Benjamin Marion Davis was a serious farmer and a very hard worker. His wife, Lily, was a peacemaker. They made a good team.
Benjamin was 72 years old and still working hard when he passed away. He and others were putting together a hay pole. There were several kinds of these but the one they were putting together had four logs in a square and braces to a pole in the center that went up in the air. On top of the pole, that went up 90 degrees from the logs on the ground, was a U type that could spin and in it was a long pole that had a big fork that could take the hay that was brought in from the field and drop it on a stack where some one would straighten it out to be used in the winter to feed the animals.
They were having trouble putting one of the logs in place and it was swinging around and when it would go, Benjamin would give it a push with gusto to make it do what he wanted it to. It swung back and hit him on the leg and caused the injury. Benjamin continued working but soon the leg swelled up and he couldn't stand on it. The doctor was eventually called and recommended amputation. Ben would have nothing to do with amputation. The doctor wanted Lily to declare him unfit to make the decisions about the leg so they could take it off, but she refused to get involved. She told the doctor that he was of sound mind and could decide for himself. She also knew he would not be happy with only one leg. He told the doctor to save it, which he couldn't. Gangrene set in, followed by blood poisoning which led to his death. His last night, a couple of grandsons were sitting by his bedside. Grandma Lily was asleep in bed. They heard their Grandpa take his last breath. It was in the middle of the night and there was nothing else that could be done, so they let Grandma continue to sleep and they went to bed. An hour later, Grandma woke them and told them that Grandpa had passed on. She told them that he had visited with her - after his passing - and told her that he was going. She let the boys know and told them everything would be all right.
Benjamin was very stern but also a very loving person. When their farm was out west of Benjamin, and he was the Sunday school superintendent, he would start early with the team and wagon and pick up families and children who didn't have means of traveling and take them to Sunday school. He was a good, compassionate man.

View online death certificate.