Benjamin Franklin Havens was born on 24 July 1837 in Rush County, Indiana. His parents were Elizabeth Oliver and John Parker Havens. He enlisted in the 89th Indiana Infantry Regiment in 1862. During an engagement at Munfordville, Kentucky his hearing was damaged and he retired from the army and returned home. He married in 1863 and by 1865 moved to Terre Haute where he worked in a law practice and the fire insurance business. He served in the Indiana State Legislature, was the mayor of Terre Haute, and held several other prominent positions. During the Spanish American War he was commissioned as an Assistant Paymaster in the Army. After the war he moved to Georgia to live with his daughter and died in January 1914.
From the description of Collection, 1861-1914. (Indiana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 71324787
