CO. K.
109 U.S. C. INF
Benjamin J Davenport ("BD") has an incorrect military tombstone. According to his Civil War pension file (CW pension application 531,807, certificate 826,805) he served in Co F. (not Co. K per the stone) 109th U.S. Colored Inf. under the name Benjamin Wilson, achieving the rank of Sergeant. The real Sgt. Benjamin Davenport in Co. K lived his entire life after the War in Bowling Green KY and died there in 1908.
Sworn statements in the pension file explain the "alias". BD was born a slave around 1830-1832 in Clay County MO (a Bible birth record could not be found after the Civil War). He was named Benjamin Davenport by his owner Rice Davenport. At age 13, BD was given by his owner to his son, first name unstated. In MO, BD had a "slave wife" (no official marriage) with whom he had four children before she died. Around 1860-61, BD was sold in KY to a man whose last name was Wilson. No first name or county for the KY Mr. Wilson is given.
BD thus became Benjamin Wilson and in 1863 in KY he enlisted in the 109th USCI under that name. After his discharge in 1866, he resumed the name Davenport which was known to his friends and family. He appears in the 1870 census in Georgetown, Scott Co. KY, as a plasterer living with his son Isaac from his first marriage said to as "dumb" (unable to speak) and wife Melvina. They legally married in KY in 1870.
After the birth of Reuben in 1877, responding to solicitations of African Americans to homestead a community in Graham Co. KS, BD and his family moved to KS and homesteaded in Nicodemus receiving the patent in 1890.
According to his pension affidavit and the 1900 and 1910 censuses, BD and Melvina had 12 children including a baby that died in infancy. Melvina reports only 6 children living in 1900. BD appears in every federal census from 1870 - 1920 and in every KS State census from 1885 - 1925. His children and grandchildren in his household are listed, somewhat inconsistently, in the censuses as follows:
1870 -- Isaac age 11
1880 -- Ellen 9, Bennie 7, Nancy 6, Lee 4, Cora 2 months and Isaac 22.
1885 -- Ellen 14, Ben Jr. 12, Nancy 11, Reuben 8, Cora 5, Samma (Sammy?), Male, 2
1895 -- Cora V 15, Eliza M 10, Moses 7
1900 -- Cora 18, Eliza 14, Moses 11
1905 -- Cora 23, Moses 17, granddaughter Melvina Welton 17, granddaughter Josie Welton 10, grandson Ezra Welton 7
1910 -- Reuben 33, Cora 24, Moses 22, granddaughter Jossie 15, grandson Ezra 12, granddaughter Birtha 12, granddaughter Norah 10 (All grandchildren are shown as Davenports, probably erroneously at least for Josie and Ezra).
1915 -- KE Davenport 25 female (daughter-in-law?), granddaughter Josie Wilton 19, grandson Ezra Wilton 17.
1920 -- Grandson Alexander W. Burton 5, granddaughter Josie Wilton 24
1925 -- Grandson Alexander Burton 10
His VA Pension Payment record, confirms that BD died on Feb. 2, 1928, probably 95 to 98 years old.
Per:Suzanne A
Name Benjamin Davenport
Event Type Census
Event Year 1880
Event Place Nicodemus, Graham, Kansas, United States
Gender Male
Age 50
Marital Status Married
Race Black
Race (Original)B
Occupation Farmer
Relationship to Head of Household Self
Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Self
Birth Year (Estimated) 1830
Birthplace Missouri, United States
Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records
Benjamin Davenport Self M 50 Missouri, United States
Melvina Davenport Wife F 26 Kentucky, United States
Ellen Davenport Daughter F 9 Kentucky, United States
Nancy Davenport Daughter F 6 Kentucky, United States
Lee Davenport Son M 4 Kentucky, United States
Isaac Davenport Son M 22 Missouri, United States
Cora Davenport Daughter F 0 Kansas, United States
Bennie Davenport Son M 7 Kentucky, United States
109 U.S. C. INF
Benjamin J Davenport ("BD") has an incorrect military tombstone. According to his Civil War pension file (CW pension application 531,807, certificate 826,805) he served in Co F. (not Co. K per the stone) 109th U.S. Colored Inf. under the name Benjamin Wilson, achieving the rank of Sergeant. The real Sgt. Benjamin Davenport in Co. K lived his entire life after the War in Bowling Green KY and died there in 1908.
