Benjamin (Legault) Lego (1839 - 1913)

Born 14 May 1839 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United States

Ancestors

Son of Olivier (Legault) Lagoo and Charlotte (Cadotte) Legoo

Husband of Sophie Cadotte Sharlow — married 29 May 1866 in Polk, Wisconsin, USA

Husband of Cecilie Victoria Magdalene (Johansen) Lego — married 25 Dec 1894 in Polk, Wisconsin, United States

Descendants

Died 20 Aug 1913 at age 74 in Mahnomen, Mahnomen, Minnesota, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Connie Graham [send private message]

Biography

private Benjamin (Legault) Lego served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Nov 8, 1861
Mustered out: July 1, 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 1st Independent Battery

Benjamin was Ojibwe.

Benjamin Lego was born 14 May 1839 at La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, USA. The parents of Ben were Olivier Legault Dit Deslauriers and Charlotte Cadotte .

He was part Native American (Fond Du Lac Chippewa), but was enumerated with several different bands, ending up at White Earth ,which consisted of several different bands. ^[1]

Military

During the Civil War, he enlisted in the First Minnesota Light Artillery during the Civil War.^[2] The 1st Minnesota Light Artillery Battery took part in the Battle of Shiloh, Siege of Vicksburg, the Atlanta Campaign and Sherman's March to the Sea. They served in the 4th Division of the 17th U.S. Army Corps. The 1st Minnesota Light Artillery was formed in the fall of 1861, and saw its first action at the bloody battle of Shiloh, where they played an important part in the defense of the "Hornets' Nest". They saw more hard fighting at Corinth, Mississippi, and as part of the Army of the Tennessee, they endured the long campaign to capture Vicksburg. Later the battery joined General Sherman's forces in the Atlanta Campaign and his famous "March to the Sea." The Minnesotans continued with Sherman's forces through the Carolinas to the final battle of the war at Bentonville, North Carolina. They also participated in the Grand Review of the major Union armies in Washington, D.C., following the war's end.^[3].

Family

He was married twice. His first wife was Sophie Sharlow. Benjamin married Sophia Cadotte (Sharlow) on 29 May 1866 in Polk, Wisconsin, United States.^[4] and they had two children:

• Levi Lego
• John Lego.

In the 1880 census Benjamin (age 38), Farmer, was the married head of household in Laketown, Polk, Wisconsin, United States.^[5] Sophie died in 1880.

He applied for a Civil War pension in 1882. ^[6]

Ben was enumerated at Polk, Wisconsin in a Veteran's census in 1885.^[7]

Around 1882, he married an orphaned Danish girl, Cecilie Victoria Magdalene Johansen. ^[8] Together, they had a very large family. ^[9]

In the 1885 census Ben was the head of household in Sterling, Polk, Wisconsin. ^[10]

In 1887, he was listed as a property owner in Polk, Wisconsin.^[11]

Death

Benjamin Lego died on 20 August 1913 in Minnesota, United States.^[12]He was buried in Beaulieu Waubun, Minnesota, United States.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ U.S., Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940: Year: 1913; Roll: M595_657; Line: 1; Agency: White Earth Ancestry Record 1059 #3313679

   Name:	Benjamin Lego
   Date of Birth:	1841
   Age:	72
   Gender:	Male
   Relation to Head of Household:	Father
   Tribe:	Rem, Fond Du Lac
   Agency:	White Earth
   State:	Minnesota
   Last Census Number:	34
   Previous Census Number:	32
   Census Date:	30 Jun 1913

2. ↑ Family Search: "United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSC4-GZS : 25 August 2021), Benjamin Lego, 1861-1865.

   Name:	Benjamin Lego
   Military Final Rank:	Private
   Military Side:	Union
   Military Unit:	1st Independent Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery
   Event Type:	Military Service
   Event Date:	from 1861 to 1865
   Event Place:	Minnesota, United States
   Event Place -Original-:	Minnesota
   Affiliate Film Number:	5

3. ↑ https://libguides.mnhs.org/firstartillery
4. ↑ Marriage: "Wisconsin Marriages, 1836-1930"
   Citing FHL microfilm: 1275493; Record number: 4;
   FamilySearch (accessed 26 January 2022)
   Benjamin Legoo marriage to Sophia Cadotte on 29 May 1866 in Polk, Wisconsin, United States.
5. ↑ 1880 Census: "1880 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1880; Census Place: Laketown, Polk, Wisconsin; Roll: 1442; Page: 285A; Enumeration District: 198
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6742 #28923375 (accessed 16 August 2022)
   Benjamin Layos (38), married, Farmer, head of household in Laketown, Polk, Wisconsin, USA. Born in Wisconsin.

