16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry - Soldiers Profile for Pvt. Samuel Lay Jacoby

16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Soldier's Profile
Benjamin Franklin Heckert
Private, Company "C" (90-day)
Lieutenant, Company "K"

Personal
birthdate:	March 29, 1840	place:	Wayne County, Ohio
died:	April 12, 1911	place:	Lansing, Michigan	buried::	Prospect Hill Cemetery, Paw Paw, Michigan
father:	John David Heckert	birthdate:	1801	place:	Virginia
		died:	1844	place:	Wayne County, Ohio (assumed)
mother:	Saloma Hirsch	birthdate:	1808	place:	Pennsylvania
		died:	1879	place:
pre-war occupation:	teacher	place:	Canaan Academy, Canaan, Ohio
post-war occupation:	village attorney/Justice of Peace/Circuit Court Commisioner	place:	South Haven, Michigan	1870-1875
post-war occupation:	Prosecuting Attorney	place:	Paw Paw, Michigan	1875-1887
post-war occupation:	Probate Judge	place:	Paw Paw, Michigan	1888-
post-war occupation:	State Representative	place:	Paw Paw & Lansing, Michigan	1909-1911
married:	April 30, 1868	to:	Emily Metcalf Barr	place:	Wayne County, Ohio
wife born::		died:		place:
adopted child:	Bessie	birthdate:	18xx	place:	Michigan
Military Career
entered 90-day service:	April 27, 1861	private	Company C, 16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
discharged:	August 18, 1861	mustered out on expiration of terms of service	Columbus, Ohio
entered 3-year service:	September 10, 1861	1st Sergeant	Company K, 16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
promoted:	February 3, 1862	2nd Lieutenant	Company K, 16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
promoted:	May 9, 1864	1st Lieutenant	Company K, 16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
discharged:	October 31, 1864	mustered out on expiration of terms of service	Columbus, Ohio

Additional Details

* Detailed information provided by Freemason researcher Tim Stegg and from other sources. Image credits listed below image:

Excerpt from a historical work from Michigan:

Addendum from Tim Stegg:
The (above) bio was written while he was still living. What it doesn't tell is that he was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives for Van Buren County and served in that capacity until his death. I imagine that is why he was in Lansing (the State Capitol of Michigan) when he died instead of being near his home in Paw Paw, MI. He also adopted a daughter sometime around late 1800's, early 1900's as she can be found on a census and as signer of his death certificate.

Shortly after graduating law school he became the village attorney for South Haven, MI. He lived in South Haven from 1870 until 1875. (He can be found on the 1870 US Fed Census in South Haven). While in South Haven he served as Master of Star of the Lake Lodge #158 F & AM. (Upon finding his tombstone photo), at first glance I thought he had a Federal Eagle representing his service in the Union Army. But, after further examination, I noticed it's actually a double-headed eagle. He was also a member of the AASR Valley of Grand Rapids, i.e., Scottish Rite Freemasons which is represented by a double eagle.

I also found that Co. K had two other Heckerts: Elias and Levi. These two were brothers and B.F.'s first cousins. i.e., B.F.'s father's brother's sons. So, of the three Heckerts in Company K who charged the Confederates for Sherman that day in December (Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Dec. 29, 1862), one was killed, one was taken prisoner and one was able to retreat.

From U.S. Federal Census Recordes - note various name spellings:
1850 - Benjamine F Heckert - Canaan, Wayne, OH
1860 - Benjamin Hackard - Canaan, Wayne, OH
1870 - B F Heckert - South Haven, Van Buren, MI
1880, 1900, 1910 - Benjamin F Heckert - Paw Paw, Van Buren, MI

From PoliticalGraveyard.com:
Benjamin Franklin Heckert (1840-1911) - also known as Benjamin F. Heckert - of Paw Paw, Van Buren County, Mich. Born in Wayne County, Ohio, March, 1840. Son of John David Heckert (1801-1844) and Salome (Hirsch) Heckert (1808-1879); married 1868 to Emily Metcalf Barr. Served in the Union Army during the Civil War; lawyer; probate judge in Michigan; candidate for circuit judge in Michigan 36th Circuit, 1899; delegate to Michigan state constitutional convention 8th District, 1907-08; member of Michigan state house of representatives from Van Buren County, 1909-11; died in office 1911. German ancestry. Member, Freemasons; Shriners. Died in Lansing, Ingham County, Mich., April 12, 1911 (age 71 years, 0 days). Burial location: Prospect Hill Cemetery, Paw Paw, Michigan.