Military Tuesday~Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis

Benjamin Thomas Davis was born in 1828, a son of William Davis and Julia Thurman. He was the sixth of ten children born to William and Julia. He had six brothers of which one died young,

Benjamin Thomas Davis married Mary Jane Knight, daughter of Moses Knight and Temperance Eddins. No known children were born to this union.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, William and Julie had five surviving sons of eligible age to serve their Country. Four of the five brothers did serve during the Civil War.

Benjamin Thomas Davis enlisted on 20 December 1861 and served Captain of Co. E, 21st. SC Inf. C.S.A. As Commanding Officer of Co. E, 21st. SC Inf. Capt. Davis became the Commanding Officer of three of his 4 surviving brothers.

Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis was killed in the battle at Bermuda Hundred/Ft. Stevens on 28 May 1864.

After the death of  Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis, his brother, Maj. Alfred W. Davis was promoted to command Company “E”, 21st Infantry.

It is not known what happens to the Widow, Mary Jane Knight, of Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis after the War.

Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis was buried on the battlefield but a cenotaph in his honor/memory can be found in The Chesterfield Cemetery, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39176085/benjamin-thomas-davis 

Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis is my 1st Cousin 4 times removed.

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[1] Johnson Hagood, Memoirs of the War of Succession (Camden, SC 29020: Jim Fox Books, 1997 (Reprint)), page 402.

[2] Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: Univ of South Carolina, 1997), page 87.

[3] John V. Rigdon, Historical Sketch & Roster: The SC 21st Infantry Regiment (Cartersville, GA 30120: Eastern Digital Resources, 1997), page 78.

52 Ancestors: #10, Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis

In January 1850, Benjamin and Mary J. are a young newly married couple, without any children, trying to eke out a living farming the land. By 1860, Census records indicates that Benjamin and Mary J. are still childless.^{1 2} 

In early 1861 with threat of all out war on the horizon Benjamin Thomas Davis formed what was known as the “Capt. B. T. Davis’ Company, South Carolina Volunteers”.³
 
As the company was integrated with other companies it was designated the 21st SC Volunteers, Infantry. Capt. Davis was 33 years of age in 1861 when he formed this company. 

The 21st Regiment reported heavy casualties in May 1864, in front of Petersburg, at Drewery’s Bluff and the Battle for Bermuda Hundred. 

On 28 May 1863, Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis was killed in action (KIA) while fighting at Bermuda Hundred. He was 36 years old at the time of his death. ⁴
 

Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis is buried at Ft. Stevens, Virginia, A “Cenotaph” was erected in his memory in his home county and can be viewed here. ⁵
 
It is not known what happen to Capt. Davis’ young wife, Mary Jane Knight. If you have any information on Benjamin or Mary Jane Knight please contact me here.  

Benjamin Thomas Davis is my 1st cousin 4 times removed. He set a proud tradition of military service and sacrifice. 


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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 178A, Line 6, Dwelling 1218, Family 1218, Household of Benjamin F. DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 11 March 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[2] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 139A, Line 2, Dwelling 636, Family 635, Household of B. T. DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 11 March 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653-1217.
[3] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 15 May 2012), entry for B. Thomas Davis, Capt.; Co. "E'. 21st SCV; Confederate.
[4] Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: Univ of South Carolina, 1997), page 87.
[5] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, digital image, (http://www.findagrave.com : Accessed on 15 May 2012); Headstone for B. Thomas "Tom" Davis; (); Records of the Chesterfield Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.

Mystery Monday~Mary Jane Knight Davis

Mary Jane Knight, a daughter of Richard Knight & Temperance, was born  ca 1828, in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. ^{1 2}

Mary Jane Knight and Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis were married about 1849 in South Carolina.³ Capt. Benjamin Thomas Davis, son of William Davis and Julia Thurman, was born in 1829 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.⁴

They appeared as a family unit in both the 1850 and 1860 Census for Chesterfield County, South Carolina.^5 6

Benjamin Thomas served as Co-Captain of Company “E”, 21st SC Infantry with his brother Captain Alfred W. Davis. ^7–10 Captain B. T. Davis was killed on 28 May 1864 in the Battle at Bermuda Hundred/Ft. Stevens, Virginia. His brother Captain Alfred W. Davis assumed command of the 21st SC Infantry.¹¹ A Memorial has been created for him at www.findagrave.com.¹²

Captain Benjamin Thomas Davis death left his widow – Mary Jane Knight Davis. No record of Mary Jane Knight Davis has been found after the war. 

Does anyone know what happen to Mary Jane Knight after the death of her husband. They were no known Children and I have not been able to locate her after her husband death.

Did she re-marry?

If you have any info please contact me.












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1. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 178A, Line 6, Dwelling 1218, Family 1218, Household of Benjamin F. DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 11 March 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
2. 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 139A, Line 2, Dwelling 636, Family 635, Household of B. T. DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 11 March 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653-1217.
3. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Population Schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 178A, Line 6, Dwelling 1218, Family 1218, Household of Benjamin F. DAVIS.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Population Schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 139A, Line 2, Dwelling 636, Family 635, Household of B. T. DAVIS.
7. Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: Univ of South Carolina, 1997), page 87.
8. Johnson Hagood, Memoirs of the War of Succession (Camden, SC 29020: Jim Fox Books, 1997 (Reprint)), page 402.
9. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 15 May 2012), entry for [Name:], [Rank]; [Unit]; [Side].
10. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records," digital images, fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 2012), Service record for B. Thomas Davis (Capt., Company E, Capt. B.T. Davis Company, 21st SCVI); citing National Archives microfilm publication "M267, Confederate Compiled Military Service Records.".
11. Kirkland, Broken Fortunes, page 87.
12. Jim Tipton, Find A Grave, digital image, http://www.findagrave.com; Headstone for B. Thomas "Tom" Davis; (); Memorial # 39176085; Record of the Chesterfield Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA; Accessed on 15 May 2012.