William Benjamin Franklin Benningfield (1844 - 1898)

Born 8 Mar 1844 in Clarksville, Red River, Texas, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 6 May 1898 at age 54 in Lytle, Atascosa County, Texas

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William Benningfield settled in the Republic of Texas before February 19, 1846.

This profile is part of the Early Red River, Texas One Place Study.

Biography

William Benjamin Franklin Benningfield was born on 8 Mar 1844 in Clarksville, Red River County, Texas^[1] to Hudson Posey Benningfield and Susannah Burkham.

He appears with his parents in the 1850 census, age 6 years.^[2]

He married 1st Jerentha Vianna Banning, 30 Jan 1868 in Cooke County, Texas. ^[3] Children: James Campbell, Charles Hudson. Willliam and Jerentha were divorced before 1880. Jerentha married 2nd Francis Marion Woody. Children: Vina, Sophia Isabell, D A, James H, Oliver F, Mary J, Florence Margaret.

William married 2nd Mary Jane Williams, 15 Sep 1879 in Red River County, Texas. ^[1] Children: James H. Ranson, Nevada, Tucker, Thomas Lee, Mattie, Jay, Franklin Tolver, Eula Ethel.

William died 6 May 1898 in Lytle, Atascosa County, Texas at age 54.^[1]

From daughter Mattie Benningfield Wood: "Tucker was thirteen, just barely, when Papa was killed cleaning out a well for a friend, Dr. Craddock. People said the well had gas in it. Mamma begged Papa not to go into it, but he said he helped wall the well and wasn't afraid of it. About 11:00 that day Jack Lytle, a fifteen-year-old boy, rode to our house and told us that Papa had got hurt. Mamma took baby Ethel and went to his bedside. He didn't know her, but before he passed away at 6:00 that evening, when she said, "Ben, this is our baby," he murmured, "Sweetest little thing in the world." A plank across the well to set the mud bucket on was not bolted down on the sides as men had always done. The bucket hit the heavy plank, it went winding down the well, and hit Papa on the head. Next night, May 7, 1898, after Cam got there from Armstrong's Ranch eighty miles away, close to Cotulla, Papa was buried at the Benton Graveyard^[1]beside Ransom, who had lain there since October 1889, about eight and a half years. At Papa's funeral they sang "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." Brother Russell, a Methodist preacher, and a personal dear friend of Papa's preached his funeral."

William Benningfield was a Texan.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Find-a-Grave William B. F. Benningfield
2. ↑ Census Texas 1850 Red River County, p. 211, dwelling/family 230/230
3. ↑ Texas Select County Marriage Records, 1837-2015; , W. B. F. Benningfield and J. V. Baning