Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 5th ed., 1887, Franklin Co. BEN C. MILAM, a native of Franklin County, Ky., was born July 1, 1821, the youngest child of five born to John and Lucy (Bradley) Milam, natives of Virginia and Scott County, Ky., respectively. His father came from Virginia to Franklin County, Ky., and was engaged in farming. Ben C. remained on the farm until he was fourteen years of age, when he became an apprentice in the watchmaking business, under Beverly Noel, and served eight years. In 1847 he began the manufacture of the B. C. Milam (Frankfort, Ky.), fishing reel, and has been engaged in this business ever since and has a world wide reputation on his reels, which are worth from $13 up, and are sold principally to dealers in Chicago, Cleveland, New York and the principal cities of the United States. He and son, John W., do a good business in this line. He was married November 20, 1848, to Miss Martha Shockley, a native of Franklin County, and a daughter of Thomas and Ann (Stephen) Shockley, natives of Maryland and Franklin County, Ky. They have two children: Mrs. Anna Keenan, of Frankfort, and John W., who was born in 1859. June 9, 1846, Mr. Milam volunteered in the Mexican war as captain of Company C, of the First Regiment Kentucky Cavalry, commanded by Col. Humphrey Marshall, and participated in the battle of Buena Vista. The most of the men were from Franklin; Joseph McKee was his first lieutenant, Richard Holland, second, and George R. Davidson, third. They were mustered out in June, 1847, and Ben Utterback, William M. Robb, of Fayette; Cyrus Calvert, of Franklin, Stewart Gale, of Henderson; Daniel Hancock, of Franklin; Wick Holman, of Louisville; Frank M. Milam, of California; Ambrose McDowell, of Franklin; Alfred B. Reed, of Franklin and John Reddish, of Franklin are the only ones living from a total of seventy-two. Milam Bradley Shockley Stephen Keenan McKee Holland Davidson Utterback Robb Calvert Gale Hancock Holman McDowell Reed Reddish Noel = Scott-KY Fayette-KY Henderson-KY Louisville-Jefferson-KY CA MD VA http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/franklin/milam.bc.txt