Individual Details
Benjamin Garfield Watts
(25 Jul 1833 - 4 Oct 1910)
From www.findagrave.com
Benjamin Garfield Watts was the son of John Joseph Watts, Jr. and Janice Rebecca "Jensie" Smith. During the Civil War, he was identified as a member of the Arkansas Peace Society from Searcy County. The Peace Society was considered by the Pro-Confederate government of Arkansas to be Union sympathizers and they were not going to allow this in their state. Benjamin was arrested and marched in chains to Little Rock where he was given the choice of enlisting in the Confederate Army or be hanged. He chose to join on December 18, 1861 as a Private in Company "I" of the 18th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, CSA under the command of Colonel Samuel Murphy "Sam" Leslie. Two other members of his family ( Asa "Ace" Watts and Samuel Watts ) were also identified and also joined Company "I" with him on that date. On January 28, 1864 Benjamin joined Company "M" of the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, Union as a Private. He served out the rest of the Civil War with that Unit. After the War, his wife was given a Widow's Pension on October 4, 1910 for his service to the Union.
He was married to Mary Ann "Polly" Denton on May 17, 1857 in Searcy, Arkansas. They had fourteen children.
Benjamin Garfield Watts was the son of John Joseph Watts, Jr. and Janice Rebecca "Jensie" Smith. During the Civil War, he was identified as a member of the Arkansas Peace Society from Searcy County. The Peace Society was considered by the Pro-Confederate government of Arkansas to be Union sympathizers and they were not going to allow this in their state. Benjamin was arrested and marched in chains to Little Rock where he was given the choice of enlisting in the Confederate Army or be hanged. He chose to join on December 18, 1861 as a Private in Company "I" of the 18th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, CSA under the command of Colonel Samuel Murphy "Sam" Leslie. Two other members of his family ( Asa "Ace" Watts and Samuel Watts ) were also identified and also joined Company "I" with him on that date. On January 28, 1864 Benjamin joined Company "M" of the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, Union as a Private. He served out the rest of the Civil War with that Unit. After the War, his wife was given a Widow's Pension on October 4, 1910 for his service to the Union.
He was married to Mary Ann "Polly" Denton on May 17, 1857 in Searcy, Arkansas. They had fourteen children.
Events
| Birth | 25 Jul 1833 | Tennessee | |||
| Death | 4 Oct 1910 | Searcy County, Arkansas, United States |
Families
| Spouse | Mary Ann "Polly" Denton (1838 - 1929) |
| Father | John Watts (1799 - 1865) |
| Mother | Jencie (1815 - 1840) |
| Sibling | Asa Watts (1831 - 1904) |