1901 History of Republic County Kansas


A History of Republic County, Kansas: Embracing a full and complete account of all the leading events in its history, from its first settlement down to June 1, '01 ... Also the topography of the County ... and other valuable information never before published. by I. O. Savage.; Illustrated. Published by Jones & Chubbic, Beloit, KS : 1901. 321 p. ill., plates, ports., fold. map ; 23 cm. Transcribed by Carolyn Ward, July 2006.

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History of Republic County. 311

honorably discharged at Camp Denison, Ohio, September 17th, 1864.

George W. Personett, of Belleville City, enlisted as a private February 14th, 1864, at Springfield, Illinois, and was enrolled in Co. E., 114th regiment, Illinois Infantry, in which regiment he served eighteen months, was then transferred to Co. E, 58th regiment, Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until June, 1866, when he was mustered out and honorably discharged by reason of expiration of term of enlistment; took part in the siege of Mobile, battle of Franklin, Guntown Raids, and several minor engagements.

Joseph T. Patterson enlisted February 17th, 1863 at Chillicothe, Ohio, and was enrolled as a private in Co. E, 63d Ohio Volunteer Infantry; served in the Ohio brigade; was in the battles of Corinth, Decatur, Alabama, Missionary Ridge and other engagements in which the regiment took part; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Columbus, Ohio, May 27th, 1865.

John M. Ryan enlisted in September 1861, at Sayresville, Noble county, Ohio, and was enrolled as a private in Co. D, 42d regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, better known as James A. Garfield's regiment. Served in the army of the Cumberland a little more than a year, when he was transferred to the army of the Gulf. Was in active service in Kentucky, chasing John Morgan; also took part in nearly all the fights and skirmishes in which his regiment was engaged. After serving three years he was mustered out and honorably discharged at camp Chase, Ohio. Mr. Ryan was the first Sunday school superintendent at Belleville, the school being organized in the spring of 1871, and conducted by him as a Union Sunday school for two years.

William H. H. Reiley enlisted at Aledo, Illinois, August 6th, 1861, and was enrolled as a private in Co. E, 9th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Served in the army of the

312 History of Republic County.

Tennessee under General McPherson; was in all the battles and skirmishes in which the regiment was engaged; was mustered out as a sergeant and honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, July 18th, 1865.

Zachariah Reeder enlisted July 26th, 1862 at Perry, Pike county, Illinois, and was enrolled as a private in Co. F, 99th regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Served in the department of the Gulf; took part in 13 battles, including the charge on Vicksburg, May 22d, 1863; was honorably discharged at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 31st, 1865.

Chloe J. Baker (Savage) was born in Fairfield, Lenawee county, Michigan, July 8th, 1835, of Quaker parentage. Was educated in the common schools and Raisin Valley Seminary, of which institution she was principal in 1855; was married to Isaac O. Savage, October 16th, 1853, living with him on a farm until July 1862, when he enlisted and was absent three years in the army, leaving her to take care of a family of four small children. She came to Republic county in 1871, where she has since resided. Has been quite active in Relief Corps work, being elected chaplain, department of Kansas, in 1900 and re-elected in 1901; is a member of the M. E. church in Belleville and is a Daughter of Rebekah.

Isaac O. Savage was born in Moravia, Cayuga county, New York, September 30th, 1833. His early life was spent on a farm and attending the district school, winters, until 1848, when he took an academic course at Moravia academy, completing the same in September, 1849. He then emigrated to Michigan, locating in Fairfield, Lenawee county, and immediately commenced teaching, which he continued until 1862, sixteen terms in all, three of which were select schools for advanced pupils. Was elected school inspector in 1854 and was re-elected in 1856. Was married to Chloe J. Baker, of Fairfield, Michigan, October 16th, 1855. Held the office of supervisor of Fairfield

History of Republic County.

[IMAGE]
MRS. C. J. SAVAGE,
Department Chaplain W. R. C.

