Obituary of Nace Benston

Nace Benston Dead

Nace Benston, who for several years past has been an inmate of the hospital
at Clarinda, and for many years before becoming feeble lived in Conway, died
last Wednesday and his body was brought to Conway and internment was made in
the Conway Cemetery last Thursday.
While there was no public funeral a large number of his old neighbors took
charge of his remains on arriaval at this place, and laid them away with honor in the old home cemetery.  None of Mr. Benston's family, who reside in the far west were permitted to be present at the burial services.

The later years of Mr. Benston's life was spent in trapping and he was quite successful.  Being hard of hearing he did not enjoy associates but prefered to be by himself and his occupation of trapping afforded him this opportunity.

Mr. Benston was the father of a large family who are now mostly living in the western states but were unable to get here for the services.
The Conway friends who took charge of the arriangments and who acted as pall bearers were; John R. Cooper, J. Ray Cooper, James Cole, W. A. Bates, John Dotts, E. Laycock, J.L. Matthews, James Lambley, Robert Holland, Oliver Anderson, A. Luton, F. M. Humphery, A. Pitman, Rev. Bundy, Peter Peterson, Glenn Dotts.

(Source:)
Copied from microfilm at the Public Library, Bedfored, Iowa from the Thursday February 03, 1921 edition of "The Times Republican" Bedford, Taylor county, Iowa.  The  "The Times Republican" is/was owned by the Record Publishing Co.  This is an exact transcript of the originial text as copied
by Donald B. Kelly on April 10, 1998.

I am submiting what information I have on one of your old residents who was
my great grandfather for your county history.

Nace Benston was born Ignatious Benson according to a family bible in possession of Jean Benston Hammond of Portland, Oregon as of July 1995.  The general family belief (given credence by Confederate Army Civil War policies) is that Nace was probably in the Union Army twice.  During his first enlistment he was said to have been captured by the Confederacy and released after signing an agreement to never participate in combat against the Confederacy again.  To do so and be captured by the Confederacy again
would have subjected him to immediate execution.  He returned to Illinois,
changed his name by adding the "T".  *******  It is verified that he joined
the 11th Illinois Cavalry Volunteers on March 31, 1864 and was discharged on
September 30, 1865.  The discharge certificate indicates that his enlistment
was for 3 years.  However, the discharge is consistent with the end of the
Civil War and the need to reduce the armed services rolls.  *******  The
family bible also records all children born to Nace and Emma Benson except
James with the last name "Benson".  James was recorded as a "Benston".
*******  Mary Rea (Luton) Vlahovich has stated that her mother, Bessie
Luton, Nace's daughter, had referred to Nace as Ignatious as well, giving
further credence to the assumption of Ignatious M. Benson as the original
name.  *******  On July 25, 1901 Nace Benson was adjudged insane by the
Commissioners of Insanity of Taylor County, Iowa and was admitted to the
Iowa Hospital for Insane in Clarinda, Iowa on that date.  A hospital
questionnaire completed by Emma- his wife- indicated that Nace " Considers
himself a deserter from the US Army and that people are trying to kill him and that his wife wants to get his pension."  Emma also stated that "his mother was insane."  *******  In October  1901 The Clerk of the District
Court in Bedford, Iowa formally asked that Nace's name be corrected to "Benston".  *******  Hospital records show that Nace was paroled (their term) into the custody of his son on March 23, 1902.  The name of the son is not shown on those records.  He was returned to the hospital on November 3,
1902.  Mary Rea (Luton) Vlahovich guesses that Charlie was probably the son Nace was released to altho John W. was the oldest son.  *******  The records show that on January 26, 1921, Nace became ill with "broncho-pneumonia" and died at 2:10 P.M. that day.  The death certificate shows his place of death
as Page County, Nodaway Township, Iowa.  His name is spelled simply "Nace Benston."  No father, mother or any other relative information is indicated on the death ertificate and the certificate lists the cause as xhaustion
and Melancholia.  *******  County, Court and Hospital records are in the possession of Donald Benston Kelly and the five children of Dean Benston that provide details of the admission, subsequent court documents and
hospital "prog" notes as well as the death certificate.  *******  POSSIBLE
NAME IS IGNATIOUS G. BENSON listed in Family Tree Maker archives.  For
consistency this family will show Nace and all descendants as "Benston."
Soundex Codes:  Benson B525 and Benston B523.

New records show that Ignatious Benson had enilsted in the 65th Infantry Regiment of Illinois Volunteers on February 19, 1862 at Henderson, Illinois and was mustered into service on May 15, 1862 at Chicago, Illinois by Capt. Christopher where he was placed in company A whereby he transfered into
company K.  Interestingly enough this is also the same company that Ignatious M. Benson (who married Sarah Slack) also served.  In 1862 his unit was sent to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia where they were captured by the Confederate's and held prisoner for three days.  After they all signed affidavits swearing to never bear arms against the South again they were released and the 65th Infantry returned to Chicago where they set about the
task of guarding the prisoners at Camp Douglas, Illinois.  During Ignatious's adventures back east he contracted malaria for which he was treated with quinine and as a result of overdoses of this he became quite
deaf.  During his stint as a prison guard and as a result of his illness he quite simply left his unit and on November 15, 1862 was listed as a deserter from Camp Douglas, Illinois.  As is noted above, Ignatious later enlisted in
the 11th Cavalry, Illinois Volunteers from where he was honorably discharged.  All this lends credance to the family lore of the addition of the "T" and his being captured during the civil war.

Muster and Descriptive Rolls for the 65th Infantry Regiment of Illinois Volunteers show that Ignatious G. Benson was a private who stood 5'8" with brown hair, blue eyes and was of dark complexion being the age of 26.

Camp Douglas, Illinois was the largest training camp in Illinois.  Located at what is now between Cottage Grove Avenue and South Parkway and 31st and 36th Streets, Chicago, Illinois on land provided by Stephen A. Douglas in 1861.   Thirty two units trained there including the 9th Cav, 51 Illinois Infantry, 55 Illinois Infantry and many others.  The east side consisted of the parade ground and administration buildings while
the south side held the camp hospitals with the west side being the prison camp.  The first prisoners that arrived in 1862 were captured at Fort Donelson.  The camp held more than 18,000 prisoners during the war with the
maximum number being over 12,000 in December 1864.  The notable prisoners
included Sam Houston, Jr. and Henry M. Stanley the African explorer.

Muster and Descriptive Rolls for the Eleventh Cavalry, Company "K" of the Illinois Volunteers show our man elisting as Nace Benston.  Nace once again enlisted as a private being 28 years of age, standing 5'8" whith brown hair and blue eyes.  Nace's occupation was listed as a plasterer from Maquin, Knox county, Illinois.  Nace joined for service and enrolled on March 31,
1864 in Maquin, Illinois by Capt. Woods for a duration of 3 years.  On May 16, 1864 Nace was mustered into service at Camp Butler, Illinois and September 30, 1865 was mustered out at Memphis, Tennessee by Capt. Campbell.

Guardianship documents for Nace Benston filed and held in Bedford, Taylor
county, Iowa courthouse filed by Emma Benston state "While I was temporary
guadian I recieved as pension money due the said Name Benston, insane the
sum of $75.00 on the 30th day of October 1901.  Of the above amounty Seventy
Dollars ($70.00) had been necessarily expended, leaving in my possission, on
Dec. 9th, 1901 the date of my appointment as permanent guardian that sum of
$5.00.
 

signed:

Emma Benston