Bio: Lieut. Gov. Benjamin Wiley Pearce, Franklin & Bienville Parish Louisiana Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890 Submitted by: Kay Thompson Brown ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ************************************************ LIEUT. GOV. BENJAMIN WILEY PEARCE (deceased) On October 8, 1870, there died at his residence in Bienville Parish, Lieut.-Gov. Benjamin W. Pearce, a man possessed of a noble, generous heart, and whose deeds of heroism, generosity a and manly fortitude will ever live in the minds of his countrymen. He was originally from Georgia, his birth occurring on December 15, 1816, and was the eldest of tivo cbildren~three sons and two daughters, of whom only two are now living. The children were named in the order of their births as follows: Gov. Pearce (deceased), Mary Ann (resides in Auburn, Ala., and was married the last time to Mr. Whitman, a Baptist preacher), William A. (was an agriculturist and died when about thirty years of age), Julia (deceased), and John L. (who is engaged in agricultural pursuits near Arcadia, La.). The parents of these children were natives of Georgia, and were educated in the old common schools. The father was a farmer. Gov. Pearce received the rudiments of an education in the common schotAs, then attended the University of Charlottesville, Va., for about two years, but on account of failing health he left that institution and entered the college at Tuscaloosa, Ala., finally graduating from the law department. He was a gentleman whose parents were very wealthy, and he received that culture and refineruent obligatory on the part of a Southern gentleman's son. Gov. Pearce was one of the most determined, energetic, and progressive men of his age, and was looked upon as one who would stand most prominent in the annals of his country's history. He commenced life as a finely equipped attorney at law at Wetumpka, Ala., in the year 1840, and on July 21, 1842, he was united in marriage to Miss Anne H. Hall, a native of Alabama, horn on July 11, 1828. Mrs. Pearce had received a finished education in the female academy at Montgomery, Ala., hut previously bad been educated under a governess. The result of this union was the birth of six children-two sons and four daughters: Sarah H. (resides near Bienville and is the wife of H. M. King, who is a cotton planter), Mary Ann (resides in Bienville, and is the wife of Dr. S. B. Du Bose, a practicing physician and surgeon), William J. (is married and resides in Shelby County, Tex., where he is engaged as a planter), Julia (died in infancy), Kate T. (resides in Sparta, La., and on April 8, 1878, she was married to B. P. Edwaris, an attorney at law and one of the legal lights of the parish; he is a graduate of Bethel College, Russellville, Ky.), and Stephen D. (married and resides in Ruston, La.), the latter is a thoroughly educated gentleman, an attorney at law, and is a journalist of note. Gov. Pearce organized Company C, Ninth Louisiana Infantry Volunteers, during the Rebellion, and was appointed captain of the same. This was ordered first to Camp Moore, from there to Virginia, arriving a few days after the battle of Bull Run, butt Gov. Pearce's health gave out finally, and he was honorably discharged, returning home to serve his country in other directions. He was an enthusiastic, energetic, liberty-loving patriot who loved his country and his people, and who did all in his power to further the interests of all. He was a stalwart and stanch Democrat of the true type and an active politician, aiming to use his influence for measures most prominent for the good of his country. He and family moved to Arkansas in 1844, settled in Ouachita County, and there remained for four years. Gov. Pearce became identified with his county as representative to the State Legislature, and was one of the prominent pushers in the woman's rights bill in regard to the rights of property. He remained in Arkansas until 1848, moved from there a short time afterward to Franklin Parish, La., thence to Alabama, where he resided three years, and then in 1851, came to Bienville Parish, settling near the present site of Bienville, where he was engaged as an agriculturist, ginner and miller. Gov. Pearce represented Bienville Parish in the Legislature for many years, and afterward served as State Senator of Louisiana. In 1862 or 1863 he was elected to the high and exalted position of lieutenant-governor of Louisiana, which was the last office he held previous to his dcath. Success is the best test of merit in this life. As has been seen, Gov. Pearce has been one of the foremost men of his day in Louisiana, and he was tendered and asked by the people of his State to accept the gubernatorial chair of Louisiana, also tendered the position of United States Senator of that State. He was in independent circumstances before the war, but lost almost his entire fortune during that eventful period, and had to start frorn the beginning again. In his death Louisiana lost one of her most prominent men, and Bienville Parish an excellent and much esteemed citizen. He lived and died a sincere, active and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, with which he had been connected for over forty years, and was a great Sunday school worker. Mrs. Pearce, who still survives her husband, has also been a member of the same church for forty years. and is a typical Southern lady, genial, cordial and hospitable. She is held in the highest regard by her many friends and neighbors.