Bennett Franklin Michael

We have a strong history of military service in our family. One of the most detailed accounts of service in the Civil War comes from the obituary of my 3rd great-grandfather Bennett Michael.

This is the transcript of the obituary for Bennett Franklin Michael from 1923. I have added in photos, etc., where appropriate.

BENNETT F. MICHAEL - A CIVIL WAR VETERAN
____________________________________________

Oldest Mason In Kansas Buried Today With
Order In Charge, Was Ninety-Four Years Old.
____________________________________________

Bennett F. Michael, aged 94 years, civil war veteran and oldest Mason in the state of Kansas, died at his home 923 North Blaine Street, Sunday night of diseases incident with old age, was buried this afternoon. Funeral services took place at the First Methodist Church, Rev. Joseph E. Coe officiating. Interment took place in Prairie Lawn.



headstones of Bennett Franklin Michael and Frances Ann Lee Michael at the Prairie Lawn Cemetery in Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas

Mr. Michael was the oldest known Mason in Kansas, having been initiated into Temperance Lodge No. 73 A. F. & A. M. Sidney, Ohio, Jan. 5, 1852. He has been a member of the lodge for a little over 71 years.



copies of Bennett Franklin Michael's membership cards from the corresponding Mason Lodges. Note the top card says his initiation was in 1853.

Mr. Michael was a devout church worker having been a member of the Methodist Church the greater part of his life.

Mr. Michael enlisted in the Union army from Champagne Co., Illinois, on August 6, 1862, and was mustered into the United States service at Kankakee, Ill., August 22 of the same year as a private of Captain Joseph Park's company "C", 76th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Alonzo W. Mack commanding. (according to the rosters it was company "G")

The regiment of which Mr. Michael was a member was organized in August, 186, rendezvousing at Kankakee, where a regimental organization was effected on the 22nd of that month. Soon after its muster into COlumbus, Ky., where it arrived service the command was ordered to August 29, where it remained per - until October 4, when it moved to forming drill, fatigue and picket duty Boliver, Tenn., by rail, encamping near that city until November 3 when with other troops, moved to La Grange, Tenn. It remained here until November 28, when it moved with General Grant on his campaign along the Mississippi Central Railroad, being at that time attache dot the 4th Division, 13th Army Corps, but was afterward transferred to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 17th Corps, Army of Tennessee, and during its service took part in the engagement of Holly Springs, Miss. After this engagement he was taken along with other troops on the steamer, "Fort Wayne" from Memphis, down the Mississippi River, where they were fired upon by guerrillas from the Arkansas shore wounding a number and disabling the vessel.

Later the regiment took part in engagements as follows: Siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Yazoo Expedition, including Benton, Vaugh, Deatonville, and Yazoo City; between Jackson and Clinton, Miss., losing 102 men in killed and wounded; siege of Mobile, Ala., and capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, where the 76 participated in the final assault, capturing the entire garrison, and was the first regiment to plant its colors on the enemy's works; not to count a number of minor engagements and skirmishes.

Bennett F. Michael was honorably discharged on June 2, 1864, by reason of promotion to the 2nd Lieutenant of Captain Nathaniel G. Clement's company "A" 52nd Regiment U. S. Colored Troops, Colonel George M. Ziegler commanding. He was later promoted to 1st Lieutenant of his Company. He resigned on August 31, 1865, at Vicksburg, Miss. on account of being needed at home and receiving a final honorable discharge by reason of resignation.

He was wounded at Vicksburg, Miss., by gun shot int he right hand while on picket duty. He served on detached duty most of the time during the last year of his service around Vicksburg.

He was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, on December 22, 1829. In 1857 he was unite din marriage to Frances A. Lee, to which union was born seven children, four of whom are living; A. L. Michael of Mexica, Tex., B. F. Michael of Wichita, Mrs. Ida Bennett of Indianapolis, Ind., and Mrs. W. H. Caman of Beatrice, Neb.

During his life he has held public office as sheriff.

During the Civil War the Michael family contributed their all to the cause, two brothers besides the late B. F. Michael enlisting. One, John, was killed while serving in the 25th Illinois Infantry.

(The obituary's text seems a bit choppy in places, but you get the idea.)

Direct line ancestry: Bennett Franklin Michael --> Nellie Michael --> Clarence Chapman Caman --> Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring

William Harrison Caman

William Harrison Caman is an example of one of the quiet superstars of American life. He didn't do anything overly amazing, but he was instrumental in many people's lives. (No pun intended!)

William was born in Elmwood, Knox, Illinois in 1867, the son of Augustus and Charlotte Caman. Charlotte died when William was not quite three years.

William began his life with a love of music. Although there is no mention, as far as I have been able to find, of how early William began to learn to play instruments, at the age of 19 he was good enough to be hired in a band.

"I had played with my hometown band at La Cygne, Kansas, and one day in the spring of 1887 I was in Kansas City when the circus came to town. I took in the show,for a circus was always a thrill to me, and got a seat as near the band as possible.

"When it came time for the band to lead the procession around the ring, I heard the leader inquiring what had become of the cornetist. One of the bandsmen said the cornetist would be there soon but he failed to show up, and the director decided to play without him.

"I felt I could hold down such a job, so I volunteered my services to the director. He evidently decided that any kind of a trumpet player was better than none and accepted my offer. He asked me to remain after the show. I did, and soon found myself in a job at the sum of $10 a week with food and shelter furnished.

"The circus was S. H. Barrett's New United Railroad shows. The fact it traveled by rail put it ahead of the lesser shows which moved from town to town on wagon roads." (Day World-Herald, Omaha, Neb., December 22, 1940)

Following his summer with the circus, William settled in southern Kansas and was band leader in several towns there, including his own, "The Caman Band".

William got his start in his career accidentally. In an interview with Donald William Caman (William's grandson) on 18 October 1998, Don described what happened.

"When William was sitting watching trains, that was what you did before radio and television, the train pulled into town and two men got off. They told William that they were expecting a shipment of telephone equipment, like switchboards and telephones, and they asked him if he would watch for it. Later when it arrived, William called the men to let them know that it had gotten there. They told him to put it together and start up the telephone business there. So, that is how William started working for the Lincoln Nebraska Telephone Company. He ended up being their district manager." The Lincoln Telephone Company was a forerunner in the spread of telephone service, and increasingly improved quality of service, throughout the midwest. William retired in 1933.


William Harrison Caman - 1924

William and Nellie Michael were married in 1889 and they had two children, Hazel and Clarence. William continued to serve as director of many bands, including the Beatrice Community Band and the Shrine Band. He was a member of the Shriners and a Mason.


William Harrison Caman in his Shrine Band Leader Uniform - circa 1940

I recently contacted the Gage County Historical Society, who sent me several copies of newspaper articles and clippings from their archives about the Caman family, including a photo of the house in which the Caman family resided in at 425 North Fourth Street, Beatrice, Nebraska.



William died in 1944 and is buried with his wife and daughter in the Evergreen Home Cemetery in Beatrice, Nebraska. The caretaker at the cemetery was very kind to go out and take photos of the headstones and send them to me. I am always very grateful for the willingness of people every where to go out of their way to help with family history research!


The Caman family plot in the Evergreen Home Cemetery in Beatrice, Nebraska


William Harrisno Caman's headstone at the Evergreen Home Cemetery in Beatrice, Nebraska


Four generations of Camans: taken in Beatruce, Nebraska in 1920

Direct line ancestry: William Harrison Caman --> Clarence Chapman Caman --> Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring