Andrew Jackson Beckford

by Dante G. Hebert 1998 Surname Index Previous Page

Andrew Jackson Beckford, born 28 March 1831 in Fairfield county, Ohio. Don't know his mother's or father's name. The Putnam county Ohio census of 1850 list a Andrew, age 19, working as a laborer for a James Beckford wife Mary Jane and their two sons William H. and John W.

On 23 December in 1852 in Liberty Twnshp, Putnam county Ohio, he married Mary Jane Bennett. They were joined in wedlock by a minister of the Gospel, William Williams. During their marriage they bore six children, Martha Ann born 23 July 1855, William Alexander born 26 January 1859, and Cornelia Jane or June born 12 June 1862. These three children are listed in Mary Jane's Civil War pension request. Andrew and Mary are listed in the 1860 census of Liberty twp, Putnam, Co. Ohio. William and Martha are listed as ages 2 and 5. The 1870 census list only Mary J. Beckford with Martha A.,15, William A.,11, and Cornelia, 8. Another source states they had six children, 3 died in infancy and all were born in Leipsic, Ohio. They are listed Nelson (d), William, Martha Ann, Mary Jane, Cornelius (d). Only five were listed and they have Cornelius as deceased. They list a Mary Jane married to a William Stout with a family of 5. My guess is Cornelia married Stout not Mary Jane. This is confusing.

Andrew mustered in as a Private on 28th day of Oct. 1861 at Putnam county to Company K 65th Regiment of Ohio volunteers (Infantry) to serve three years. This is his description on that day, at the age of 30 years; he was 5 foot 9 inches tall with dark complexion, gray eyes, and dark hair. It was a Lt. Palmer that signed him up. Moving from farmer to soldier was hard for Andrew. First transferred to Camp Buckingham, mustered Dec. 10, 1861, mustered Jan/Feb 1862, mustered Mar/Apr 1862 with no pay since 31 Dec. 1861. On either 22 or 23 June 1862, he was discharged by reason of disability and he still had not received any pay since 31 Dec. 1861. At the August 1862 muster he was listed as absent, sick, discharged. However, in April on 1863 his division inspector ordered him to return to duty on April 1 1863 and to forfeit all pay from Oct. 3/62 to Apr. 1/63. He returned to his unit on 8 April 1863 and was present at the April thru September musters of the Regiment. His company was one of many that pushed south into Georgia in September of 1863. He again was overtaken by sickness. On September 19, as he lay sick with diarrhoea at place called "Lee & Gordon's Mills" his unit retreated leaving him behind. As they left he was given orders to report to Bridgeport, Alabama by September 21st. He never had his chance to retreat. On September 19th or 20th he was taken prisoner by the Alabama 19th. He was sent by rail to Libby Prison in Richmond Virginia. He arrived at the prison on September 29th, 1863. Just two weeks later, on Oct. 15th he was admitted to the Hospital with Chronic Diarrhoea and the next day, Oct. 16th, 1863, he died. This farmer of age 32 having suffered for weeks slipped from this earth. It wouldn't be until December 1863 that his body was shipped to Danville Va. and then on to his home state. He now lays at rest in New Center Cemetery, Leipsic, Putnam County, Ohio.

Martha Ann Beckford was born July 23rd in 1855. In 1872 she wedded John A. Santmire, who was born in 1852 and died in 1898. Martha and John had 14 children, George Sylvester, Lilly Mary, John, Anna Florence, Charles Rufus, Arwildia Jane, Blanch May, William Henry, Rosie Neli, Parker Nelson, Howard Elmer, Ethel Myrtle, Merle Watson, Cloyce Dewey. Ethel Myrtle Santmire married Guy Veron Spayth 14 April 1915. . . And the rest is history as we know it. .