Benajah Daniel Owen

Spouse of James Derrell Owens (Grandson)

On March 09, 1889, Benajah Daniel Owen was born. Benajah was the sixth child of Theodore Bacon Owen and Lillious Elizabeth Lester Owen. He was named after Theodore Bacon Owen's father, Benjamin Dott Owen. Both Benjamin Dott and Benajah Daniel would be called "B.D.Owen." Some records calls Benajah as " Ben Owen ".Benajah Daniel was born in Mt. Calm, McLennan County, Texas. His grandfather Benjamin Dott Owen was a Captain in the Civil War. Benjamin Dott was wounded in the Civil war and he never recovered from his injuries.

At the time of Ben's birth, he had two brothers(Christopher Columbus, and Theodore Elmore) and three sisters(Mallie Leona, Hattie Bell, and Venola Ann) and three step
siblings (Sarah, Della D., Les Edwin). His step brother,Les Edwin Owen died before Ben's birth.His step sisters Sarah and Della D. Owens were living with their grandparents in Louisiana at the time of Ben's birth. Curtie May and Nina Gene Owen was born after Ben's birth. When Ben was 5 years of age, Ben's his little sister, Curtie May died (June 29, 1894) Curtie was only 1 year, 3months, and 13 days of age.Three years and six days after Curtie's death Ben's beloved father (Theodore Bacon Owen) died. Ben was only 8 years, 10 months , and 4 days of age at this time. Ben's little sister Nina Gene dies only 23 days (on April 14, 1896) after Ben's father (Theodore Bacon Owens) dies.Nina Gene lived only to be 10 months and 11 days of age.Christopher Columbus,Theodore Elmore, Ben, and Albert Jefferson would have to be the men of the house.
Christopher was the oldest son. He was almost 14 years of age. Theodore's death leaves Lillious as a young widow of 39. Lillious has 7 young children under the age of 15 to care for.

In the 1900 Census, Ben and his family are living in McLennon County, Texas. Their farm is located as being west of the M. K. & T. R. Railroad.

Abt.1901, Ben's mother, Lillious marries a widower. His name was Charlie Alex Askins. Charlie brings with this marriage 8 children: Frank, Willie H., Charlie Alex, James, Sidney, Jimmie, and Robert Lee and an unknown name of an infant. Now ,Ben's family has now grown to be 15 children. The family soon leaves McLennon County to
move to Lamkin,Comanche County, Texas. There, Ben attends school. There at school,Ben met Lillie Adelia Stevens. Lillie Adelia would later become his wife. He attended school to the fifth grade. Ben's new step father, Charlie Askins dies on May 13, 1907 in Comanche County, Texas. Their marriages only lasts for about 6 years. It is not known where his children ended up. This leaves Lillious as a widow and Ben and his siblings as being fatherless again.

In 1909, Ben joined the Lamkin Primitive Baptist Church. Lillie Adelia and her family are also going there. In the 1910 Census, Ben is still in Comanche County, but in the
Hazeldell Community. He is employed as a Farm Laborer by the Patrick Thomas family. He is living in their home.

During this time Ben falls in love with Lillie Adelia Stevens. They plan to wed but only after Ben's return from the World War II. Lillie continues to live at home with her parents James Alexander Stevens and Eliza Jane Davis Stevens. Her father is a farmer and they run a telephone operator assistance in their home Lillie and her sisters Sarah Della, Carrie, and Effie were all operators.

By January 18, 1913, Ben enlists in the United States Army. He was 23 years and 10 months of age. He was sent to Ft. Logan Colorado for his enlistment. His Captain's name was unreadable (_nenermann) . He enlisted for 7 years.His enlistment records shows that he was born in Robinsonville, Texas. His occupation at that time was being a farmer, He had dark blue eyes, dark brown hair, and a dark complexion. His height was 5 feet 7 inches. He was in the CAC (Coast Artillery Corps) the 34 Brigade. On January 18, 1916, he was transferred to the Army Reserves.

