Benjamin Franklin Lykins (1856 - 1933)

Born 20 Apr 1856 in Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Ella Nora (Houser) Lykins — married 25 Jul 1878 in Ross Co., Ohio, USA

Descendants

Died 29 Jan 1933 at age 76 in Frankfort, Ross, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Benjamin Lykins is a Virginian.

Benjamin was born in 1856 according to his record of death and his Find-a-Grave Memorial; however it should be noted that his record of birth lists his birth date as April 20, 1857 (see below). He married Ella Houser in 1878.^[1] He passed away in January of 1933.

Benjamin F. Lykins, well-known citizen of Frankfort and vicinity, passed away at his home January 29 with complications following an illness of seven months. The deceased, in 1875, moved to Frankfort from West Virginia, where he was born April 20, 1856. He was 76 years, nine months, and nine days at the time of death. He was united in marriage to Ella Nora Houser July 25, 1878, and to this union eight children were born, Frank, Robert, Vern, and Ben Jr. of Frankfort; Mrs. Jessie Brown of Springfield; and Mrs. Floyd Sommers of New Holland. Twenty-six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Lizzie Wells of Virginia and Mrs. Jennie Bales of New Castle, Ind.; one brother, Meridith Lykins of Oakley, Ind.; and a host of relatives and friends, with his beloved wife and children, are left to mourn his loss. Two children preceded him in death, Elizabeth, who died in infancy, and Millie Taylor, who died in 1917. Funeral services will be held at the M. E. Church in Frankfort Wednesday at 2 p.m., with burial in Greenlawn Cemetery.^[2]

Research Notes: Virginia Project

Note ~When researching this family for the Virginia Project I stumbled upon a large mess on Family Search. We know from the sources (below) that David Lykins is the father of Benjamin but caution is needed in terms of research because there are two different David's (one is the son of Davis (or David) and Mary Lykins and the other is the son of John and Rebecca Lykins) residing in Virginia at the time that Benjamin was born and sources are mixed between the two men on both: Family Search and Ancestry. This section will be used to list what facts are available in the hopes of determining which David was his father.

Birth ~The birth record for Benjamin indicates he was born on April 20, 1857; other records list the same date but have the year as 1856:

• Benjamin F. Lykins: Vital • West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928
• Name: Benjamin F. Lykins
• Sex: Male
• Father's Name: David Lykins
• Mother's Name: Susan J. Lykins [Jane]
• Event Type: Birth
• Event Date: 20 Apr 1857
• Event Place: West Virginia, United States
• Event Place (Original): Kanawha River, Fayette, Va
  • Source^[3]

1860 Census ~Benjamin is listed with both of his parents on the 1860 Census:

• B F Lykins: Census • United States Census, 1860
• Name: B F Lykins
• Sex: Male
• Age: 4 years
• Birth Year (Estimated): 1856
• Birthplace: Virginia
• Race: White
• Event Type: Census
• Event Date: 1860
• Event Place: Fayette, Fayette, Virginia, United States
• Page Number: 112
• Affiliate Publication Number: M653
• Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
• Other People on This Record:
• David Lykins M 30 Virginia [Estimated Birth Year: 1830]
• Jane Lykins F 22 Virginia
• McFerson Lykins M 1 Virginia
• Martha Smith F 24 Virginia
  • Source^[4]

1870 Census ~His mother is NOT listed on the 1870 Census; some family trees list that she passed away in November of 1909 but that information is not correct; she passed away prior to the 1870 Census:

• Benjamin F Likens [Lykins]: Census • United States Census, 1870
• Name: Benjamin F Likens
• Sex: Male
• Age: 13 years
• Birth Year (Estimated): 1857
• Birthplace: Virginia
• Race: White
• Event Type: Census
• Event Date: 1870
• Event Place: Fayetteville, Fayette, West Virginia, United States
• Event Place (Original): West Virginia, United States
• Household Identifier: 113
• Line Number: 40
• Page Number: 17
• Affiliate Publication Number: M593
• Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
• Other People on This Record:
• David Likens M 30 years Virginia [Estimated birth year: 1840]
• Meredith S Likens M 10 years Virginia
  • Source^[5]

