GENERATION

16. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STEVENSON was born about 1800 in Wilson County, Tn.. He was a farmer. We do not know where Ben died, or where he is buried. He died after 1887, when he executed a deed in Red River Parish La. On 30 May 1818 he applied for license to marry Elizabeth "Betsy" Rutland, dtr. of his father's close friend Blake Rutland. He and Betsy had only one child, Clarinda, before Betsy's death ca. 1822/23.

Blake Rutland had purchased a 640 acre tract of land from James Harris, which he divided into 4 almost equal parts, and 160 acres each to 4 of his children. It is located just outside of Mt. Juliet Tenn. He reserved 40 acres in the S. E. corner for himself and Betsy, his wife, for their lifetime. Ben and Betsy sold 3 acres of their portion for 25 cents to be used for a Baptist Church and Cemetery. Both the Church and Cemetery are still in use. In the section which Blake reserved for himself was located the Cemetery in which both Moore Stevenson and Blake Rutland are buried.

Ben married again in 1825, to Elizabeth Willis, dtr of Edward Willis, a minister, who had long been a member of Moore Stevenson's congregation. Ben sold the property he had inherited from his father, and sold "a lifetime interest" in the property which had been his and Betsy's and left Wilson Co.

He was in Gibson Co. Tenn., in 1835, and in Madison Co. Tenn. in 1840. According to the pension application of his son William M. Stevenson. Ben was in La. by 1841.

There had been a large group of men and their families from the Mt. Juliet Lebanon Tenn. area who had moved from there about 1818/20. Many were members of Moore Stevenson's Little Cedar Lick Baptist Church. The first of these was John Murrell, who lived at Carthage Tenn. He left Carthage with a flatboat, and floating down the Culmberland to the Mississippi, and then to the mouth of the Red River. Going up the Red with great difficulty, they passed around the raft of logs blocking the river by going through Loggy Bayou and Lake Bistineau. In April they reached their destination of the Long Prairie area of Ark. They settled here, but so many became ill, they could not stay. Some returned to Tenn., some went to the North La. hill country. Murrell settled between the present site of Minden La. and the present site of Homer, La. Around him grew what came to be known as the Flat Lick Community. In this community are found Newt Drew, who had moved from Southampton Co. Va. (borders Northampton Co. N.C.) to Sumner and Wilson Co.s in Tenn. at the same time as Moore, James Brinson, a baptist minister from Lebanon Tenn., the Koonce, McFarland, Nelson, Whitson, and Josiah Brinson families, all from Wilson Co. Tenn. Rev. James Brinson and Newt Drew were original deacons of Moore's Cedar Lick Church.

Ben's first land in La. was "on the waters of Lake Bistineau" near Drew. In 1845 Elizabeth sold land on Lake Bistineau (old Claiborne Parish) A patent in her name is on file for 80 acres dated 1849.

We do not know when Elizabeth died. She is in the 1850 census for Bienville, and she is not in the 1870 census. Ben had sold his land on Bistineau and was in that part of Bienville Parish which became Red River Parish.

An ad for a succession sale for John Lewis which was held at Ben's home describes it as "about 16 miles S.W. of Ringold." All of Ben's children except Clarinda moved to La. with him. She had remained with her Rutland grandparents after her mother's death and was raised by them.

Ben lived to be quite an old man, but he did not have an easy life. It was filled with much sorrow. He buried two wives, a daughter, several grandchildren, and in the Civil War years he went through what must have been almost more than he could bear. Benjamin had at least five of his sons in the Confederate Army. I.T.(Tom) was captured and held as a prisoner of war, and in only three months, from 13 April to 14 June 1862, he lost Ezra, 24 years old, Josiah, 18 years old, and Ozias, 20 years old. William Moore, his oldest son enlisted in March 1863, after the death of his three younger brothers. He also was captured and held prisoner. I have not found a record yet for John M., his only remaining son.
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1850 CENSUS
Benjamin F. Stevenson 50 male farmer 394 acres b. Tenn.
Elizabeth Stevenson 46 female b. Tenn.
William M Stevenson 23 male laborer b. Tenn.
John N. Stevenson 20 male laborer b. Tenn.
Christian Stevenson 16 female b. Tenn.
Charity Stevenson 14 female b. Tenn.
Ezra T. Stevenson 12 male b. Tenn.
Isaac T. Stevenson 9 male b. Tenn.
Ozias Stevenson 8 male b. Tenn.
Sarah E. Stevenson 7 female b. La.
Josiah B.T. Stevenson 6 male b. La.
Nathan Godwin 24 male laborer b. Ga.
Mary W. Godwin 22 female b. Tenn.
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1870 CENSUS OF BIENVILLE PARISH, P.O. RINGOLD p. 798

Benjamin Stevenson 69 real prop. $1000. per prop.$300.b.Tn
Charlotte Godwin 32 (22 ?)
Christy Godwin 16
Charles Godwin 14
Mary Godwin 12
James Godwin 6
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I have not identified Charlotte Godwin, but Christy, Charles and Mary were the children of Ben's dec'd dtr. Mary, who had married Nathan Godwin. Ben had filed for tutorship of her children (with the permission of Nathan) in 1866. Christy married Enoch J. Alden 10 Feb. 1871, Bienville Parish, La.

He was married to ELIZABETH WILLIS on 5 Apr 1825 in Wilson County, Tn.

17. ELIZABETH WILLIS was born about 1804 probably in Tn.. She died in Bienville Parish, La..

Children were:

i. WILLIAM MOORE STEVENSON was born in 1827 in Tn. Enlisted in the Civil War at Natchitoches La. 13 Mar. 1863. Prisoner of war, paroled at Natchitoches La. 21 June 1865. He was called "Uncle Moore" Stevenson when he became older. Married 25 March 1851, Sparta, Bienville Parish, La. to Susan Walmsley.
Nathan Godwin, his Brother-in-law, was the wittness.
ii. MARY W. STEVENSON was born about 1828 in Tn. She died before 2 Mar 1866. Bondsman for her license, her brother William M. Stevenson.
iii. JOHN M. STEVENSON was born about 1830 in Tn..
iv. CHRISTIAN STEVENSON was born about 1834 in Tn..
v. CHARITY STEVENSON was born about 1836 in Tn.. Bondsman for her license Luke Allbritton, and William M. Stevenson.
vi. EZRA STEVENSON was born about 1838 in Tn.. He died in Goldsboro, N.C..while serving in the Civil War. He was a Pvt. Co. A. 2nd La. Inf. Inlisted 12 May 1861, New Orleans, La. Died: 13 April 1862 at Goldsboro, N.C. Succ. filed by B. F. Stevenson in June 1871, Red River Parish, La. 200 acres purchased by his father.
8 vii. ISAAC THOMAS "TOM" STEVENSON.
viii. OZIAS L. STEVENSON was born about 1842 in LA.. He died on 14 Jun 1862, while fighting in Civil War. He enlisted in New Orleans 14 March 186__ Pvt. Co. E. 27th La. Inf.
ix. SARAH E. STEVENSON was born about 1843 in LA.. She was married in the 1900 Census.
x. JOSIAH B. T. STEVENSON was born about 1844 in LA.. He died on 27 May 1862 while serving in the Civil War. He was a Pvt. Co. E. 27th La. Inf. Enlisted in New Orleans, La. 14 March 186__.