. When I entered the research room and signed for the first set of files, I was surprised at the size of the envelope. I thought the pension would be a couple pages. Judging by the size of the package, I was probably looking at well over 50 documents.

Both pensions were for 3rd great-grandfathers. I imagined their files to be filled with heroic accounts of battles and military accomplishments. Instead, they were rooted in something much less romantic and incredibly common - disease. They petitioned the government for pensions due to illness and poor health they attributed to their enlistment in the army.

Albert Benedick (Rank in: Private; Rank out: Sergeant)
Albert Benedick served in Company A of the 188th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. According to his pension application, he fell ill with measles shortly after his enlistment in February 1865 and suffered lasting affects.

Among the records is a hand-written affidavit from his brother John Benedick outlining the specifics of Albert's illness.

In a separate affidavit, Albert assures the pension authorities that, "I know these disabilitys are not due to any vicious habits." His request was approved, and he did receive a pension.

John W. Upton (Rank In/Out: Private)

Another 3rd great-grandfather also petitioned the government for a pension as a result of disabilities resulting from service in the war. John W. Upton enlisted with Company B of the 1st Regiment of the Arkansas Infantry.

Shortly after enlisting, John received a vaccination along with other soldiers that made him very ill. A sworn affidavit states that, "in the month of October 1863 he was vaccinated in the left arm at Fort Smith Arkansas with poisonous vaccine matter...he was vaccinated by the order of the proper officer to prevent small pox." John eventually landed in the hospital too weak to serve and suffering, in particular, from "afflictions of the eyes."

Among his records is a set of correspondence between the pension office and the War Department's Surgeon General's Office. There was an accusation that the vaccine provided to the soldiers was contaminated with syphilis.

The Surgeon General's Office confirmed that there were "222 cases of syphilis" among the 1st Regiment. The response also stated that, "The whole subject is under investigation by a Committee of Medical Officers appointed for that purpose...I forbear any further remarks at this time."

I didn't see any final response or conclusion on the matter, but John's pension application was finally approved.

Disease in War Time
In both instances, I was struck by the heavy toll that disease inflicted on the enlisted men. According to the Civil War Trust, as many as two-thirds of the 620,000 soldiers who died in the war succumbed to disease, not combat.

Mindful of those remarkable statistics, it seems Albert and John, although they remained afflicted the rest of their lives, were fortunate to have survived their initial illnesses.

Next steps include locating any existing carded medical records for John and Albert, which could shed more light on their afflictions and treatment. Archives bound...