Colonel Benjamin T. Du Val was born in Boone county, Virginia (now West Virginia), 12st of January, 1827, of Huguenot descent; his father, Captain William Du Val, a native of Maryland, was a merchant and Indian trader, and in 1828 established a trading-post on the Arkansas river at Fort Smith, where he removed his family in 1829. Young Ben was educated in the primary and rudimentary branches of education at Fort Smith by private tutors, and was sent from thence at an early age to St. Joseph’s College at Bardstown, Kentucky, where, at the expiration of three and one-half years, he graduated in his seventeenth year. After leaving college he returned to Arkansas, and for a while read law under Judge Jesse Turner at Van Buren. He next studied law under that profound scholar, profound lawyer, and great and brilliant man, General Albert Pike, at Little Rock, and under his guidance was admitted to the bar in 1847, but did not then enter on the practice of his profession. He acted as deputy United States marshal until some time in 1849, when he opened a law office in Fort Smith, where he has since continuously resided.

In 1852 he was presidential elector on the democratic ticket, and as one of the three electors cast the vote of Arkansas for Franklin Pierce. In 1856 he was elected chief clerk of the lower house of the State legislature, and drew up, and by his influence secured the passage of the bill creating Sebastian county. In 1856 he took the stump against that short-lived political heresy, known as know-nothingism, and did good service at the funeral. In 1858 he was elected to the legislature as an anti-Johnson democrat, and on the resignation of Oliver H. Oats, was elected speaker of the house of representatives. In 1860, the electors of Sebastian county re-elected him to the legislature, and he was made chairman of the committee on Federal relations.

In 1861 he was appointed paymaster-general of the Arkansas State troops. In 1862 he was appointed quarter-master on General Fagan’s staff and staff and served in that capacity until the end of the war, and was in the engagements at Helena, Mark’s Mill, Pilot Knob and engagements attending Price’s raid into Missouri. After the war he opened a law office in New Orleans and practiced there one year, but became dissatisfied at the political outlook in Louisiana and came back to Fort Smith. In 1872 he was a candidate on the coalition ticket for attorney-general of the State and was elected, but was “counted out” by the radical party. In 1874 he was employed by the government to investigate frauds in Federal expenditures in the western district of Arkansas, and did his work well. He as frequently been appointed special supreme court judge, a very clear indication of his recognized legal attainments. Colonel Du Val is an active, sagacious, far-seeing politician, is always called into council by the democratic leaders, has frequently been prominently spoken of as a jurist fitted for a seat on the supreme bench, and as good senatorial material, but he cares nothing for office, is instinctively modest and retiring, and will not embark in contest for his individual promotion. He is both by blood and marriage, connected with many prominent men; his sister Catharine married Major Elias Rector, one of the most noted men of his day; his paternal aunt, Susan Du Val, married William Nesbit, member of congress from South Carolina; his paternal aunt, Julia Du Val, married Pierce W. Butler, governor of South Carolina; his cousin, Isaac H. Du Val, was a general in the Federal army and member of congress from West Virginia; his uncle, Edward W. Du Val, was Indian agent for the Cherokees a number of years; his father was a man of great energy and force of character.