Spanish American War
Does anyone remember the final resting place of Ben Howard? When the young Spanish-American War veteran died at Ray’s Mill Pond in 1900, the citizens of Ray’s Mill, GA paid their respects.
Other Spanish-American War veterans of Berrien County, GA included Aaron Cook, Luther L. Hallman, William A. Knight, Samuel Z. T. Lipham, Walter A. Griner, Carl R. O’Quinn, Pythias D. Yapp, Henry C. McLendon, Charles A. Courson, George C. Flowers, Zachary T. Hester, Jr., W. Dutchman Stephens, and James L. Jordan.
Tifton Gazette
April 27, 1900Found Dead Is His Boat.
The body of Ben Howard, a young white man, was found in a boat in the bottom of Ray’s mill pond last Saturday. The body had been there for two days or more, but the tragedy was kept a secret by the fact that the boat was a leaky vessel and had sunk to the bottom of the pond, carrying the body down with it. It is not known whether the young man was dead when the boat sunk or not, though it is thought that he had wounded himself by the accidental discharge of his gun while coming out of a tree, from which be had been shooting at fish in the water. The weapon was found at the foot of the tree and one barrel of it had been discharged. The boat was tied to the tree and the body either fell in it, or the wounded man managed to get to it.
Then the boat drifted out in the pond probably fifty yards and sunk to the bottom, the supposition being that Howard’s death was instantaneous, or else he was too badly wounded to manage the boat. A search for him lasted two days.
The burial services were conducted at Beaver Dam on Sunday and a large crowd attended them. Young Howard was a soldier in the war with Spain and did service in Cuba. —Valdosta Times.
Tifton Gazette, April 27, 1900 clipping of the death of Ben Howard at Ray’s Mill Pond.
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