Sworn statements in the pension file explain the "alias". BD was born a slave around 1830-1832 in Clay County MO (a Bible birth record could not be found after the Civil War). He was named Benjamin Davenport by his owner Rice Davenport. At age 13, BD was given by his owner to his son, first name unstated. In MO, BD had a "slave wife" (no official marriage) with whom he had four children before she died. Around 1860-61, BD was sold in KY to a man whose last name was Wilson. No first name or county for the KY Mr. Wilson is given.
BD thus became Benjamin Wilson and in 1863 in KY he enlisted in the 109th USCI under that name. After his discharge in 1866, he resumed the name Davenport which was known to his friends and family. He appears in the 1870 census in Georgetown, Scott Co. KY, as a plasterer living with his son Isaac from his first marriage said to as "dumb" (unable to speak) and wife Melvina. They legally married in KY in 1870.
After the birth of Reuben in 1877, responding to solicitations of African Americans to homestead a community in Graham Co. KS, BD and his family moved to KS and homesteaded in Nicodemus receiving the patent in 1890.
According to his pension affidavit and the 1900 and 1910 censuses, BD and Melvina had 12 children including a baby that died in infancy. Melvina reports only 6 children living in 1900. BD appears in every federal census from 1870 - 1920 and in every KS State census from 1885 - 1925. His children and grandchildren in his household are listed, somewhat inconsistently, in the censuses as follows:
1870 -- Isaac age 11
1880 -- Ellen 9, Bennie 7, Nancy 6, Lee 4, Cora 2 months and Isaac 22.
1885 -- Ellen 14, Ben Jr. 12, Nancy 11, Reuben 8, Cora 5, Samma (Sammy?), Male, 2
1895 -- Cora V 15, Eliza M 10, Moses 7
1900 -- Cora 18, Eliza 14, Moses 11
1905 -- Cora 23, Moses 17, granddaughter Melvina Welton 17, granddaughter Josie Welton 10, grandson Ezra Welton 7
1910 -- Reuben 33, Cora 24, Moses 22, granddaughter Jossie 15, grandson Ezra 12, granddaughter Birtha 12, granddaughter Norah 10 (All grandchildren are shown as Davenports, probably erroneously at least for Josie and Ezra).
1915 -- KE Davenport 25 female (daughter-in-law?), granddaughter Josie Wilton 19, grandson Ezra Wilton 17.
1920 -- Grandson Alexander W. Burton 5, granddaughter Josie Wilton 24
1925 -- Grandson Alexander Burton 10
His VA Pension Payment record, confirms that BD died on Feb. 2, 1928, probably 95 to 98 years old.
Per:Suzanne A
Name Benjamin Davenport
Event Type Census
Event Year 1880
Event Place Nicodemus, Graham, Kansas, United States
Gender Male
Age 50
Marital Status Married
Race Black
Race (Original)B
Occupation Farmer
Relationship to Head of Household Self
Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Self
Birth Year (Estimated) 1830
Birthplace Missouri, United States
Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records
Benjamin Davenport Self M 50 Missouri, United States
Melvina Davenport Wife F 26 Kentucky, United States
Ellen Davenport Daughter F 9 Kentucky, United States
Nancy Davenport Daughter F 6 Kentucky, United States
Lee Davenport Son M 4 Kentucky, United States
Isaac Davenport Son M 22 Missouri, United States
Cora Davenport Daughter F 0 Kansas, United States
Bennie Davenport Son M 7 Kentucky, United States
CO. K.
