Random Thoughts
Even though there was a cold winter blizzard blasting Marion that night, Dr. Joe Hannaford hitched his horse to a buggy and drove into the country to check a patient. The patient's family told the doctor of a small child being treated cruelly at a neighboring farm. He felt duty-bound to investigate the matter. He drove there. We don't know what he said to the farmer but he found a small, seven or eight-year-old black child shivering in the barn. He wrapped him in his lap robe and placed him in the buggy and took him home. He found the boy had frozen fingers and toes so bad that he had to amputate them.
As soon as the boy was able, he provided a place for him. There he got strong enough to help with the doctor's horses.
The doctor cared for him until he died in 1900 at the age of 37 years. The doctor had him buried in Marion Cemetery and he placed a stone thereon. The inscription read, "Ben Bransford, born in Nashville, Tenn. Died Jan. 19, 1900, aged 37 years. Erected by Dr. J.N. Hannaford whoever found in Ben, a true friend, in the sunshine and shadows of life."
The stone became so weathered you could barely read the epitaph, so our family had it restored. For years we had always placed flowers there on Memorial Day. We have a picture of Ben holding the doctor's five-year-old son and in childish handwriting is the wording, "I'll take care of you Uncle Ben." He has a beautiful face.
Do you suppose he was a runaway boy from a slave? We will never know. Mystery has its charms.
— NORMA HANNAFORD
