Civil War

Biographical Sketch of John B. Williams

John B. Williams was the son of Cordey and Mary Williams, was born upon a farm in Callaway county, Missouri, August 11, 1844. When he was two years old his parents removed to Montgomery county and settled on a farm near Danville, where he lived until seven years of age. In the spring of 1853 his parents again changed their place of residence, this time moving to Gentry county, near Albany, where he lived until he reached his seventeenth year, when, in 1861, he enlisted in the Union army, joining Colonel Manlove Cranor’s regiment of six months militia. At the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph A. Wickham

Joseph A. Wickham was born in Monroe, Michigan, November 14, 1844. When he arrived at the age of ten years his father died, and he left his native place and went to Brunswick, Chariton county, Missouri, to live with an uncle. There he lived for five years and attended the common schools of that place. In 1861 he served in the Missouri State Guards under General John B. Clark, and in 1862 went to Norwalk, Huron county, Ohio, to finish the jeweler’s trade under James A. Wilkinson, with whom he worked a year before leaving Brunswick. In 1863 he enlisted … Read more

Biography of Ebenezer West

Ebenezer West was born near Parkersburg, in Montgomery county, Indiana, February 9, 1829. He lived in his native county until he reached the age of eight years, when his parents removed to Boone county, same State, and settled near Lebanon, where he lived with them until attaining his majority. On the 28th of November, 1850, he was united in marriage to Miss Julia Ann Robinson, and began farming upon a farm he had previously purchased, in Boone county, and there continued to live until 1853, when he sold his farm and removed to Lebanon. There he was employed for two … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas R. Shaw

Was born near Decatur, Macon county, Illinois, June 19, 1845. In 1846. his parents removed to Iowa and settled near Mount Pleasant. He completed his education in the Mount Pleasant high school under Prof. John. A. Smith, in 1861. From that time until 1864, he was employed as a clerk, excepting one year spent in visiting relatives at Lexington, Kentucky. In 1864 he enlisted in Company A, Forty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry for a term of 100 days. At the expiration of his enlistment he returned home and soon after made a prospecting tour to the Missouri River, visiting Omaha, Plattsmouth, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. John N. Raley

John N. Raley is a native of Belmont county, Ohio, and was born April 11, 1829; his parents were natives of Virginia. He was educated at the Mount Pleasant Seminary, of Mount Pleasant, Ohio, and lived upon a farm until he was twenty-two years old, then began clerking on a steamboat on the Illinois River, where he was engaged for two years. He was next employed in keeping books for grain merchants on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, in Illinois, and after a few years there moved to the State of Iowa and engaged in farming for two years. In … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Franklin Pugh

Benjamin Franklin Pugh was born in Daviess county, Missouri, January 31, 1842. His parents, S. W. and Elizabeth Pugh, came to this county in 1838. Benjamin was reared upon a farm and educated in the common schools. He enlisted in John McNeill’s company in September, 1861, and was with Price’s army four months; then returned home and was one year in the Enrolled State Militia. Mr. Pugh was married, October 11, 1865, to Miss Abigail Mills, who was born April 8, 1843, in this county. By this union they have two children; namely, Miles O., born August 18, 1867; and … Read more

Biography of Seth H. Powers

Seth H. Powers was born at Long Point, Canada, June 26, 1843. He is the son of Richard Powers, a farmer and stock-dealer of Vermont. His mother’s maiden name was Phoebe Howard, a native of Canada. His parents died when he was very young, and he then came to the United States and was educated in Ohio and New York. He served a long apprenticeship at the blacksmithing and machinist trade in Buffalo, New York, and has since followed that business in various States of the Union without interruption, except during the time he was in military service during the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rev. William N. Nickell

William N. Nickell is a native of Monroe county, West Virginia, was born December 27, 1838, and is the son of John A. and Mary J. Nickell, both natives of West Virginia. The subject of this sketch received his early education in the common schools of Virginia, and completed it by an additional course of two and a half years at the Washington College, now Washington and Lee University, of Rockbridge county, Virginia. In May 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-seventh Regiment Virginia Confederate Infantry as a private, was soon promoted to sergeant, and sergeant-major of his regiment. He … Read more

Biography of James C. Murray

Prominent among the enterprising and substantial business men of Jamesport is the subject of this sketch. James C. Murray was born in Belmont county, Ohio, April 8, 1847. He is the son of John and Rose (Moneghan) Murray, natives of Ireland. His education was acquired in the schools of his native State and immediately after leaving school, at the early age of sixteen years, he enlisted under the stars and stripes in Company E, Ninety-eighth Ohio Infantry, but had great difficulty in getting into the army on account of youthfulness, being several times dismissed and ordered home by the drilling officers, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John M. Miller

John M. Miller was born in Greenbrier county, West Virginia, May 31, 1834. His parents, Robert and Rachel Miller, both natives of Virginia, when he was six years old moved to this county, where he was reared and educated in the common schools. In 1859 he crossed the plains to California, came back the same year and crossed again in 1860 and returned in time to serve one year in the Enrolled State Militia during the war. He is a farmer by profession. Mr. Miller was united in marriage, in October, 1863, to Miss Elizabeth C. Foster, who was born … Read more

