Bennett Shumate

SHUMATE, Bennett – Bennett Shumate was born about 1836 in Harlin County, Kentucky and came with his parents to Arkansas in 1837. He was first married to Elizabeth Ballard and they had one son, Lee, who died of pneumonia when he was almost grown. After the death of Elizabeth, Bennett was married on April 5, 1868 to Charity Van Hoose, daughter of John J. Van Hoose and Rachel Mills. Bennett also served in the Civil War in Co. K, Stirman’s Arkansas Cavalry from April, 1862 to May 1865. He was also a Charter Member of the Maguire’s Store Masonic Lodge. According to his Civil War pension record, he died on July 29th, 1884. He left his widow and several children, including John, George, Mark, Lizzie and Nora. [WCHS Flashback Vol. 11, No, 1]

Wife Charity Shumate passed away at 83 years of age on April 24, 1928. In her obituary it states that her husband Bennett succumb to an illness contracted during the Civil War when he was serving in the Confederate army. [Fayetteville Daily Democrat 5/1/1928]

Mrs. Charity Shumate, widow of Bennett Shumate, who died July 29, 1884, filed Widow Application #13857 with the Confederate Pension Board of Washington County for a Confederate widow pension and it was received as allowed August 12, 1905 at the State, citing her husband’s service with Company K, Arkansas Cavalry from 1862 thru 1865. [State of Arkansas Confederate Pension Archives]