Baptists and the American Civil War: March 20, 1863

Iowa Fifth Regiment, Company G

Iowa Fifth Regiment, Company G

Each and every day, more Baptist men join the ranks of the Union and Confederate armies. Typically young men, they go to war for their respective countries for a number of reasons, including (respectfully) abolitionist and pro-slavery views, love for country, to be with comrades, a search for adventure, and an opportunity (for poor folk) to earn a financial stake in life, among other reasons.

One of the young Baptist men who join the Union Army today is 17-year old Benton C. Guilliams from Madison County, Iowa. A post-war biographical sketch of his life, written at a time when Gulliams was yet living, summarizes his war-time experience and his post-war life. As with many such locally-written and published biographies of this era, Guilliams’ religious affiliation is mentioned near the end of the story of his life.

He was yet a boy in years when March 20, 1863, at the age of seventeen, he enlisted for service in the Civil war, joining the “boys in blue” of Company F, Fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of hostilities. He was with Sherman’s army and participated in the battles from Chattanooga to Atlanta and also in the engagements at Columbia, South Carolina, and Bentonville, North Carolina. He had many narrow escapes and at the close of the war was honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, July 24, 1865. He then returned home, resumed farming and also taught school in South township for eight or nine years,, mostly through the winter seasons. In 1869 he purchased a half interest in the home farm and later purchased the shares of the other heirs in the property. He has since devoted his time to general farming and to the breeding and raising of thoroughbred shorthorn cattle, having now a large and fine herd. He is today the owner of one hundred and seventy-two acres of rich and productive land, which he cultivated and improved until about six years ago, when he turned the management of the farm over to his son and retired from active life in order to spend his remaining days in the enjoyment of a well earned rest.

On the 9th of September, 1874, Mr. Guilliams was united in marriage with Miss Jennie McKenzie, who was born in Story county, Iowa, December 21, 1855. The family removed to Winterset during the girlhood days of Mrs. Guilliams, who was there reared and educated. She died January 6, 1909, leaving four children, while one had passed away in infancy. Those who survive the mother are: Flora, the wife of G. A. Schultz, of Indianola, Iowa; Maude G., who became the wife of Charles A. Joekel, by whom sh’e had one child, Mary Joekel, and after the death of her first husband became the wife of Charles Street, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Charles McKenzie, cashier of J. F. Johnston’s Bank at St. Charles; and Ernest, who operates the home farm.

In his political views Mr. Guilliams has always been a republican and for many years held the office of justice of the peace, his decisions being strictly fair and impartial and winning him “golden opinions from all sorts of people.” He was also deputy county clerk from 1883 until 1889 and while the incumbent in that office rented the farm and made his home in Winterset, returning to the farm in the latter year. Fraternally he is connected with St. Charles Lodge, No. 115, A. F. & A. M., and is also a charter member of the Grand Army post, thus maintaining pleasant relations with those who marched with him on the field of battle. He holds membership in the Baptist church and his life is guided by its principles. He is numbered among the honored pioneer settlers of the county, for he was only a child when he came here with his parents. He has been quite successful as a farmer and stock-raiser and although now living retired he still regards the old farm as his home, although he spends some of his time with his children. He is a well informed man of splendid characteristics and he has many friends among the best people of the county.

Source: Herman Mueller, The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915 (link)