Lt. Jhilson Payne Cummins

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40329027/jhilson-payne-cummins

http://politicalstrangenames.blogspot.com/2018/10/jhilson-payne-cum...

The son of Daniel and Nancy Ellender (Collier) Cummins, Jhilson Payne Cummins was born in Jackson County, Indiana on November 26, 1838.

In 1858 he married his first wife Nancy Emmons, who died just eight months later. In 1862 Cummins remarried to Sarah Lutes (1846-1883), with whom he had several children, including Nancy Emeline, Esther Eveline, Howard (1868-1896), Charlotte (1870-1914), Thomas (died in infancy in 1872), George Marion Arthur (1876-1921), James Payne (1878-1960) and Fred.

At the dawn of the Civil War Jhilson Cummins signed on for service, enlisting in Co. G of the 5th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.    He was elected as First Lieutenant and would see action at the "battles of Atlanta, Campagne, Columbus, Franklin, and Nashville", and in 1865 was promoted to Brevet Major.

Tragedy would strike Cummins in 1883 when his wife of twenty years, Sarah, died aged 37. He remarried in the year following her death to Lenora Davis, about whom little is known. Following her death, Cummins became a three-time widower, and in January 1893 married for a fourth time, taking Malinda Pemberton Davis Benedict (1846-1934) as his wife.