M: 76

76. Benjamin Couch & 77. Celia Caroline Hall


12/13/1815, Benjamin born in AL; s/o 152. Moses Couch & 153. Elizabeth Lindley.

1/24/1822, Celia “Hawl” born in Jackson Co., AL; d/o 154. Thomas Hall & 155. Sarah Mily Williams.

(S) 1830 Census, AL, Jackson Co., Larkin’s Fork. Celia lives with her family, age 5-10.

(S) 1830 Census, KY, Whitley Co. Moses, age 10-15, lives with his family.

3/1836, “Celia Hall” admitted by baptism into the congregation of the Primitive Baptist Church of Larkin’s Fork.

6/12/1836, at Coweta, AL, Benjamin [and days later his older brother Avery] enlisted in the Second Creek War, fought in the border region of AL and GA along the Chattahoochee River. [Avery made a declaration in 1850 documenting that they served as Privates in the company commanded by Captain James McAdory. James was a commander under General Andrew Jackson; in the 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, of the AL Mounted Volunteers.]

7/31/1836, Benjamin and Avery’s unit was mustered out of sevice at Montgomery, AL; apparently without having been engaged in hostile activity.

1838, Benjamin was living with his sister Malinda and her husband William Stogsdill in Jackson Co., AL.

9/6/1838, in Jackson Co., AL, Benjamin married Celia at the home of William Stogsdill [his sister’s husband]; George Griffin, JOP, presiding. (S) Celia’s pension application and affidavits of other family members.

6/1/1840, (S) 1840 Census, MO, Ripley Co. Benjamin is 20-30, his wife is 15-20, they have daughter under 5. [Benjamin lives next to his older brother Lindley. Their brother Avery also lives in the area.]

6/1/1850, Benjamin has 8 horses, 3 cows, 8 other cattle, 12 sheep, and 20 swine. During the previous year he produced 300 bushels of corn, 150 of oats, 3 of peas and beans, 10 of Irish potatoes, 200 pounds of butter, and 25 pounds of wool.

6/3/1850, Benjamin purchased a 40-acre farm in Greene Co., MO [west of their previous homestead; and about 3 miles north of present Willard, MO.]

11/23/1850, (S) 1850 Census, MO, Greene Co., Cass. Benjamin, a farmer, gives his age as 40. Celia gives her age as 36. Children Sarah – Lavisa listed [Note: James deceased.]

1/27/1851, Benjamin purchased a 40-acre farm in Dade Co., MO. [13 miles west of their previous homestead, and 3 miles south. Eight related families were living in Dade Co., including his brother Lindley and his sister Delila.]

5/21/1852, Benjamin purchased another 40-acre tract in Dade Co.

9/12/1854, Benjamin purchased 80 acres near the Sinking Creek Baptist Church.

10/21/1854, Benjamin and Celia sold their land in Greene Co.

3/7/1856, Benjamin purchased an additional 80 acres; for a total of 280 acres.

2/16/1857, Benjamin purchased 160 more acres in Dade Co., paying $1200 in cash. He also purchased 80 acres from John Hastings for $320. A few days later they sold land for $1600.

6/29/1860, (S) 1860 Census, MO, Dade Co., Polk. Benjamin is a farmer with land valued at $4000 and a personal estate of $1500. 200 acres improved, 260 unimproved; 12 horses, 5 cows, 5 other cattle, 30 sheep, 5 swine. In the previous year Benjamin produced 133 bushels of wheat, 1500 of Indian corn, 200 of oats, 50 of Irish potatoes, 5 of sweet potatoes, and 1 of peas and beans; 100 pounds of butter and 80 of wool; and 30 gallons of molasses. Children: Josiah – Samuel living at home.

4/29/1861, 16 days after the start of the Civil War, Benjamin and Celia sold all their land in Dade Co. for $2700.

They moved to TX [probably to Tarrant Co.]

By 1863, the family lived in Grayson Co., TX.

1865, Benjamin and Celia are on the tax list for Grayson Co., TX.

1867, Benjamin owns 20 horses, 75 cattle, sheep and misc. property valued at $1090. (S) Grayson Co. Tax List.

10/3/1867, Benjamin purchased 10 acres in Grayson Co. for $200 [near Sandusky.]

11/22/1870, (S) 1870 Census, TX, Grayson Co., Whitesboro. Benjamin is a farmer with land valued at $1000 and a personal estate of $500. Wm, Susannah, Delilia and Samuel live at home.

6/19/1871, Benjamin purchased land in Cooke Co., TX from Samuel A Roberts.

