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Genealogy for
Benjamin Franklin Ayers 

 Parents 
Click for more Information about Capt. John      'Jack' Ayers.
Capt. John 'Jack' David Ayers
10/7/1791 - 1858

Marilda 'Arilda' Stephens
9/7/1816 - 1880
Click for more Information about Marilda 'Arilda' Stephens.


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About Benjamin Franklin Ayers
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Benjamin Franklin Ayers
7/9/1842 - 12/18/1889
Benjamin Franklin Ayers was born on July 9, 1842 in Dooley Co., Georgia and died on December 18, 1889 in Calhoun Co., Florida. Dates for birth and death are estimated. He lived to be about 47 years old.

He first married on (12/11/1866) Harriet Burnam.
He then married on (11/29/1874) Nancy Ann Sims Keel (1845-1913)
children:
Avie Elizabeth (2/1/1876-3/5/1936)Avie married John Thomas Duncan(1874-1964)They had 12 children.
David (4/11/1879-1/5/1910)
Benjamin Franklin (8/18/1886-3/18/1928)Ben married Annie Eliza McCroan(1893-1981)they had 7 children.


He served in the Civil War under the command of Capt. John H. Ellis with the 1st Fla Battalion. Honorable discharged at Quincy,Fla in 1864. He was crippled due to his injuries.
Records
Census10/14/1850 5 th district FL (Calhoun County) 8 yrs old 
family #5: John Ayrs (age 43, born in SC), Arilda (age 43, born in GA), Tellitha (25, SC), David (11, GA), John (12, GA), Thos. (10, GA), Benjam. (8, GA), William (8,GA), Elizabeth A. (6, GA), Asa (4, GA), Quinn (2, FL), Ishmael (4 months old, FL). John states he is a Blacksmith.

#7 William Ayrs & family are listed 
Additional information about Calhoun County, FL around 1850: Click here to see a map from this timeperiod.  
Census7/18/1860 Ochesee District FL (Calhoun County) 18 yrs old 
family# 46: Aurelia Ayers (age 44, born in GA, Housekeeping), John (22, GA, farming), David (21, FL, Farming), Thomas (20, FL, farming), Benjamin (18, FL, farming), William (18, FL, farming), Wealthy (17, FL, Domestic), Elizabeth (17, FL, Domestic), Asa W. (14, FL), Queen Ann (12, FL), Ishmael (10, FL); Samuel (8, FL), Mary Arilda(6, FL). Check marks are in the box for white, black or malatto for Aurelia & John.

#49 James Stephens (62) He was born in GA and is a Baptist minister. Value of estate $150. Check mark is in the box for white, black or malatto.  
Additional information about Calhoun County, FL around 1860: Click here to see a map from this timeperiod.  
Census7/5/1870 FL (Calhoun County) 28 yrs old 
201 Benj Ayers (23), Harrett (21) & Julia Ann (1) Benj. and Julia born in FL, Harret in GA. Benj. is a farmer.  
Additional information about Calhoun County, FL around 1870: Click here to see a map from this timeperiod.  
Marriage11/29/1874 FL (Jackson County) 32 yrs old 
Benjamin Ayers married Nancy Ann Keel on Nov. 29, 1874 in Jackson Co. FL 
Census6/4/1880 Pippin Mills FL (Calhoun County) 37 yrs old 
56, 67 - Benj. Ayers (age 38), Nancy (27), William (11), George W. (10), Ara (4), David (2). Benjamin was born in GA, his father in SC and mother GA. Nancy was born in MS, as were her parents. Children born in FL. Benjamin is a famer, William work on the farm and Nancy keeps house. 
Additional information about Calhoun County, FL around 1880: Blountstown was declared the seat of Calhoun County in 1880. Prior to that, Abe Springs had been the county seat. Click here to see a map from this timeperiod.  
Graveyard/Tombstone1/1/1890 Ayers Cemetery FL (Calhoun County) 1 yrs after death 
Benjamin Ayers - Co F 10th Fl Inf - 1842 to 1890 
Military1/1/1903 FL (Calhoun County) 14 yrs after death 
A00148 - Benjamin Ayers, 1st Regt Inf Nancy (Keel), year: 1903,page 8 

