Biography of

Benajah T. Davis, Co E,A


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Benajah Thomas Davis was born in April of 1844 in Wood County, Virginia. Although some of his records indicate he was born in 1845, most would appear to support the 1844 date. He was the third son of James E. and Sarah Matthews Davis and brother to Benjamin F. Davis of the same company in the Civil War. He moved to Fishtown, Ohio with his family in 1852-1854.

Benajah's Civil War service began on November 1, 1861 at Camp Wool, Athens County, Ohio. He was with the unit during their entire stay in Tennessee and Alabama except for a period of time in 1862 when he was in the hospital for an extended stay. In February, 1864, he re-enlisted in the 18th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry and was transferred to Company A with his brother, Benjamin, and was promoted to sergeant. It would seem that the rigors and exposure of the rough existence of the campaign was extremely difficult for the men. His life after the Civil War would be seriously affected by these hardships.

After the War, Benajah lived with childhood friends, Isaac and Thomas Scott in Washington County, Ohio. There he met the sister of his friends, Margaret, and was married to her on July 11, 1867. Between 1870 and 1900, eight children would be born to the couple. His life was not a pleasant one since many misfortunes plagued the family. In 1881, he engaged a lawyer from Athens County who not only did not assist him in obtaining a pension, but abscounded with the money. His sad life came to an end on September 2, 1902, when gangrene and peritonitis directly attributable to his Civil War service claimed his life. He was buried in the Stewart Cemetery, Stewart, Athens County, Ohio. With his passing, the family troubles continued. Neither Behajah's death or birth of his last son Benson was ever recorded. When Margaret tried to collect on the pension, she was hassled by having no records of Benajah's death or Benson's birth. She searched for anyone who might be able to give an affadavit and called on former comerades to aid her cause. Margaret, the scrappy little fighter, died March 25, 1916 of asthma, broncho-pneumonia, and tuberculosis.

(Information graciously provided by Mrs. Diana Roche)