Joseph Bennett's military stone set at Akers Chapel

THE MILITARY STONE of Joseph Bennett who was laid to rest at Akers Chapel, north of Hull, in 1869. Bennett served in the United States Army during the War of 1812. Originally born in Virginia in 1785, Bennett would marry his wife, Sarah in 1827, in her native state of Ohio. What made Bennett’s case so unique is very few people buried in Pike County, fought in the War of 1812. After his death, Joseph Bennett did not receive a military stone like so many of his comrades. The process to acquire a military stone for Bennett was a multi-year process that included multiple stones being sent, after the first one had been broken in half during delivery.

JOSEPH BENNETT’S original stone that was given to him after his death. When Kevin Dunker and Kathy Robinson first came across this stone, it had broken into different pieces, including the base. While they were able to repair most of the stone, they opted to bury the rest of the base next to it. Bennett is buried next to his wife and two stones away from his daughter. This has been one of Dunker and Robinson’s most popular projects, garnering the attention of the West Pike community. Akers Chapel is still in use today and is one of the oldest active cemeteries in the county.

SARAH ELIZABETH BENNETT’S stone that is only a few feet away from her husband’s stone. In fact, her plot sits between that of her daughter and husband. Sarah was born Ross County, Ohio, in February of 1812. She was almost 27 years younger than Bennett and was burn during his active duty in the War of 1812. She married Joseph in 1827 in Ohio, at the young age of 15, before the two of them would head West, ultimately settling in Pike County. She outlived her husband by 21 years and passed away in 1890. In a dated document from the U.S. Pension Agency, it shows Sarah received $12 every month as a widow, due to Joseph’s service in the military.