Biography of James W. Miller

Was born near Staunton, Augusta county, Virginia, May 14, 1823, where he lived with his parents, George M. and Margaret A. Miller, until his fourteenth year. He received a common school education, having attended the early subscription schools of his native county. Leaving home in 1836, he went to Lexington, Rockbridge county, Virginia, where he was employed as a clerk in the store of Moore & McCue, remaining with them until 1840, when he was employed in the same capacity by Samuel B. Finley, of the same place. From Lexington he went to Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1842, and accepted a … Read more

Biography of Benton Miller

The subject of this sketch was born in Sardis, Monroe county, Ohio, December 26, 1838. He lived in his birthplace until he was sixteen years of age, when his parents moved to Missouri and settled in what is now Colfax township, Daviess county, in 1855. In 1861 he enlisted and served six months in the home guards, and in February, 1862, enlisted in Company A, First Missouri Cavalry Militia, in which he served during the war. In April, 1863, he was promoted from orderly sergeant to first lieutenaut, and for the last eighteen months he was in the service, had … Read more

Biography of William S. McNeill

William S. McNeill was born in Hardy county, Virginia, November 1, 1837. His parents moved to this county in 1855, and his father, John H. McNeill, was president of the first fair held in this county in 1856, and had at that time the only herd of Short-Horn Durham cattle in northwest Missouri. When the war began his father raised a company of cavalry for the Confederate army, and died November 11, 1864, from a wound received in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, while at the head of his company, known as the Partisan Rangers. The command then fell to his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. H. McLure

A. H. McLure is a native of Clinton county, Indiana, and was born May 14, 1838. His parents, Thomas and Ruth McClure, were both natives of Virginia. When the subject of our sketch was one year old his parents moved to Howard county, Indiana, and thirteen years later they moved to Warren county, Iowa, where he was reared upon a farm and educated in the common schools. He enlisted June 13, 1861, in Company D, First Regiment Iowa Cavalry, and was soon after appointed company bugler, and was regiment bugler the last year of his time. He was in the … Read more

Biography of Major Joseph H. McGee

Joseph H. McGee was born in Clermont county, Ohio, July 6, 1821. His grandfather, Peter McGee, in company with seven brothers, emigrated from Ireland to the United States prior to the Revolutionary War, and settled in New Jersey. Peter McGee was a major under Washington and participated in the celebrated battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, at which place he now lies buried. Charles McGee, the father of our subject, was born near Monmouth, where he lived until 1815, when he removed to Ohio and settled in, Clermont county. The family lived in the Buckeye State until 1837, Joseph then being … Read more

Biography of W. D. McDonald

W. D. McDonald was born in Ross county, Ohio, August 6, 1826. His parents, William and Mary McDonald, were both natives of Virginia. His mother was a daughter of Nathaniel Wilson who was the first State printer of Ohio, and a sister of the late Nathaniel Wilson, who with his father started the Scioto Gazette in 1800, in Scioto county, one of the first papers of Ohio. Mr. Wilson died a few years ago at the age of ninety-two years-the oldest editor then in America. Our subject was five years old when his father died and he was reared by … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. John Martin

John Martin was born in Morgan county, Kentucky, February 15, 1819, and is the son of Lewis Martin, a native of Kentucky. Our subject moved with his parents to Lawrence county, Tennessee, while an infant, and lived there during fifteen years, and there received the greater part of his education. From Tennessee he moved to Illinois, and was married in Hancock county, that State, September 8, 1839. He came to this State in 1845 and has lived in various counties of Missouri since, engaged in the practice of medicine and other branches of business. He came to Jamesport about ten … Read more

Biography of Independence Mann

Independence Mann, The subject of this sketch was born near Hancock, in the State of Maryland, on the 4th day of July, 1843, and is the son of Jonathan E. and Mary A. (Brosins) Mann, natives of Marlyand. At an early age, in company with his parents, he removed to this county and received the greater part of his education in the excellent schools of Gallatin. He began his business career as a clerk in the dry goods store of T. J. Casey, at Richmond, Missouri. At the commencement of the Civil War, prompted by a spirit of patriotic devotion … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John M. Hunter

John M. Hunter was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, May 2, 1842. His parents died when he was five years old, and he lived with Mr. Jacob Hershbarger until he reached his eleventh year, then with his brother-in-law, Rev. William Baldwin. He was educated in the common schools of Indiana, and came to this county in 1857, and early in 1861 went to Clark county, Iowa. July 4, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Sixth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry. His regiment participated in the battle of Shiloh, and there he was wounded in the foot; he was in the battles … Read more

Biography of Hon. E. Hubbard

E. Hubbard is a native of Middlesex county, Connecticut, and was born April 7, 1818. His parents, Job and Hannah Hubbard, were both natives of Connecticut. He was educated in the common schools of his native State. In the fall of 1839 he left the Nutmeg State for the West in the interest of a book firm, but soon abandoned that and engaged in selling the Seth Thomas clocks, which business he was engaged in for sixteen years. He came to this county in the fall of 1834, and was engaged in selling clocks and farming until 1852, then he … Read more