CSA, Company F, 41st Alabama Regiment
Source: Register of Confederate Soldiers who died in Camp Douglas 1862-1865. Originally buried at Chicago City Cemetery in grave #1263. After the war he was exhumed and buried in a mass grave at Oak Woods Cemetery.

1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Benjamine Blackburn
Age: 26
Birth Year: abt 1824
Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1850: Beat 6, Marion, Alabama
Gender: Male
Family Number: 74
Household Members - Name/Age:
Benjamine Blackburn 26
Cordelia A Blackburn 24
William Blackburn 6
Elizabeth Blackburn 4
James Blackburn 1

1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Benj Blackburn
Age in 1860: 34
Birth Year: abt 1826
Birthplace: South Carolina
Home in 1860: Romulus, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Gender: Male
Post Office: Romulus
Household Members - Name/Age:
Benj Blackburn 34
C N Blackburn 33
William Robertson 16
Elizabeth Robertson 14
Mary Blackburn 9
Martha Blackburn 7
Cornelia Blackburn 5
John Blackburn 3
Benj F Blackburn 19
John Dickerson 59

(special thanks to Sonja Turner for link to parents and the following info) Benjamin married Cordelia Antoinette (King) Robert on September 12, 1848, in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. She had two children, William and Elizabeth, from her previous marriage (Unknown Robertson) that lived with them. Cordelia and Benjamin had 8 more children born to them: James P, Martha Antoinette Vonzie, Mary Elizabeth, Cornelia M "Nellie", John S, Morgan Clemons, Fredonia Augusta and Benjamin Freeman Blackburn. These children were born between 1844 and 1863; so Cordelia was left with a house full of young children when Benjamin died.

Benjamin was born around 1823 probably in South Carolina, although some say Tennessee. His parents lived in South Carolina before moving to Tennessee and then moved to Alabama.

Benjamin and Cordelia were living in Marion County, Alabama according to the 1850 census. In the 1860 census, they are living in Romulus in Tuscaloosa County. He was a farmer in both records. He joined the Confederate States Army in 1862, captured on September 20, 1863, and died from dysentery as a prisoner of war on August 15, 1864, at Camp Douglas Military Prison.

Cordelia applied for "relief of widow's of Confederate soldiers" on May 7, 1887. (She almost always used the name Antonette." She filed again on March 24, 1892. At this time, she still stated that she had never remarried. I do not know where Cordelia is buried. Most of their children remained and died in Alabama.

(special thanks to William Blackburn, [email protected] for the following info) I am a GGG Grandson of Benjamin F. Blackburn. I have read the information that you have listed (by Sonja Turner) for Ben and found some discrepancies in his information. I have worked on Ben and his family extensively over the years and can help you out real easily if you can get into
ancestry.com. My tree's name is The Blackburn Family.

Sonja Turner listed Benjamin F. Blackburn as being more than likely born in South Carolina. That is false information. He was born in Middle, Tennessee. This means somewhere in the middle of the state of Tennessee, between 1822 and 1824. Cordelia was the daughter of a full blooded Eastern Cherokee Indian named Harry King. She was born in Ball Ground, Georgia, about 1826 time frame. In ancestry.com, you will find the letters that Cordelia signed to receive funds from the Government for Ben's death. You will find attached to Benjamin Freeman Blackburn, in my tree, letters from an attorney which Ben listed when Codelia died. I haven't read it in a long time, but I believe it tells where she died as well. It listed Ben's father as Billy Blackburn. The William Blackburn listed on findagrave as Ben's father is the only William Blackburn that I could find that fit the records as Ben's father. The letter listed a lot of the children, (Siblings of Benjamin Freeman Blackburn) by their Indian name as well as white mans name. It is listed in the Guidion Cherokee Indian roll number listing. Be careful or you will pass it. It was added years later by pen, not typed.

When I found the military records myself on Ben F. Blackburn, I called the Cemetery Coordinator in Chicago, Illinois to find out exactly where Ben was buried. The man told me about the Confederates being buried in the Confederate Mound, in Chicago. Oakwood Cemetery. I know there is a 40 foot tall monument on the site. Ben's name is on a plate bolted to the wall of this monument. I was very thorough in my research, but ran into a wall when it came to William's father.

I have spoken to Alice Holtin once or twice, years ago about this family. I wished I could find who William's father and mother was. I have a copy of the Benjamin Blackburn Family book written by W. A. Challacombe, 1942.