BENJAMIN RUFUS HODGE 1815-1867
Benjamin Rufus Hodge wa born 1815 in Sumter County, South Carolina.  The son
of John
Hodge and Frances Davis.

He first married Miranda Adaline Davis, the daughter of Thomas Davis and his
first
cousin. They had a son, named for both Fathers, John Thomas.  Miranda and John
Thomas soon died.  Benjamin later married Milbry Davis, the daughter of Joel
Davis, and
another of his first cousins.  Benjamin married Miranda after 3-1-1833 and
before
1-10-1837.  She was alive February 1836 and died before 8-14-1837.Benjamin was
married to Milbry before 11-16-1839.

Benjamin Rufus purchased 10-29-1838 from Jacob H. Whitehead 431.5 acres in
Clarendon on The South side of the Black River SW, on Grog and Stephenson
Branches. 
10-29-1838 he also purchased from equity for Joseph (or Joel) Davis deceased
1)  118
acres on Big Branch Waters of The Black River.  2) 102.5 acres adjacent on The
Black
River.  4-9-1839 he sold to Samuel Harvin 522 acres.  He and Milbry sold
11-16-1839
278 acres to Ranson Clark that had been alloted to Milbry by Joel Davis,
deceased.


In 1842 Adaline Miranda was born to Benjamin and Milbry and named for his
first wife. 
In 1846 Laura was born.  Just before 1850 Benjamin and a large group of
pioneers left
Sumter and moved to Early County, Georgia, which soon became Calhoun County.
Some
of the families that moved to Georgia together were:  Dickey,Davis, Plowden,
McFadden,
Hayes, Strickland, Lawrence, Thigpen, McClary, Boynton,

These people, refered to as the "rice eaters" were educated and purposeful
people.                                     


Benjamin McCray was the first member of the family to be born in Georgia.  He
was born
in 1853.  In 1857 Martha Elizabeth was born.

The Inferior Court from May to November  1854 appointed commissioners  whose
main
duty was to select and locate road-hands to work to open new roads in their
respective
Georgia Militia Districts.  Road commissioners for the Town District were
George W.
Goodson, James A. Scarbrough and Benjamin R. Hodge.
3 November, 1851 Benjamin Rufus bought from William H. Price three lots of
land.  Lots
355,356, 357.  On 31 December, 1851 he also purchased lot 358 from Mr. Price.
14
Feburary, 1852 lot 364 was purchased from Mr. Price.  16 March 1857 lot 363
was
purchased from John Colly.


Benjamin Rufus was a member of the committee that on 4 June 1861 wrote the
following
resolution:
     We, the Committee appointed to draft resolutions and report business for
the action of
the meeting, beg leave to make the following report:  Whereas our county has
been and is
now invaded by a hostile foe and it becomes necessary to raise volunteer
companies in all
portions of the State and other Southern States and whereas some of the
Patriotic Citizens
of Calhoun County have formed themselves into a volunteer company, we find
them now
ready to march to the seat of war.

     Resolved, be it therefore that we , the citizens of this county, feel it
our duty to furnish
and protect said volunteer company while in service and to support and protect
their
families during their absence(s).

     Resolved, that we recommend to the Inferior Court to borrow such a sum of
money as
they deem necessary for the support and equipping of this company, and the
support of
their needy families, except such articles as may be furnished by the
government and levy a
tax on the citizens of the county sufficient to pay said sum so borrowed.

     Resolved, that any citizen of the county who has given money to the
company for
equipping and supporting, that  said citizen be released from taxation as far
as they have
paid into said company.

     Resolved, that we recommend the Inferior Court as a committee to receive
and
disburse said funds as may be proper for the company and their needy families.

                                                                 Committee:
                                                                 George G.
West, Chairman
                                                                 W. E.
Griffin, Secretary
                                                                  Joseph W.
Roberts
                                                                  John Colley
                                                                  R. J.
McClary
                                                                  B. R. Hodge
                                                                  W. G.
Sheffield
 The Inferior Court "ordered abd adjudged" deputy clerk W. G. Price be
authorized to
issue county bonds or script in amounts not to exceed $1,000 made payable to
Capt. R. J.
McClary.

Therefore the first company supplied by Calhoun county with men, uniforms,
horses, guns,
and food was Calhoun County Repeaters who were assigned to Company L, 25th
Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry in the Army of Tennessee.


On August 4, 1863 Benjamin Rufus joined the Confederate cause.   He was in
Company
B, 12 Batt, Georgia Cav. (State Guards).

One of the first schoold in Calhoun County was Whitney Academy in Dickey.  The
colonists from South Carolina who settled in Dickey brought with them the
desire to carve
a niche for themselves in the piney woods of what soon became Calhoun County.
After
the basic tasks of survival were achieved, they turned their efforts next to
religion and
education. Aome authorities feel that the first Dickey school was built around
1849. 
Later, a much larger building was built by Mr. C.M. Davis.  By the time (1854)
that
Calhoun County was formed, Whitney had earned the reputation for the best
school in this
South Georgia area.  As found in the old records, the Trustees of the school
were Henry
Hayes, Benjamin Hodge, Redden Strickland, F. L. Peppers, C. J. Plowden, Dr. J.
L.
Beanens, and C. M. Davis.

Found under Letters of Administration and Guardianship, the first entry, dated
15 May
1873 was B. R. Hodge, dec., estate to be adm. by Charles H. Gee of Calhoun
County. 
Charles Gee was the second husband of Benjamin Rufus' daughter Adeline
Marinda.  
This date was after B. R. died in 1867 and Milbry died in 1873.

October 1874 The Calhoun County Commissioners voted to pay the estate of B. R.
Hodge $35.00 for building a bridge at "Timmons Crossing".

The grave sites of Benjamin Rufus and his family have not been found.

The above was compiled by Faye Dyess  [email protected]

I would like to share information with anyone with connections to this family
or documentation that any of the above information is incorrect.

Faye

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