109 U.S. C. INF
Benjamin J Davenport ("BD") has an incorrect military tombstone. According to his Civil War pension file (CW pension application 531,807, certificate 826,805) he served in Co F. (not Co. K per the stone) 109th U.S. Colored Inf. under the name Benjamin Wilson, achieving the rank of Sergeant. The real Sgt. Benjamin Davenport in Co. K lived his entire life after the War in Bowling Green KY and died there in 1908.
Sworn statements in the pension file explain the "alias". BD was born a slave around 1830-1832 in Clay County MO (a Bible birth record could not be found after the Civil War). He was named Benjamin Davenport by his owner Rice Davenport. At age 13, BD was given by his owner to his son, first name unstated. In MO, BD had a "slave wife" (no official marriage) with whom he had four children before she died. Around 1860-61, BD was sold in KY to a man whose last name was Wilson. No first name or county for the KY Mr. Wilson is given.
BD thus became Benjamin Wilson and in 1863 in KY he enlisted in the 109th USCI under that name. After his discharge in 1866, he resumed the name Davenport which was known to his friends and family. He appears in the 1870 census in Georgetown, Scott Co. KY, as a plasterer living with his son Isaac from his first marriage said to as "dumb" (unable to speak) and wife Melvina. They legally married in KY in 1870.
After the birth of Reuben in 1877, responding to solicitations of African Americans to homestead a community in Graham Co. KS, BD and his family moved to KS and homesteaded in Nicodemus receiving the patent in 1890.
According to his pension affidavit and the 1900 and 1910 censuses, BD and Melvina had 12 children including a baby that died in infancy. Melvina reports only 6 children living in 1900. BD appears in every federal census from 1870 - 1920 and in every KS State census from 1885 - 1925. His children and grandchildren in his household are listed, somewhat inconsistently, in the censuses as follows:
1870 -- Isaac age 11
1880 -- Ellen 9, Bennie 7, Nancy 6, Lee 4, Cora 2 months and Isaac 22.
1885 -- Ellen 14, Ben Jr. 12, Nancy 11, Reuben 8, Cora 5, Samma (Sammy?), Male, 2
1895 -- Cora V 15, Eliza M 10, Moses 7
1900 -- Cora 18, Eliza 14, Moses 11
1905 -- Cora 23, Moses 17, granddaughter Melvina Welton 17, granddaughter Josie Welton 10, grandson Ezra Welton 7
1910 -- Reuben 33, Cora 24, Moses 22, granddaughter Jossie 15, grandson Ezra 12, granddaughter Birtha 12, granddaughter Norah 10 (All grandchildren are shown as Davenports, probably erroneously at least for Josie and Ezra).
1915 -- KE Davenport 25 female (daughter-in-law?), granddaughter Josie Wilton 19, grandson Ezra Wilton 17.
1920 -- Grandson Alexander W. Burton 5, granddaughter Josie Wilton 24
1925 -- Grandson Alexander Burton 10
His VA Pension Payment record, confirms that BD died on Feb. 2, 1928, probably 95 to 98 years old.
Per:Suzanne A
Name Benjamin Davenport
Event Type Census
Event Year 1880
Event Place Nicodemus, Graham, Kansas, United States
Gender Male
Age 50
Marital Status Married
Race Black
Race (Original)B
Occupation Farmer
Relationship to Head of Household Self
Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Self
Birth Year (Estimated) 1830
Birthplace Missouri, United States
Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records
Benjamin Davenport Self M 50 Missouri, United States
Melvina Davenport Wife F 26 Kentucky, United States
Ellen Davenport Daughter F 9 Kentucky, United States
Nancy Davenport Daughter F 6 Kentucky, United States
Lee Davenport Son M 4 Kentucky, United States
Isaac Davenport Son M 22 Missouri, United States
Cora Davenport Daughter F 0 Kansas, United States
Bennie Davenport Son M 7 Kentucky, United States
109 U.S. C. INF
Benjamin J Davenport ("BD") has an incorrect military tombstone. According to his Civil War pension file (CW pension application 531,807, certificate 826,805) he served in Co F. (not Co. K per the stone) 109th U.S. Colored Inf. under the name Benjamin Wilson, achieving the rank of Sergeant. The real Sgt. Benjamin Davenport in Co. K lived his entire life after the War in Bowling Green KY and died there in 1908.
