Photo added    May 13, 2006

BENJAMIN COULTER COVINGTON

 "A Chronology of Benjamin Coulter Covington, son of John "Big John" Coulter and Margaret 
Thomas Covington and brother of my 2nd great grandmother, Catherine John Covington who married John Calvin 
Ussery". John Ussery    Posted by Myrtle Bridges    March 13, 2005

BENJAMIN COULTER COVINGTON was born circa 1845 Black Jack District, Richmond County, North Carolina;

He is found in the census of Sep 20, 1850 on page #296-A; line 28, Black Jack District, Richmond County, 
North Carolina. He is the son of John "Big John" Coulter Covington (cir. 1808 – bef. 1870) and Margaret 
Thomas (Oct 9, 1812 – 1856)

He is found in the census of Jul 24, 1860 on page #361-A; line 39, Rockingham District, Rockingham Post 
Office, Richmond County, North Carolina.

He began military service in May, 1862 mustered into "I" Company of the 2nd North Carolina Artillery 
Regiment (36th State Troops), North Carolina. This unit was stationed at Fort Fisher in New Hanover County, 
North Carolina. After the fall of Fort Fisher, the unit was used as an infantry regiment. It apparently 
then took the designation of the "I" Company, 36th North Carolina Infantry Regiment. They fought 
as infantry in the Battle of Bentonville with the Army of Tennessee. The unit surrendered along with the 
Army of Tennessee in April of 1865.

He is found in the census of Sep 4, 1870 on page #556-B; line 37, Mineral Springs Township, Rockingham 
Post Office, Richmond County, North Carolina. The census shows he is a farmer; Benjamin is found living 
next to his step-grandmother, Hannah Covington, the second wife of his grandfather, Benjamin Coulter 
Covington. He appears to be farming her land and he has a number of black farm hands enumerated with him. 
I suspect these farm hands are the ex-slaves that were left to Hannah in her husband Benjamin's Will of 
July 3, 1850 and probated in the July 1855 session of the Court.

He between 1871 and 1872 relocated to, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Benjamin, his brothers, Robert 
Thomas Covington, and Rev. David A. Covington and sisters Susan B. Covington and Sarah J. Covington Mason 
and her husband Presley Mason all left Richmond County shortly after the 1870 census was taken and moved 
to Lauderdale County, Mississippi. There are all found there in the 1880 census. His sister Frances M. 
Covington left Richmond County sometime after the 1880 census where she is found living with Hannah 
Covington, her step-grandmother, and joined her siblings in Lauderdale County, Mississippi.

He is found in the census of Jun, 1880 on page # 173-C, Tunnel Hill, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. 
The census shows he is a farmer.

He is found in the census of Apr 21, 1910 on page # 741-A; line 19, on Beach Boulevard, Mississippi 
City (now Biloxi), Harrison County, Mississippi. Benjamin is found living at Beauvoir, the last home 
of Confederacy President, Jefferson Davis. After Jefferson Davis' death the grounds were converted to 
an Old Soldiers Home and Cemetery. During the latter years of his life Benjamin made money carving walking 
canes. He donated $400.00 earned carving these canes to have a wall built around the Ussery/Covington 
Cemetery North of Cartledge Creek Church in Richmond County, North Carolina. The wall is still there 
today and completely encircles the 200’ X 200’ cemetery. I have pictures of this wall in my files.

He is found in the census of Jan 3, 1920 on page # 128-A; line 26, 2244 Beach Boulevard, Mississippi City 
(now Biloxi), Harrison County, Mississippi. He is still living at Beauvoir.

He died on Oct 22, 1923 at Beauvoir; Jeff Davis Veterans Home, 2244 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, Harrison 
County, Mississippi. He was buried after Oct 22, 1923 in the Cemetery at Beauvoir Veterans Home and 
Cemetery, 2244 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, Harrison County, Mississippi. Beauvoir was the last home of 
Confederate President Jefferson Davis. After Davis' death, Beauvoir evolved into the Jefferson Davis 
Soldiers Home, a retirement home and hospital facility for disabled and/or indigent Confederate veterans 
and their dependents. One requirement for admission was that the veteran must have been a resident of 
Mississippi for at least one year. Many of these veterans and their dependents are buried at Beauvoir 
Confederate Cemetery, which is located at the extreme northwest corner of the estate. The cemetery 
contains a total of 771 graves, most of them marked. Records of Beauvoir show Benjamin's date of death 
and confirm that he is buried in the cemetery on the grounds of Beauvoir. Cemetery at Beauvoir, 2244 
Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, Harrison County, Mississippi.

The above photograph was taken on the steps of Beauvoir which at the time was an Old Confederate 
Soldiers Home, prior to that it was the home of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy.  The 
gentleman in the front of the picture is Benjamin Coulter Covington. The lady standing behind him is 
Agatha "Aggie" Aganora Covington Goodwin.  The girl sitting on the banister is Annie Mae Goodwin, 
daughter of "Aggie" and William Fletcher Goodwin.  The girl standing next to "Aggie" is Lula "Lula 
Fae" Frances Goodwin, a step-daughter of Aggie's.

The photograph was sent to me by Martha Goodwin Smylie, a daughter of Annie Mae Goodwin who is in the 
picture. It is with her permission I'm submitting the picture.  As best as I can determine the picture 
was taken about 1917/1918.

Agatha "Aggie" Anganora Covington  (Sept. 18, 1880 – Jan. 9, 1967) is the daughter (one of a set of 
twins) of Thomas Jefferson Covington (May 28, 1847 – Apr. 10, 1930) and his second wife, Mary Elizabeth 
Covington (Jan 13, 1855 – Sep 16, 1904.  Thomas Jefferson Covington is the son of Thomas John Covington 
and his wife Hannah Covington.  Mary Elizabeth Covington is the daughter of Alfred D. Covington and his 
first wife Ann P. Newton. 

William Fletcher Goodwin married three times.  His first wife was Mamie Morgan and they had no children.  
His second wife was Lula Belle Davis and they had one daughter, Lula "Lula Fae" Frances Goodwin who 
appears in this picture.  William's third wife was Agatha "Aggie" Aganora Covington with whom he had 
two children; Annie Mae Goodwin who appears in this picture and a son Newton DeKalb Goodwin.

Martha Goodwin Smylie tells me that her grandmother referred to Benjamin Coulter Covington as "Uncle 
Ben".  However, research will show he was not her uncle, but because of the numerous Covington 
intermarriages in both of their lines, that Agatha "Aggie" was actually;  1. a second cousin twice 
removed; 2. a fourth cousin once removed; 3.  a third cousin twice removed; and 4. a fourth cousin 
twice removed.  I think it's a great example of why the Covington family is so difficult to trace.

Like Benjamin Coulter Covington and a number of his siblings, Thomas Jefferson Covington and his 
brother Benjamin Franklin Covington left Richmond County, North Carolina about 1870 and settled in 
Lauderdale County, Mississippi.  I don't have any information that would prove it, but it appears 
possible that the two families went together. John Ussery   May 12, 2006