After the war Ben returned to McLennan County, Texas. Perhaps to visit his brother Christopher Columbus Owen and his family. He heard of cheap land in New Mexico. He walked from McLennon County, Texas to New Mexico. He walked as far as he could each day until night fall. When nightfall came. He would go to a house and call out a
greeting. When he got a reply he would ask if he could sleep on their property. Before he left each day, he would do an act of kindness and appreciation such as cutting firewood or some other task, Eventually, he made it to New Mexico. There he purchased 320 and 76 hundredth of acres of land at $.50 an acre. This sale was approved on May 01, 1922. Later Ben sold the land for $1.00 an acre.

By the 1920 Census,Ben's mother Lillious has remarried to William T. Brown On January 21, 1920, He returns home and marries his Sweetheart, Lillie Adelia Stevens.

Before September 1921 Ben was an Ordained Minister at the Lamkin Primitive Baptist Church. Ben was liberated to exercise his gift of speaking by 1922. Ben was also noted as being one of the serving clerks that was mentioned while they were organizing the church and their articles.

On the 1930 census, It shows that Ben was renting his home. They lived in Lamkin , Texas on the Hamilton Road. Ben's occupation was being a Railroad laborer.In his home were his wife Lillie Adelia and his Children: Billie Rae,Wayne Lester, James Marcom, Dorothy Nell, Della Fay, Olan Dowell, and Infant Joe Lee. Joe Lee was only 6 days
of age when the census taker took this information.

By July 29, 1932 another daughter Jane was born to Ben and Lillie's family.the following year their last child Bobby D. Owen was born. Bobby was named so with the initials B.D. This was in respect of Ben's Name Benajah Daniel and In respect to Ben's grandfather Benjamin Dott Owen that was killed in the Civil War.

In December of 1937, they moved to Alexander in Erath, County, Texas. There they bought a farm. There they were well and happy until their home burned down. They moved into an old abandon home for a while. Ben found a house to replace his burned home. It was very large. The House was to large to cross over the bridge to their
house.The house had to be taken apart in sections. Ben hired a man with a truck to bring it over to the farm. Ben got tired of waiting for the man and went over to get it himself on his team and wagon. There he rebuilt it a section at a time. This home is still standing
.

Ben continued to farm the following days. After all of the children left home Lillie and Ben bought a house in Dublin, Texas. While most family downsized their home after their children left. Ben and Lillie wanted a big home. There they bought a two story home in Dublin. In this home they had many family get togethers for all of their children and grandchildren. Grandchildren remembers tales of a Gumdrop tree. And the legendary Christmas Gift from Grandad and Grandmother a Silver Dollar for each of his grandchildren. Each person that came to their house felt loved and valued as they left. They weren't blessed from material wealth but they always felt a little closer to our Lord after they left there. Some said that sometimes it seemed that Ben had a direct line to the throne of God. They all agree.Ben lived a life of Love and Service to God (His
first love), his Bible , his wife, children, community and country. He filled the lives of those he met with memories of love, devotion and his guidance to the Lord. Lillie, his loving wife was always loving and supportive of him until her death on March 06, 1973 in Dublin. Ben spent his life in service of God and always trying to doing the right thing.. Ben died (March 12, 1976), which was 3 years and 6 days after Lillie's death.

Register shows that Ben D. Owen, enlisted on January 18, 1913. He was 23 years and 10 months of age. He was sent to Ft. Logan Colorado for his enlistment. His Captain's name was unreadable (_nenermann). He enlisted for 7 years. He was born in Robinsonville, Texas. His occupation at that time was being a farmer, He had dark blue eyes
,dark brown hair, and a dark complexion. His height was 5 feet 7 inches. He was in the CAC (Coast Artillery Corps) the 34 Brigade. On January 18, 1916, he was transferred to the Army Reserves.

