Benjamin F. Martin was born in March 1849 at
Pike Twp., Coshocton Co., Ohio. He was the son of
Benjamin Martin and
Ann Rakestraw. Benjamin was committed to the Licking Co. Infirmary because he had no means of support and that he was likely mentally retarded due to brain damage suffered during his birth, which his mother died from. Benjamin F. Martin died on 28 October 1869 at
Newark, Licking Co., Ohio, at age 20; In the 5 November 1869 weekly edition of the "Newark American" on page 4 comes the following article:
THE INFIRMARY TRAGEDY
We briefly recorded in our last issue the fact that the stone building at the Infirmary had been consumed by fire, and that a number of persons had perished in the flames. There is little to add by way of particulars, to the terrible truth already announced. There were ten insane persons in the building, confined in cells, at the time it took fire. They, of course, had no possible means of releasing themselves, and no help from without came in time to save them from death in its most appalling form. The following is the list of names of those who perished in the flames: John Devore, Moses Carol, Hannah Rostover, John McMannus, Sam'l Clark, Julia Morgan, Wm. Van Dyne, B. J. Morter (that should read B.F. Martin) and Geo. Criner.
They had all been at the Infirmary for periods varying from eight to twelve years, and although some of them, at irregular intervals, had apparently lucid moments, they were all supposed to be hopelessly insane.