Shep's Place Family Tree

He appears on an Individual Muster-out Roll of the regiment at Jarvis U.S. General Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. Roll dated May 16, 1865. Last pay due from enlistment.

Remarks: Due U.S. for Clothing overdrawn $21. 99. Honorably discharged from the service of the United States from this 16th day of May 1865 in accordance with Telegram dated May 4th 1865.

The story goes that Benson developed "bealing" where his knapsack rubbed his armpit. He died within three months of returning home from Baltimore. The cause of death was probably an infection which couldn't be controlled.

The following is the assessment of one of his neighbors:

On 15th day of June 1892 Jacob Hinely, aged 68 of Harrison township in regard to Martha Nida's claim ‎[for a widow's pension]‎, said "That he was well and personally acquainted with Benson W. Kerr and considered him an able bodied man at the time of entering service That he came home some time in May 1865 quite feeble was drawn over to one side and complained all the time of his side he continued to grow worse and after becoming bed fast only lasted a few days He saw said Kerr from the time he came home sick on an average of twice a week and for the last two weeks of his life was with him the greater portion of the time and firmly believes that his death was the result of a bealing that was not drawn to a head but scattered through his system Poisoning his blood causing fever He further declares that ‎[he]‎ lived in about one and one half miles of said Kerr and that his knowledge of these facts was gained from personal observations.