We have already spent some time exploring the life of Allie Delphia Harned. Only briefly were we able to make mention of her parents, Benjamin L. Harned and Martha Ann Foster. From a set of notes on the family I read that Allie's parents went through a difficult divorce when she was young. The circumstances that led up to this separation have been something of a mystery. However, we might be able to shed some light on the sad situation through recently discovered records. First, a little background on each of her parents.
Martha Ann Foster was born in Todd County, Kentucky on June 6, 1842. Her mother was Isabella Moore and her father was John W. Foster. Aside from a couple of census records, there isn't much information on Martha's parents. We know that they were both originally from North Carolina and apparently migrated to Kentucky before their children were born. The most reliable records (a marriage log) show Martha and Benjamin as being married on February 2, 1859. |
The 1860 census (August 16) for Todd County has a 18-year-old Martha Ann and a 22-year-old Benjamin living at the residence of John and Isabella. Allie Delphia would have been a couple weeks old at this time, but she was not listed on this record.
The parents of Benjamin were Larkin Harned and Josephine Murphy. This is the Larkin Harned who in his fifties accepted the call to act as a spy on behalf of the Confederacy. You can read more about that story here. Born around 1837, he appears to be the second of eight children. At the start of the Civil War, Benjamin joined Company C in the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry. There is one set of records that shows his capture by Union forces. He was taken on May 1, 1863 in Clarksville, Tennessee. The months leading up to his apprehension saw a |
number of skirmishes and guerrilla attacks in continual efforts by both sides to seize control of the local Fort Defiance. The documents related to Benjamin's prisoner status show that he was transferred on more than one occasion, held in military facilities in Louisville and Indianapolis. He eventually took the "oath of allegiance" and was finally released to return to Kentucky as a loyal citizen on January 29th 1865.
Still, one slightly chilling set of remarks can be found among these records in reference to Benjamin in August 1863:
Still, one slightly chilling set of remarks can be found among these records in reference to Benjamin in August 1863:
Being that these comments come from the opposite side, it's hard to know how accurate they were in describing Benjamin's character. It pretty much makes him out to be an outlaw. Without further details, it's probably better not to read too much into it.
Nevertheless, it makes me wonder what exactly happened to bring about the divorce with Martha Ann. Did she become frustrated with her husband's absence during those years of his incarceration? When he returned, was he aloof? Or was there some sort of serious character flaw (in either of them) that made their differences irreconcilable?
Eventually, both remarried. Benjamin was married to Fannie Rich on February 4, 1875. The couple had two daughters, Birdie (1877) and Joicy (1879). The 1800 census shows the family living in Bowling Green, Missouri. Currently, I have no evidence for the location of Benjamin's grave nor for his date of death. One possible date would be June 3, 1898, about one year before his father Larkin's passing.
Nevertheless, it makes me wonder what exactly happened to bring about the divorce with Martha Ann. Did she become frustrated with her husband's absence during those years of his incarceration? When he returned, was he aloof? Or was there some sort of serious character flaw (in either of them) that made their differences irreconcilable?
Eventually, both remarried. Benjamin was married to Fannie Rich on February 4, 1875. The couple had two daughters, Birdie (1877) and Joicy (1879). The 1800 census shows the family living in Bowling Green, Missouri. Currently, I have no evidence for the location of Benjamin's grave nor for his date of death. One possible date would be June 3, 1898, about one year before his father Larkin's passing.
As for Martha Ann, she apparently moved down to Texas with her daughter and William Wesley Williams (Allie Delphia's husband) around 1876, or perhaps some time shortly thereafter. Her second husband's name was Samuel D. Thompson. Little else is known as to their life together or if there were any children from this marriage. We can see her surname reflects the second marriage by looking at her death certificate and headstone. She is buried in Hart Cemetery in Rio Vista, Texas. |
Whatever the cause of their marital woes, Benjamin and Martha Ann were able to move on to second chances. I'd like to think that the latter days were better than the first.
*Benjamin L. Harned and Martha Ann Foster were my third great grandparents through the line of my grandfather Clarence Otho White.