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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.


About Benjamin Franklin Ayers

Benjamin Franklin Ayers
7/9/1842 - 12/18/1889
Benjamin Franklin Ayers was born on July 9, 1842 somewhere in South Carolina 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). He had two children with Nancy:
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)and
Benjamin Franklin (8/18/1886-3/18/1928)Ben married Annie Eliza McCroan(1893-1981)they had 7 children.
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.  
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
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
18 1860 About 63,000 men from South Carolina served in the Confederate armed forces.
26 1868 South Carolina was readmitted to the Union.
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

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