Marriage ~By 1878 Benjamin is in Ross County, Ohio where he married Ella Nora Houser in July

• Benj. F. Likens: Vital • Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958
• Name: Benj. F. Likens [Lykins]
• Sex: Male
• Spouse's Name: Ella N. Houser
• Spouse's Sex: Female
• Event Type: Marriage
• Event Date: 25 Jul 1878
• Event Place: Ross, Ohio, United States
• Reference: Volumes 1-2
  • Source^[6]

Side Note: 1880 his brother; Meredith who is listed on the 1870 Census is still listed in the home of his father on the 1880 Census which gives us needed information regarding David Lykins in terms of his second marriage in 1872 to Sarah Tully Cavendish:

• Meredith Lykins: United States Census, 1880
• Name: Meredith Lykins
• Age: 18
• Birth Date: Abt 1862
• Birthplace: West Virginia
• Home in 1880: Union, Monroe, West Virginia, USA
• Dwelling Number: 10
• Race: White
• Gender: Male
• Relation to Head of House: Son
• Marital Status: Single
• Occupation: Works On Farm
• Neighbors: View others on page
• Household Members (Name): Age Relationship
• David Lykins 50 Self (Head)
• Sarah Lykins 35 Wife
• Meredith Lykins 18 Son
• Nannie A. Lykins 5 Daughter
• Annie Cavendish 10 Stepdaughter (Step Daughter)

With the 1880 Census confirming that David Lykins did remarry we can use his second marriage record to confirm his parents; the grandparents of Benjamin: as John and Rebecca Lykins:

• David Lyken: Marriage • West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970
• Name David Lyken
• Event Type Marriage
• Marriage Date 21 Nov 1872
• Marriage Date 21 Nov 1872
• Marriage Place Fayette, West Virginia
• Father's Name John Lyken
• Mother's Name Rebecca Lyken
• Spouse's Name Sarah Cavendish
• Spouse's Father's Name Landyn Tully
• Spouse's Mother's Name Nancy Tully
• Source Reference County Records
• Record Number 12

Death: 1933 ~ Benjamin passed away in January of 1933 in Ross County, Ohio:

• Benjamin F Lykens: Death • Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953
• Name: Benjamin F Lykens
• Sex: Male
• Age: 76
• Birth Date: 20 Apr 1856
• Birthplace: West Va.
• Residence Date: 29 Jan 1933
• Residence Place: Frankfort, Ross, OH
• Burial Date: 01 Feb 1933
• Marital Status: Married
• Occupation: merchant, Pollroom
• Race: w
• Father's Name: David Lykens
• Father's Birthplace: West Va.
• Mother's Name: Sara [Jane] Hudson
• Spouse's Name: Ella Nora Lykens
• Event Type: Death
• Event Date: 29 Jan 1933
• Event Place: Frankfort, Ross, Ohio
• Event Place (Original): Frankfort, Ross, Ohio
• Cemetery: Frankfort
• Source Details: fn 5520
• Additional Relatives: X
  • Source^[7]

Side Note: 1936 ~ regarding his brother; Meredith - on his brother's death certificate their mother is listed as Jane Huddleston. Which has led to speculation that Benjamin's mother was Sarah/Susan Jane Huddleston rather than Hudson as listed on his record of death:

• Merdith Lykins in the Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017
• Name: Merdith Z Lykins [Meredith S Lykins]
• Gender: Male
• Race: White
• Age: 75
• Marital Status: Married
• Birth Date: 22 Jun 1860
• Birth Place: West Virginia
• Death Date: 21 Mar 1936
• Death Place: Ockley, Carroll, Indiana, USA
• Death Registration Date: 1936
• Father: David Lykins
• Mother: Jane Huadlston [Huddleston]
• Spouse: Alta Lykins

Additional Notes: Virginia Project

Notes regarding Benjamin's father: David Lykins (about 1830-1882)

David was born in about 1830 in Virginia and passed away in West Virginia in 1882. He is the son of John Lykins (abt 1799–1890) and it is believed that his mother was Rebecca Tucker (abt 1810–after 1870). John Lykins and Rebecca Tucker married on March 3, 1825^[8] in Kanawha, Virginia. He is listed with his parents on the 1850 Census:

• David Lykins: Census • United States Census, 1850
• Name: David Lykins
• Sex: Male
• Age: 20 years
• Birth Year (Estimated): 1830
• Race: White
• Event Type: Census
• Event Date: 1850
• Event Place: Fayette, Fayette, Virginia, United States
• Event Place (Original): Fayette county, part of, Fayette, Virginia, United States
• Household Identifier: 308
• House Number: 308
• Line Number: 23
• Schedule Type: 1850 Population
• Affiliate Publication Number: M432
• Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
• Other People on This Record:
• John Lykins M 50 years
• Rebecca Lykins F 39 years
• Jas Lykins M 23 years
• Lewis Lykins M 18 years
• Peter Lykins M 16 years
• Andr Lykins M 14 years
• Jinsey Lykins F 12 years
• Francis M Lykins M 10 years
• Littlebury Lykins M 8 years
• Erasmus Lykins M 6 years
• Wm Jasper Lykins M 4 years
• Herod Lykins M 1 years
• Jinsey Tucker F 64 years
  • Source^[9]

With this being said; the mother of David Lykins on his record of death is MARY?

• Name: David Lykins
• Sex: Male
• Marital Status: Married
• Death Date: 17 Sep 1882
• Death Place: Union, Monroe, W. Va.
• Father's Name: Jno. Lykins
• Mother's Name: Mary Lykins
• Spouse's Name: S. E. Lykins
• Source Reference: County Records
  • Source^[10]

Notes regarding Jane Huddleston the possible mother of Benjamin (about 1839-before 1870)

Jane is believed to be the daughter of: Nathan Huddleston (abt 1814–1890) and Elizabeth Rowland (abt 1814–1850) whom married on September 7, 1837 in Fayette, Virginia. Jane is listed on the 1850 Census in the home of her paternal grandparents:

• Jane Huddleston: Census • United States Census, 1850
• Name: Jane Huddleston
• Sex: Female
• Age: 11 years
• Birth Year (Estimated): 1839
• Race: White
• Event Type: Census
• Event Date: 1850
• Event Place: Fayetteville, Fayette, Virginia, United States
• Event Place (Original): Fayette county, part of, Fayette, Virginia, United States
• Household Identifier: 325
• House Number: 325
• Line Number: 10
• Schedule Type: 1850 Population
• Affiliate Publication Number: M432
• Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
• Other People on This Record:
• John P Huddleston M 77 years Virginia, United States
• Miriam Huddleston F 69 years
• Huldah Marsh F 47 years
• Nancy Peoples F 29 years
• Henry Marsh M 15 years
• William Marsh M 13 years
• Daniel Nihoof M 18 years
• Joseph Nihoof M 16 years
• Emily Peoples F 8 years
• George Peoples M 6 years
• Fleming Huddleston M 7 years
• John Huddleston M 5 years
  • Source^[11]

• 1886: J. Huddleston: Mentioned in the Record of Levi Bales -Virginia Lykins
• Name: Levi Bales
• Sex: Male
• Age: 46
• Birth Year (Estimated): 1840
• Birthplace: Ind.
• Marital: Status Unknown
• Race: White
• Father's Name: Jos. Bales
• Father's Sex: Male
• Mother's Name: Mary Cory
• Mother's Sex: Female
• Spouse's Name: Virginia Lykens
• Spouse's Sex: Female
• Spouse's Age: 24
• Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1862
• Spouse's Birthplace: Ind.
• Spouse's Marital Status: Single
• Spouse's Race: W
• Spouse's Ethnicity: American
• Spouse's Father's Name: David Lykens
• Spouse's Father's Sex: Male
• Spouse's Mother's Name: J. Huddleston
• Event Type: Marriage
• Event Date: 21 Oct 1886
• Event Place: Millville, Henry, Indiana, United States
• Source Details: V1 R170
  • Source^[12]
  • Question Where is Virginia on the 1870 Census; she is not listed in the home of David Lykins