1930 Census shows that Ben was renting his home. He lived at Lamkin, on the Hamilton Road. He was 41 and 3 Lillie was 39 years of age. The records shows that Ben got married at the age of 30. Lillie got married at the age of 29. His occupation at this time was listed as a Laborer on a Railroad.

Abilene Reporter News (Abilene, Texas) March 14, 1976

Obit of Benjah Owen (As Is the Paper)

DUBLIN (RNS) - Benjah Daniel Owen 87, of Abilene, formerly of Dublin, died at 4:50 a.m. Froday in the West Texas Medical Center in Abilene. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in Harrell Memorial Chapel.

Elder Tommy Hart of Primative Baptist Church in Stephenville will officiate, assisted by Elder Raymond Buch of Primative Bapyist Church in Lipan. Burial will be in Toliver Cemetery, southwest of Dublin. Abilene arrangements were handled by Elliott - Hamil Funeral Home.Born March 09, 1889 at Mt. Calm, he married Lillie Adelia Stevens Jan,2, 1920 in Lamkin. He lived in Dublin 43 years before moving to Abilene a few weeks ago. He was a member of the Primative Baptist Church, the American Legion, Powell-Davidson Post No. 219 in Dublin in which he was past comander and chaplain. He was a War I Veteran of the U.S. Army.His wife died March 1973. Survivors include six son, James and Billy, both of Keller, Joe Lee and Wayne, both of Lubbock, Olan D. of Irving and Bobby of 2126 Marsalis: three daughters, Mrs. Earl (Dorothy) Owens, of 1741 Anderson, Della Crowder of Dublin and Mrs. George (James) Spradlin of 4149 Don Juan; 36 granchildren; 28 greatgrandchildren; and a great - great - granddaughter. Grandsons will be pallbearers. The family will be at 4249 Don Juan untill noon Saturday.

Errors are: Wedding Date of Benjah & Lillie was January 21, 1920 .......... not January 2, 1920
Daughter as Mrs. George (Jane) Spraudlin .......... not Mrs. George (James) Spradlin

Search more from the National Archives
391.2.5 Records of coast artillery units (1916-39) History: Coast artillery companies renumbered separately for each Coast Defense Command by General Order 98, War Department, July 26, 1917. Additional coast artillery companies organized, by General Order 21, War Department, May 18, 1922, from the residual elements of composite artillery regiments (cavalry, infantry, and coast artillery) that had been established by General Order 115, War Department, August 29, 1917, and substantially demobilized by 1919. By General Order 8, War Department, February 27, 1924, companies redesignated batteries and organized into 1st-16th and 65th CAC Regiments, to which were added the 41st, 60th, and 61st- 63d CAC Regiments, formed by redesignation of artillery battalions bearing the same numbers.

Textual Records: Records of Coast Defense Command coast artillery companies, 1916-21 (105 ft.). Records of the 1st-75th Coast Artillery Corps Regiments, 1916-34 (237 ft.). Records of the 1st, 5th, 6th, 8th-11th, 13th, 15th, 16th,51st, 53d, 61st-65th, 68th, 69th, 206th, and 895th Coast Artillery Regiments, 1922-39. Records of Coast Artillery
Corps regimental bands, 1907-21. Records of the 1st and 18th Sound Ranging Batteries, 1924-31.

Accession/Serial #: 861394 BLM Serial #: NMR 0034746

Patent Description Legal Land Description Document Image Certified
Copy
Names
Patentee: BENAJAH D OWEN
Survey
State: NEW MEXICO
Acres: 320.76
Metes/Bounds: No
Title Transfer
Issue Date: 5/1/1922
Land Office: Roswell
Cancelled: No
U.S. Reservations: Yes
Mineral Reservations: No
Authority: February 19, 1909: Homestead Entry-Enlarged (35 Stat.
639)
Document Numbers
Document Nr.: 034746
Misc. Doc. Nr.: 0
Accession/Serial Nr.: 861394
BLM Serial Nr.: NMR 0034746

Return to Biographies Index

Return to Home Page

This page was last updated on -01/01/2013