   Name	Sex	Age	Status	Relation	Occupation	Birth Place
   Benjamin Layos	M	38	Married	Head	Farmer	Wisconsin
   Sophie Layos	F	37	Married	Wife	Housekeeper	Wisconsin
   Levi Layos	M	10	Single	Son	At Home	Wisconsin
   John Layos	M	5	Single	Son	At Home	Wisconsin

6. ↑ U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934: The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; NAI Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; NAI Number: T288; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773-2007; Record Group Number: 15; Series Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; Series Number: T288; Roll: 279 Ancestry Record 4654 #171240

   Name:	Benjamin Lego
   Gender:	Male
   Unit:	I Batty Minn La
   Filing Date:	31 Jan 1882
   Spouse:	Cecelia Lego
   Roll number:	279

7. ↑ Wisconsin, U.S., State Censuses, 1855-1905: Wisconsin Historical Society; Madison, Wisconsin; Census Year: 1885; Roll: 10 Ancestry Record 1055 #3041196

   Name:	Benjamin Lego
   Residence Date:	1885
   Residence Place:	Sterling, Polk, Wisconsin, USA
   Relationship:	Head
   Rank:	Private
   Company:	G.
   Regiment:	7
   Military Place:	Wis

8. ↑ Wisconsin, U.S., Marriage Index, 1808-1907:' Ancestry.com. Wisconsin, U.S., Marriage Index, 1808-1907 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2000. Original data: Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services. Wisconsin Vital Record Index, pre-1907. Madison, WI, USA: Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services Vital Records Division Wisconsin Historical Society. Pre-1907 Vital Records Collection. Madison, WI, USA: Wisconsin Historical Society Library Archives. Ancestry Record 4997 #819464

   Name:	Benjamin F Lego
   Marriage Date:	25 Dec 1894
   Marriage Place:	Polk, Wisconsin, USA
   Volume:	02
   Page:	0054

9. ↑ Ben and Cecelia's Children were:
10. ↑ 1885 Census: "Wisconsin, U.S., State Censuses, 1855-1905"
    Wisconsin Historical Society; Madison, Wisconsin; Census Year: 1885; Roll: 7
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1055 #3441617 (accessed 7 August 2022)
    Ben Lego head of household in Sterling, Polk, Wisconsin, USA.

    Name	Relation	White Males	White Females	Colored Males	Colored Females	Nativity US	Nativity Scandinavia
    Ben Lego	Head	0	1	4	1	5	1

11. ↑ U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918: Collection Number: G&M_69; Roll Number: 69 Ancestry Record 1127 #5557163

    Owner's Name:	Ben Lego
    State:	Wisconsin
    County:	Polk
    Town:	Stirling
    Year:	1887

12. ↑ Death: "Minnesota, Death Records and Certificates, 1900-1955"
    Citing Page: 51; FHL microfilm: 2138531; Record number: 51;
    FamilySearch (accessed 26 January 2022)
    FamilySearch Image Image number 00652
    Lego death 20 Aug 1913 in Minnesota, United States.
13. ↑ Burial: "U.S., Veterans' Gravesites, ca.1775-2019"
    National Cemetery Administration; U.S. Veterans' Gravesites
    Ancestry Record 8750 #4972731 (accessed 26 January 2022)
    Benjamin Lego burial (died on 7 Aug 1913) in Minnesota, USA.

• Paternal and Maternal relationships are confirmed by a Family Tree DNA Family Finder test match between Connie Graham and her maternal third cousin Gregory Belanger. Their most-recent common ancestors are Olivier (Legault Dit Deslauriers) Lagoo and Charlotte Cadotte, great-great-grandparents of Connie Graham and Gregory Belanger. Predicted relationship from FTDNA: Second/Third Cousin, based on sharing 132 cM across 30 segments
• Maternal and Paternal relationship is confirmed by a Family Tree DNA Family Finder test match between Connie Graham and her maternal cousin Lisa Luck. Their most-recent common ancestors are Benjamin Lego and Cecilie Victoria Magdalene Johansen, great-grandparents of Connie Graham and great-great grandparents of Lisa Luck. Predicted relationship from FTDNA: second cousins once removed based on sharing 83 cM across 53 segments.

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by a triangulated group on Family Tree DNA who share a 13 cM segment on chromosome 1, consisting of Connie Graham and Amanda Smith, her 1st cousin 1x removed, and Gregory Belanger, her 3rd cousin. (Amanda and Gregory are 3rd cousins 1x removed.) These matches have been independently verified by Connie Graham and Amanda Smith and Gregory Belanger via the Family Finder Chromosome Browser. Their most-recent common ancestors are Olivier Legault Dit Deslauriers and Charlotte Cadotte, the 2x great grandparents of Connie Graham and 3x great grandparents of Amanda Smith and 2x great grandparents of Gregory Belanger. DNA test taker Connie Graham is the granddaughter of Elizabeth Lego, the daughter of Benjamin Legault, the son of the common ancestors Olivier Legault Dit Deslauriers & Charlotte Cadotte.

See also:

• Family Search: PID KC6X-1RL-X410
• Find A Grave: Memorial #22821901