 Benjamin F. Lee
was born in the Town of St. Charles, Missouri on May 19, 1830.
Very little is known about Benjamin's early life in Missouri.
Anyone with early information regarding Benjamin F. Lee is asked
to contact page designer and historian Jeff Cannon from the main page.At the age of 31 and the outbreak of the Civil War Benjamin enlisted for services with the Confederate States Army and in April of 1861 he arrived at Fort Smith, Arkansas where he was mustered into services. Benjamin was mustered into services with Company B of the 1st Arkansas Regiment under Capt. Pearson's, this company was nicknamed the "1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles." This company was commanded by Col. Churchill and was apart of McIntosh's Brigade in "Ben" MuCollough's Division of Polk's Corps. During his service Benjamin's company was engaged, on August 10, 1861, at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri, a.k.a. the Battle of Oak Hill. On March 7, 1862 the company engaged in the Battle of Elk Horn Tavern in Arkansas, a.k.a. the Battle of Pea Ridge. The next month, on April 6, 1862, the company saw action in the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee. During his extensive services Benjamin was transferred to an Engineer Corps and also served as a Commissary Officer at Chickasaw Bluff near the boarder of Tennessee and Alabama. While in Tennessee Benjamin's company engaged in the Battle of Murfreesboro on December 5, 1864 and during this engagement Benjamin was shot in the leg with a Union minnie ball causing only a slight wound. In addition to being shot, the artillery fire was so loud that Benjamin had nearly lost his hearing from the bursting of both Confederate and Union shell's, so much so that he had great difficulty in hearing anything said to him. When information had came that General Lee had surrendered, Benjamin's Captain disbanded their company and surrendered at Memphis, Tennessee. In the early 1880's Benjamin decided on a move farther south and moved to Hernando County Florida sometime in April of 1884. Upon arriving in Hernando County Benjamin settled on a 160 acre homestead, which was located near the Hernando- Pasco County lines and further described as being in section 19, township 23, range 20. Here Benjamin built a home and cultivated the land in making an application for homestead, which was granted to him through a deed on November 16, 1896. Within a few years Benjamin met and befriended a neighborhood girl by the name of Tempa Batten. On August 20, 1889 Benjamin Lee and Tempa Batten were married in a small wedding ceremony performed in Pasco County Florida. While Benjamin and Tempa were living in Hernando County it was much closer for them to travel to Dade City than Brooksville to be married. Known children to this union in marriage were:
In the late 1890's to the early 1900's Benjamin became an active member to the W.W. Loring Confederate Veteran Camp. No. 13 of Brooksville where he was among resident Confederate friends. By 1909 Benjamin had sold the majority of his 160 acres of property and only retained 5 acres, which he farmed. With his one horse Benjamin tended and farmed his 5 acres of property, however this task was becoming very difficult with his old age. In 1909, at the age of 79 years old, Benjamin was examined by Hernando County resident doctor, Dr. Sheldon Stringer. During this examination is was determined that Benjamin Lee was suffering from Bright's Disease or kidney disease, in addition to the former wounds that he had received during his Civil War service. After 83 years in this life Benjamin F. Lee succumbed to death and passed away on January 17, 1914 while at his home in Hernando County. After passing Benjamin was laid to rested in the Johnson's Cew Cemetery in Hernando County, a.k.a. as the Batten-Johnson Cemetery. This cemetery was the burial location for much of Tempa Batten Lee's Family. After internment Benjamin's family erected a small home made headstone in his memory. In more recent years someone had placed a small, more modern, headstone on Benjamin's grave, this new stone being made of granite and bronze. (Research and Photo by Jeff Cannon- Copyright © 2008) |