Sworn statements in the pension file explain the "alias". BD was born a slave around 1830-1832 in Clay County MO (a Bible birth record could not be found after the Civil War). He was named Benjamin Davenport by his owner Rice Davenport. At age 13, BD was given by his owner to his son, first name unstated. In MO, BD had a "slave wife" (no official marriage) with whom he had four children before she died. Around 1860-61, BD was sold in KY to a man whose last name was Wilson. No first name or county for the KY Mr. Wilson is given.
BD thus became Benjamin Wilson and in 1863 in KY he enlisted in the 109th USCI under that name. After his discharge in 1866, he resumed the name Davenport which was known to his friends and family. He appears in the 1870 census in Georgetown, Scott Co. KY, as a plasterer living with his son Isaac from his first marriage said to as "dumb" (unable to speak) and wife Melvina. They legally married in KY in 1870.
After the birth of Reuben in 1877, responding to solicitations of African Americans to homestead a community in Graham Co. KS, BD and his family moved to KS and homesteaded in Nicodemus receiving the patent in 1890.
According to his pension affidavit and the 1900 and 1910 censuses, BD and Melvina had 12 children including a baby that died in infancy. Melvina reports only 6 children living in 1900. BD appears in every federal census from 1870 - 1920 and in every KS State census from 1885 - 1925. His children and grandchildren in his household are listed, somewhat inconsistently, in the censuses as follows:
1870 -- Isaac age 11
1880 -- Ellen 9, Bennie 7, Nancy 6, Lee 4, Cora 2 months and Isaac 22.
1885 -- Ellen 14, Ben Jr. 12, Nancy 11, Reuben 8, Cora 5, Samma (Sammy?), Male, 2
1895 -- Cora V 15, Eliza M 10, Moses 7
1900 -- Cora 18, Eliza 14, Moses 11
1905 -- Cora 23, Moses 17, granddaughter Melvina Welton 17, granddaughter Josie Welton 10, grandson Ezra Welton 7
1910 -- Reuben 33, Cora 24, Moses 22, granddaughter Jossie 15, grandson Ezra 12, granddaughter Birtha 12, granddaughter Norah 10 (All grandchildren are shown as Davenports, probably erroneously at least for Josie and Ezra).
1915 -- KE Davenport 25 female (daughter-in-law?), granddaughter Josie Wilton 19, grandson Ezra Wilton 17.
1920 -- Grandson Alexander W. Burton 5, granddaughter Josie Wilton 24
1925 -- Grandson Alexander Burton 10
His VA Pension Payment record, confirms that BD died on Feb. 2, 1928, probably 95 to 98 years old.
Per:Suzanne A
Name Benjamin Davenport
Event Type Census
Event Year 1880
Event Place Nicodemus, Graham, Kansas, United States
Gender Male
Age 50
Marital Status Married
Race Black
Race (Original)B
Occupation Farmer
Relationship to Head of Household Self
Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Self
Birth Year (Estimated) 1830
Birthplace Missouri, United States
Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records
Benjamin Davenport Self M 50 Missouri, United States
Melvina Davenport Wife F 26 Kentucky, United States
Ellen Davenport Daughter F 9 Kentucky, United States
Nancy Davenport Daughter F 6 Kentucky, United States
Lee Davenport Son M 4 Kentucky, United States
Isaac Davenport Son M 22 Missouri, United States
Cora Davenport Daughter F 0 Kansas, United States
Bennie Davenport Son M 7 Kentucky, United States
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