Biography of

Benjamin Byers, Co F

(Photo Courtesy Sandra Mitchell Quinn
and Lorinda LeClain)

Benjamin Byers, born on November 30, 1839 in Belmont County, Ohio, was the son of Elisha and Lobitha Shepard Byers. According to the Morgan County Census of 1860, he asppears as being 20 years old. Benjamin is the brother of George W. Byers and related by marriage to John Quinn of Company A & H. The photo above shows him holding his prize possession which was his rifle from the Civil War. Since the 18th Ohio was only issued U S Arms rifled muskets and British Enfield Rifles, it is naturally assumed that his rifle is one or the other (most probably the Enfield). He enlisted in Company F, 18th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He mustered out with the remaining members of the 18th who had not re-enlisted in the Veteran Volunteers at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio on November 9, 1864. He married Nancy Price in Tennessee and it is assumed he met her during the war as he listed living in Chattanooga for a year after the war on his pension application. It is believed they had only two children, George Sherman, born in 1865, and Mary A., born sometime between 1866-67. (Unfortunately, Mary was murdered by her husband in October of 1890.) Moving back to Morgan County, Ohio, Nancy died on August 15, 1867, but her burial location is unknown.

On June 13, 1869, Ben married Margaret Conn in Morgan County, Ohio. Ben and Margaret had two children. Lula was born on April 27, 1873, and Perley E., born 1879.

Ben Byers passed away on July 14, 1913 at Murray City, Hocking County, Ohio and is buried in the Soldiers Circle of Greenlawn Cemetery, Nelsonville, Ohio.

(Information supplied by Sandra Mitchell Quinn and Lorinda LeClain)