• 1888: Jane Huddlester [Huddleston]: Mentioned in the Record of Mandfield A. Lykins (Jane Huddlester's Son)
• Name: Mandfield A. Lykins
• Sex: Male
• Age: 29
• Birth Year (Estimated): 1859
• Father's Name: David Lykins
• Father's Sex: Male
• Mother's Name: Jane Huddlester [Huddleston]
• Mother's Sex: Female
• Spouse's Name: Emma F. Kish
• Spouse's Sex: Female
• Spouse's Age: 28
• Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1860
• Spouse's Father's Name: Samuel Kish
• Spouse's Father's Sex: Male
• Spouse's Mother's Name: Diadem. M..son
• Event Type: Marriage
• Event Date: 23 Jul 1888
• Event Place: Winchester, Randolph, Indiana, United States
• Source Details: it 2 p 45
  • Source^[13]
  • Question is Mandfield the McFerson listed on the 1860 Census? birth year estimate matches

• 1948: Jane Huddleston: Mentioned in the Record of Elizabeth Susan Lykins Wills (Jane Huddleston's Daughter)
• Name: Elizabeth Susan Wills
• Sex: Female
• Age: 86 years 5 months 11 days
• Marital Status: Widowed
• Birth Date: 19 Sep 1861
• Birthplace: Fayette Co., W. Va.
• Death Date: 01 Mar 1948
• Death Place: Gallagher, Kanawha, W. Va.
• Burial Date: 04 Mar 1948
• Burial Place: Ewington, Ohio
• Cemetery: Mt. Cove
• Father's Name: David Lykens
• Father's Birthplace: Virginia
• Mother's Name: Jane Huddleston
• Mother's Birthplace: Virginia
• Spouse's Name: Lawrence P. Wills
• Source Reference: County Records
  • Source^[14]
  • Question Where is Elizabeth on the 1870 Census; she is not listed in the home of David Lykins

Records needed:

• Marriage record for David Lykins and Jane Huddleston
• Record of death for Jane Huddleston Lykins

Sources

1. ↑ "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZXF-VQ7 : Wed Oct 18 15:53:28 UTC 2023), Entry for Benj. F. Lykins and Ella N. Houser, 25 Jul 1878.
2. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53417614/benjamin-franklin-lykins: accessed 01 January 2024), memorial page for Benjamin Franklin Lykins (20 Apr 1856–29 Jan 1933), Find a Grave Memorial ID 53417614, citing Greenlawn Cemetery, Frankfort, Ross County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by Elizabeth Shaffer (contributor 47232573).
3. ↑ "West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRRW-JRP : 12 December 2019), Benjamin F. Lykins, 1857.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M417-TGV : Thu Oct 05 14:03:36 UTC 2023), Entry for David Lykins and Jane Lykins, 1860.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZH7-KVF : Thu Oct 05 16:46:45 UTC 2023), Entry for David Likens and Benjamin F Likens, 1870.
6. ↑ "Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDV8-3PV : 20 June 2020), Benj. F. Likens, 1878.
7. ↑ "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X63T-2W3 : Tue Dec 19 23:26:14 UTC 2023), Entry for Benjamin F Lykens and David Lykens, 29 Jan 1933.
8. ↑ "West Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1776-1971", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZF-38S3 : Wed Oct 04 10:15:30 UTC 2023), Entry for John Likens and Rebecca Tucker, 3 March 1825.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1850", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8DM-QGK : Wed Oct 04 00:55:01 UTC 2023), Entry for John Lykins and Rebecca Lykins, 1850.
10. ↑ "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMKB-3D9 : 10 March 2018), Jno. Lykins in entry for David Lykins, 17 Sep 1882; citing Union, Monroe, W. Va., County Records, v 1 p 49, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 589,915.
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1850", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8DM-CW6 : Fri Oct 06 18:10:21 UTC 2023), Entry for John P Huddles and Miriam Huddleston, 1850.
12. ↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HSLK-BFT2 : 13 January 2020), Virginia Lykens in entry for Levi Bales, 1886.
13. ↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XF8J-Y8W : 13 January 2020), Jane Huddlester in entry for Mandfield A. Lykins, 1888.
14. ↑ "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMHR-RW4 : 10 March 2018), Jane Huddleston in entry for Elizabeth Susan Wills, 01 Mar 1948; citing Kanawha, West Virginia, County Records, 3337, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 1,984,019.