Civil War

Biography of Thomas Coleman Truman

Thomas Coleman Truman. Among those sterling citizens who have been prominent and influential in connection with the civic and business affairs of [p.1834] Montgomery County and who are today to be designated as representative pioneers of the county a place must consistently be given to Mr. Truman, who has maintained his home at Independence, the county seat, for more than forty years and who is now living in well earned retirement–a man who has been in the most significant sense the architect of his own fortunes, as he became dependent upon his own resources when but twelve years of age. … Read more

Biography of Robert Ives Lee

Robert Ives Lee. In the death of Robert Ives Lee, which occurred at Chicago, Illinois, December 19, 1911, there passed away one of the most prominent horsemen of the Middle West. He was born May 5, 1846, at Boston, Massachusetts, and was a son of the late Brev.-Brig.-Gen. William Raymond Lee III, U. S. V., A. M., A. A. S., and Helen Maria (Amory) Lee, of Amory Street, Boston, the former of whom was descended from Henry and Mary Lee. Henry Lee, the founder of the Lee family of Marblehead, Massachusetts, died at Manchester, that state, in 1675, and was … Read more

Biography of George L. Banks

George L. Banks. A sterling pioneer and citizen who is now living virtually retired in the City of Independence, Mr. Banks is specially entitled to recognition in this history. He was one of the early settlers of Montgomery County and has contributed his full quota to its civic and industrial development and progress, and he was long one of the prominent and influential exponents of agricultural industry in this section of the state. High honors also are his for the valiant service which he gave as a soldier of the Union in the Civil war. Mr. Banks was born in … Read more

Biography of Hon. Frederick W. Lander

HON. FREDERICK W. LANDER. – This gentleman, who was a civil engineer, first chief justice of the supreme court of Washington Territory, and brigadier-general of United States volunteers, 1861-62, was born at Salem, Massachusetts, December 17, 1822, and received his education at Dummer Academy, Byfield, Vermont, and studied civil engineering at the military academy, Norwich, Vermont. Having practiced for several years his profession in his native state, in 1853 Governor Stevens appointed him estimating engineer on the Northern Pacific Railroad survey. After having crossed the continent, he formed the opinion that the first practical and economical solution of the problem … Read more

Civil War Soldiers from Elmore, Lamoille County, Vermont

During the late civil war Elmore furnished sixty-four soldiers as follows: Stephen C. Albee David P. Barnes Jos. Bashaw Henry J. Bagley John P. Bedell Wm. Biscomer, May 20,’64, died of wounds Lewis Belville, deserted, Jan. 1,’63 Albert J. Biddell, prisoner June 23,’64 Clesson Cameron Lyman L. Camp Charles Carter, deserted Dec. 18, ’62 W. B. Chandler Rufus H. Clark Seth L. Clark Chas. Clement Chas. S. Cooper John A. Camp Luman M. Davis, May 12, ’64, killed, Spottsylvania James P. Davis Solon W. Davis Learnard W. Davis Hiram Dwyer, Jan. 17,’64, died Edwin R. Dodge, April 16,’62, killed tee’s … Read more

Biography of Jonas T. Stevens

Stevens, Jonas T., of Hyde Park, son of Amasa and Martha (Smith) Stevens, was born in Eden, June 3, 1842. His father, Amasa, was a long-time resident of Eden, was prominently connected with public affairs, and for a considerable period was associate judge of the county court. Jonas T. Stevens obtained his education in the common school, and for a time gave his services to neighboring farmers, being also employed in mills in the vicinity of his birthplace. Acquiring a small but well-earned capital, he invested it in a saw mill, when his business plans were suddenly interrupted by the … Read more

Biography of Edward Bertrand Sawyer

Edward Bertrand Sawyer of Hyde Park, son of Joshua and Mary (Keeler) Sawyer, was born in Hyde Park, April 16, 1828. His education was obtained in public and private schools, to some extent under the care of a tutor, and during one term at the People’s Academy. His father was his first instructor in the law, the study of which he commenced at eighteen years of age, reading also in the office of Hon. W. W. White, then of Johnson. Appreciating the defects of his early schooling, he adopted a system of self-education, taking Fowler’s “Self Education, Complete” for a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Rust

HENRY RUST. – This gentleman, who has a great reputation for energy, was born in Germany in 1835. He came to America in 1860, and almost immediately entered the Union army. He fought as a private in the battle of Bull Run, and was in the subsequent campaigns before Richmond, and in the severe experiences of the peninsula. Being severely wounded in 1862, he took a long furlough, yet re-entered the service and became a captain in the commissary department. After the war he went to Virginia City, Montana, mining, and in 1867 came to Clarksville, Baker county, Oregon, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Eugene L. Chappell

Eugene L. Chappell, from Canada, came to Belvidere in 1857, being the third to locate in that part of the town called the Basin, since which time, with the exception of three years spent in the service of his country during the late war, has resided in the town. He married Miss Amelia St. John, in 1861, and has a family of three children.

Biography of Hon. D. F. Percival

HON. D.F. PERCIVAL. – It is a source of pleasure to write a biographical sketch of a man like Mr. Percival, or, in fact, any of the argonauts of the Pacific slope, as their lives were so fraught with diversity, their careers so different and so much more interesting than the monotonous, humdrum life of the average individual. Among the men who came West in “early days” as it is called, there are many who can look back to the times when, in a comparatively few years, they had been miners, mechanics, ranchers, teamsters, merchants, law-givers, office-holders, and turned their … Read more

Civil War Soldiers from Harrison County Iowa

Name Date Company Discharge/Other William H. Ennis 9 July 1861 Co. ‘B’ 4th Infantry Captured at Ringold, Georgia, and died a prisoner Thomas R. Brooks 9 July 1861 Co. ‘B’ 4th Infantry A Veteran Frank O. Danielson 9 July 1861 Co. ‘B’ 4th Infantry Served three years James W. Murphy 9 July 1861 Co. ‘B’ 4th Infantry Wounded at Kennasaw James Rabblin 9 July 1861 Co. ‘B’ 4th Infantry Discharged at Young’s Point, Arkansas John H. Reel 9 July 1861 Co. ‘B’ 4th Infantry Captured at Clayville, Alabama, and killed Wm. F. Schaffer 20 Aug, 1861 2nd battery During the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. R. F. Burgess

Dr. R. F. Burgess of Santa Ana, was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1834, and when he was quite young the family removed to New York State, and three years afterward to Michigan, locating in Washtenaw County, where they remained about twelve years. The father died in Montcalm County, that State, when the subject of this sketch was seventeen years of age, and the latter therefore had to look after the welfare of the family. He served three years in Company A, Twenty-first Michigan Infantry, during the last war, going out as a wagoner and having charge of an ordnance … Read more

Biography of J. W. Towner

J. W. Towner the subject of this sketch, now Judge of the Superior Court of Orange County, is a native of Essex County, New York, born in 1823, in the town of Willsboro. When he was fifteen years old his father moved to St. Lawrence County, same State. His education was only that of the common school except one term, in 1841, at the Malone Academy, Franklin County. In 1844, he and an older brother went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained until 1854, when he went to West Union, Fayette County, Iowa, remaining there until August, 1861, when he … Read more