Son of Frederick Augusta Golladay and Mary Elizabeth Pearson
Husband of Polly Nichols and Belle Shively

The family and friends of Thomas Benton Golladay called him by his middle name "Benton". He was married with one living child at the start of the Civil War.

Benton enlisted on 20 October 1861 in Breckenridge County, Kentucky and mustered in on 21 March 1862 at Camp Underwood in Rochester (Butler County), Kentucky. On 18 Nov 1861, he was appointed "Teamster" (or wagoner). In the Union army, each company normally had one wagoner. The role of wagoner was important because the wagons carried the ammunition, cooking utensils, food, and other supplies essential for military operations. His duties included maintaining the wagons and caring for the mules/horses that were used to pull the wagons.

Benton was present with his regiment on all muster rolls except as follows:

       * 16 September until the end of October 1862  - Absent left with train at Bowling Green

       * August 1863  - Absent - teamster with regiment

He was discharged on 20 March 1865 at Louisville along with the rest of his Company. Benton has several children after the war. On 24 October 1890, Benton was employed as a constable in Rock Creek (Source: Grayson Gazette).

After his first wife Polly died in 1904, Benton married Belle Shively. Belle was born in 1866 after the Civil War had ended, so she was thirty years younger than Benton. When Belle was asked in her later years if she regretted marrying such an older man, she said no. She said she got a good pension because of his Civil War service.

Benton was living in Big Clifty when he died of malarial fever on 01 June 1920.

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Bryant

   Buried at: Cedar Hill cemetery in Big Clifty, Kentucky (Grayson County) 
 

This page last updated on August 05, 2008