Live and Times
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Click on any of the News, Events, or Discoveries buttons above to see historical things that happened during Benjamin Ayers's life. These are only some of the major events that affected the life and times of Benjamin, his family, and friends. For example, Benjamin is 13 years old when Third Seminole Indian War begins. It ends three years later when Chief Billy Bowlegs and his band are forced to move from Florida.
AgeDateEvent
3 1845 Florida becomes the 27th state to join the United States. William Moseley becomes the first governor and David Yulee the first senator.
8 1850 Florida's total population has grown to 87,445. This includes about 39,000 slaves and 1,000 free blacks. Indians were not counted.
13 1855 Third Seminole Indian War begins and war breaks out with most of the battles occurring in Central Florida. It ends three years later when Chief Billy Bowlegs and his band are forced to move from Florida.
19 1861 No Floridian's voted for Lincoln during the 1860 election. On Jan. 10, 1861, Florida seceded from the U.S. and joined the Confederate States of America a few weeks later.
22 1864 Battle of Olustee is a Confederate victory. Union troops pull back
23 1865 May 10th -- Union troops occupy Tallahassee. While Tallahassee was the only Confederate state capital east of the Mississippi River that had not been captured, Union troops occupy the capitol following the surrender of the major Confederate armies in the east.
23 1865 Battle at Natural Bridge (Wakulla County) is a Confederate victory.
28 1870 During the 1870s, the remaining Seminole Indians begin establishing trading posts and other economy with local settlers.
40 1882 The Florida Central and Western Railroad Company was created. It combines the Florida Central, Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Mobile railroads.
41 1883 Three railroad companies are merged to form the Florida Transit and Penisular Railroad Company. Thee are: Florida Transit Railroad Co., Peninsular Railroad Co, and the Tropical Florida Railroad Co.
42 1884 Most railroads in Florida are passed into the hands of a single company owned and operated by a single management, under the name of The Florida Railway and Navigation Company. It has more that 500 miles of main track in operation and about 300 miles of track under construction. The longest route was the "Western Division" which ran from Tallahassee to Jacksonville - 209 miles.
AgeDateEvent
5 1847 Atlanta, Georgia is incorporated. Formally Marthasville
8 1850 Gordon and Clinch Counties are formed.
9 1851 Clay, Howell, Polk, Spalding, and Whitfield Counties are formed.
10 1852 Taylor County formed.
11 1853 Catoosa, Pickens, Hart, Dougherty, Webster, Flton, and Worth Counties aare creaated.
12 1854 Fannin, Coffee, Chattahooche, Charlton, and Calhoun Counties formed.
14 1856 Haralson, Terrell, Berrien, Colquit, Miller, and Towns Counties formed.
15 1857 Dawson, Milton, Pierce, Glascock, Mitchell, Schley, White, and Wilcox Counties formed.
16 1858 Clayton, Quitman, Banks, Brooks, Johnson, and Echols Counties formed.
28 1870 Douglas, McDuffie, Rockdale, and Dodge Counties formed.
33 1875 Oconee County formed.
AgeDateEvent
2 1844 The first telegraph message is sent by Morse, who later invents the Mores Code
11 1853 The process of creating steel is invented by Besermer in Britain and Kelly in the U.S.
14 1856 The first Neanderthal fossils are found near Germany
17 1859 Charles Darwin publishes "Origin of Species" and begins the evolution theory.
23 1865 Mendel publishes his papers on genetics and introduces the concept to the public.
27 1869 Cro-magnon Man fossils are found in France
35 1877 Edison invents the phonograph permitting music and voices to be recorded and replayed.
37 1879 Edison invents the electric light bulb.
47 1889 The first calculating machine is invented and uses punch cards
AgeDateEvent
19 1861 NEWS HEADLINES: American Civil war begins at Ft. Sumter, located in Charleston Harbor, VA.
20 1862 NEWS HEADLINES: May 20, 1862 the US government passes the Homestead Act to provide cheap land for settlement of lower Southeast and West.
40 1882 NEWS HEADLINES: Edison creates the first large power station in New York City, making it the first place in America to have electricity.
43 1885 NEWS HEADLINES: Eastman invents the box camera. For the first time photography becomes affordable for the average citizen.
AgeDateEvent
13 1855 Third Seminole Indian War begins. It ends three years later when Chief Billy Bowlegs and his band are forced to move from Florida.
18 1860 Presidential election puts Abraham Lincoln in office. The campaign has heated the issues regarding slavery in the south.
20 1862 May 20, 1862 the US government passes the Homestead Act to provide cheap land for settlement of lower Southeast and West.
21 1863 Abraham Lincoln issues the "Emancipation Proclamation" freeing slaves.
23 1865 American Civil war ends with General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, VA. Reconstruction begins in the "old South"
26 1868 An eight-hour work day is established for federal employees.
33 1875 Tennessee enacts Jim Crow law.
34 1876 The National League of Baseball is founded


The Children of Benjamin Franklin Ayers

24 years old
Benjamin Franklin Ayers
Born somewhere in Florida on August 18, 1886 and died somewhere in Florida on March 18, 1928. He was 41 years old.

Ben married Annie Eliza McCroan (1893-1981)they had 7 children....
Click for more information about Benjamin Ayers.
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