Benedict Joseph Blincoe [7541]
1894-1965
Father Nm: Dr Aloysius Gonzaga Blincoe [7515]^ born 11.9.1844 Manton Washington died 10.12.1904 Bardstown Ky
Mother Nm: Jane Pottinger Spalding [7749] 1853-1920.
Marriage Dt:
K comments: 
Father Aloysius Gonzaga Blincoe served as a Private in Buckners Guards, Kentucky Cavalry, Confederate Army, USA Civil War. An extended family of military service in both world wars
Spouse comments: Edith Bell Stalz 1896-1984.
Children: Benedict Joseph 1936.
1900 Census Bardstown, Nelson, Kentucky
- Alwishus Blencoe 55 Doctor
- Jane P Blencoe 34
- Anne E Blencoe 23
- Robert Blencoe 22
- Catherine M Blencoe 18
- Thomas J Blencoe 14
- Richard A Blencoe 14
- Jane F Blencoe 13
- Mary Blencoe 9
- Benedict J Blencoe 7
Benedict Joseph Blincoe was born in Bardstown, KY in December of 1894, the eleventh child and fourth son of Dr Aloysius Gonzaga Blincoe and Jane Pottieger Spalding. [Helen Simpson notes in the Fall 1998 Blencowe Family newsletter that there were 134 direct descendants of Dr A.G. Blincoe in the Association database.] Ben was a self-taught man, his only nature study aide being a pocket edition of a bird guide. While a young man in KY he contributed field notes to several nature periodicals of the time, the Auk, Wilson Ornithological Bulletin and Audubon Field Notes.
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| Sixth Infantry Division |
WW1
Blincoe Benedict Joseph, Private 1st Class, 413932, Coy A. 52nd Infantry, 6th Division.
The definite evidence of Ben serving is the photograph (top left) and a record requesting Ben to report for duty.
Relatives also recall Ben being in the Army and in possession of the photograph which they have dated on the back WW1 1917-1918. Family recall Ben being in the Argonne Forest which places him under the Command of General Pershing and with the AEF in France
1918
- 1st May. Inducted for service to report to Fort Thomas Ky.
- 6th Jun. Camp Forest Georgia. On this day Ben writes a letter to Susan? which is published it’s very valuable because it gives his unit and whereabouts.
- Jul. New York. The units of the division gathered in New York and left for France in July 1918.
- 17thJul – 28th Aug. Arriving first in England on the 17th July then onto France ,the last units arriving in France, August 28th, 1918. From England the troops were transported to France, beginning July 21st, landing at Le Havre. Preceding the division, the engineers arrived on May 18th at Brest and were engaged in construction work at Gievres before joining the division in August near Chateauvillain. The artillery landed at Le Havre on July 29th and began its training at Valdahon. After another short period of training, consisting primarily of forced marches, the division hiked itself into the closing campaign of the war. After training in the vicinity of Chateauvillain, the division, less artillery, left on August 27th, 1918, for Gerardmer where it occupied, under French command, a sector in the Vosages until October 11th, 1918.
- 31st Aug-11th Oct. Vosges sector. After marching and training all over western France, the Sixth was assigned on 31st August to the Vosges sector. There, a chain of lofty wooded peaks had stalemated both the French and German armies. Their mission was the defence of a 21-mile front. The division engaged in active patrols in no man’s land and behind the German lines. In addition, infantry platoon strongpoints defended against German raiding parties which launched their attacks using liquid fire and grenades. The division developed its reputation for hiking and nickname of “The Sightseeing Sixth” when, prior to the Argonne offensive, it engaged in extensive fake marches, often under enemy artillery and air bombardment, to deceive the Germans into thinking a major attack was to take place in the Vosges sector.
- 27th Oct. On October 27th the division was moved from Gerardmer by rail to the vicinity of Les Islettes and established headquarters at Beauchamp Farm.
- 2nd Nov. The Meuse-Argonne offensive. On November 2nd, 1918, the division began to march forward in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. On November 6th, headquarters were established at Stonne. Marched to a sector northeast of Verdun and entered the line on November 14th. Relieved on November 21st, and proceeded to the 14th training area. November 30th, the division headquarters was established at Aignay-le-Duc.
- During its three months at the front, the 6th Division lost 227 men killed in action or died of wounds. It maintained an active defence in one important sector and played a major role in the tactical plan in another.
After the armistice, the six-point Red Star was adopted as the division insignia on 19 November 1918. This six-point Red Star became a part of the 52nd Infantry’s crest to mark the regiment’s first combat with the 6th Division.
1919
- 5 Jun. Ben and the bulk of the division departed from Brest, France bound for Hoboken NJ. aboard the USS Leviathan. The division continued its service at Camp Grant, Illinois and was deactivated on 30th September 1921.
Sources
- Sarah Blincoe Grenitz niece of Ben provided information and his photograph.
- Kentucky State Archives.
Medals
Ben wais entitled ta o Victory medal with a France clasp. It is also likely he received the Kentucky Service medal.
After the War
1920 Census Bardstown, Nelson, Kentucky with in-laws
Name: Ben J Blincoe, Age: 26 Birth Year: abt 1894, Birthplace: Kentucky, Occupation: Farmer
1921
From relative “Ben and two of his brothers, Thomas Jackson “Jack” and Richard Aloysius “Louis” [my dad] left Kentucky and bought 5 1/2 acres of land north of Dayton, Ohio and established the Blincoe Brothers’ Greenhouse and Nursery.”
ornithologist Book: Birds of Dayton and Central Miami Valley Ohio
Ben was an early member of the Dayton Audubon Society. One of his major contributions to the society was the establishment of the Christmas Bird Count, part of the count taken each year by the national society. He organized and kept detailed records of this count from 1923 until his death in December of 1965. By his own estimate, he spent over 2000 hours observing wildlife at the Englewood Dam Lake and area, a two-mile drive from the greenhouse. Many of those hours were spent observing waterfowl. Following his death, a marble stone memorial was placed along the Englewood Lake naming the surrounding area Benedict J. Blincoe Wildfowl Sanctuary.
1930 Census Randolph, Montgomery, Ohio
- Benjamin Bliner 33 Florist Green House
- Edith Bliner 33
1940 Census Randolph, Montgomery, Ohio
- Benedict Blincoe 45 Owner Florist Business
- Edith Blincoe 44
- Joseph Blincoe 3
1942 US Draft ‘Old Men’
1965 Death age 71 years
Burial: Calvary Cemetery, Kettering, Montgomery County, Ohio, Plot: Sec 36 Lot 22 Sp 6
Gallery