12/1/1871, Benjamin and Celia of Cooke Co. sold 50 acres of land in Grayson Co.

6/21/1880, (S) 1880 Census, TX, Cooke Co. Benjamin and Celia are farmers living alone. Samuel and other family members live nearby.

11/1884, Benjamin paid State and County taxes in Montague Co., TX.

6/23/1889, Benjamin died in Montague Co., TX; buried in Salona Cem.

9/1892, Celia, of Salona, TX, applied for a Widow’s pension, giving the birthdate and place of Benjamin as well as herself.

4/4/1893, Celia made a sworn statement about the land purchases in Dade Co.

11/2/1893, Celica granted a widow’s pension under the Indian War Pension Act, paying $8 a month.

6/1900, Celila lived in Montague Co. with her youngest daughter Delilia’s family.

11/13/1901, Celia died; buried with Benjamin.

(S) Emanuel Couch Family Bible. (S) The Moses Couch Family, 2008, by Michael A Landwehr.

Family notes:
• Benjamin is often given as s/o Lindey Couch, 1st s/o Moses Couch. Sarah Jane Literal [1869-1945] lists “Linley” and Benjamin as sons of Moses. The 1820 census of Lindley does not support 2 sons, which would be true if Benjamin was his son [but his son Simpson could have been born later.] Benjamin’s birth in AL makes him more likely s/o Moses than Lindley. When Lindley died intestate, his estate was evenly divided among his 3 surviving grandchildren, with no mention of Benjamin, who would have shared an interest if he were a son.
• Celia described Benjamin in her pension as “about 5 feet 5 inches high with blue eyes dark hair & rather dark complexion.”
• Family lore says Benjamin, with sons Josiah, Avery, and Emanuel all served in the CSA and fought at the battle of Pea Ridge, AR; where Benjamin was wounded.

Children of Benjamin and Celia:

i. Sarah Elizabeth Couch, born 2/24/1840 in MO.
Sarah married James D Hankins.

ii. Josiah Couch, born 6/1/1842 in MO.
6/23/1862, Josiah a Private in Co. A of John Scanland’s squadron of the CSA Texas Calvary.
4/7/1870, Josiah married Minerva E Morris.
1873, Josiah died in a fall from a tree while hunting.

iii. Avery Couch, born 1/27/1844 in MO.
10/14/1861, Avery enlisted in Grayson Co. in the CSA as a private in the 4th Regt. of the Texas Volunteers.
12/24/1862, Avery captured at the battle of Middleburg, TN.
1/24/1863, Avery admitted to a Union hospital in St. Louis, MO; diagnosed with small pox.
4/2/1863, Avery sent to VA as part of a prisoner exchange.
Avery became a Sgt. in his unit.
5/1865 in AL, Avery mustered out of the 9th Texas Cavalry.
12/24/1865, Avery died.

iv. Mary Jaine Couch, born 9/2/1845 in MO.
6/28/1863, Mary married in Grayson Co.
9/1/1877, Mary died.

v. James Madison Couch, born 6/6/1847 in MO.
10/3/1847, James died as an infant.

vi. Lavisa Couch, born 11/10/1849 in MO.
3/17/1864 in Grayson Co., Lavisa married John T Pettygrew.
11/30/1871 in Dade Co., MO, Lavisa married John Wesley Morris.
3/21/1927 in Carter Co., OK, Lavisa died after a fall in her garden that broke her hip; buried in Bomar Point Cem.

vii. Emanuel Couch (38), born 5/11/1851 in Dade Co., MO.

viii. Lidia Ellen Couch, born 3/28/1853 Dade Co., MO.
4/7/1870 in Grayson Co., Lidia married William Findley.
6/3/1895, Lidia died in Callisburg, Cooke Co., TX; buried in Berry Cem. near Gordonville, Grayson Co.

ix. William Riley Couch, born 2/1/1856 Dade Co., MO.
1/12/1878, William married Mary E Brown.

x. Susannah Couch, born 12/23/1857 Dade Co., MO.
2/3/1876, Susannah married George Kelly Morris.
3/19/1931, Susannah died at Donna, Texas; buried in the Donna Cem.

xi. Samuel Couch, born 3/20/1860 MO.
1877, Samuel married Rachel Lucinda Cross in Cooke Co.
3/28/1936, Samuel died at Salona, Montague Co., buried with his parents in Salona Cem.

xii. Delilia C Couch, born 8/22/1863 in TX.
Delila married John Franklin Williams.
3/30/1917, Delila died [likely in San Antonio, TX].