History of Republic County. 313

township four years, which office he resigned to enter the army. Enlisted as a private July 27th, 1862, at Fairfield, Lenawee county, Michigan; was mustered in as second lieutenant, at Detroit, Michigan, August 21st, 1862, to rank as such from the date of enlistment. Was assigned to Co. I, 18th regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, in which he served as second lieutenant until November 24, 1862, when he was promoted to first lieutenant of the same company. Served as first lieutenant until May 12th, 1864, when he was appointed acting regimental quartermaster of the regiment; was commissioned first lieutenant and regimental quartermaster August 21st, 1864. Was post quartermaster at Decatur, Alabama, in November and December, 1864; also served a short time in the subsistence department as brigade commissary. Served as acting assistant quartermaster in charge of railroad transportation and quarters at Huntsville, Alabama, from January 12th to April 21st, 1865, when he was appointed post quartermaster at the last mentioned place, and served as such until June 26th, when he was ordered to Nashville, Tennessee, to be mustered out, by reason of instructions from the war department. Received final discharge at Jackson, Michigan, July 11th, 1865: came to Kansas in December, 1870, reaching Belleville, January 6th, 1871; was elected county treasurer in November, 1871, which office he held four years, three months and ten days. Was elected a member of the state board of agriculture in January, 1874, which position he held continuously for twelve years. In 1876 he was appointed by the board of Centennial managers to represent Kansas at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, as assistant manager, which position he held forty days. Was elected state senator for the 33d district of Kansas, in November, 1876, on the Independent Republican ticket, defeating Judge James Strain, of Concordia, by a majority of fourteen votes. Was trustee of Freedom township four years, and township treasurer one year; assessor of

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Belleville city four years; secretary of the Republic County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, ten years, and deputy clerk of the district court, fourteen years, and is alive yet.

Almond Shaw, of Belleville City, enlisted August 13th, 1862; was mustered in at Knoxville, Illinois, September 2d, as first lieutenant of Co. C, 102d regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry; was promoted to captain April 28th, 1863; served with distinction in the army of the Cumberland; was two years in the field, and the last year in the quartermaster and subsistence departments at Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky; was mustered out at Chicago, Illinois, in June, 1865.

P. F. Scofield, of Freedom township, enlisted March 4th, 1862, in New York City to serve three years or during the war; was enrolled in Co. I, 94th regiment New York Volunteer Infantry; served in the army of the Potomac; was honorably discharged March 4th, 1865, by reason of expiration of term of enlistment.

George T. B. Smith, of Richiand township, enlisted at Albany, Illinois, in September, 1861, as a private in Co. C, 8th Illinois Cavalry and was mustered into the service at St. Charles; served in the army of the Potomac under Gens. Stoneman, Pleasanton and Buford; was in all the battles in which the regiment was engaged; had horse shot from under him and a bullet hole through clothing, but was not wounded; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Chicago, in July, 1865.

Frank Sager enlisted September 22d, 1861, at Bath, New York; was mustered into the service at Elmira, in October, and was enrolled as a private in Co. E, 1st New York Light Artillery; served in the department of the east; took part in the battles of Williamsburg, Yorktown, Lee's Mills, Fair Oaks, Seven Days' Fight, Anteitam, Fredericksburg and several minor engagements; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Elmira, October 11th, 1864, by reason expiration of term of service.

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J. N. Snyder enlisted in August, 1862, at Momence, Illinois, and was enrolled as a private in Co. H, 76th Illinois Volunteer Infantry; served in the army of the Cumberland under Gen. Rosecrans; took part in the campaign against Price in Missouri and was in the battle of Stone River, was in hospital for about eight months in Memphis, Tennessee, and in St. Louis, from which place he went home on a furlough; on expiration of furlough joined the regiment in Tennessee and served with it until the close of the war; was mustered out and honorably discharged in 1865.

R. T. Stanfield enlisted February 25th, 1864, at Columbus, Indiana, and was enrolled in Co. K, 120th regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry as a private; took part in the battles of Resaca, Dalton, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Columbus, Tennessee, Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee; Kenston, North Carolina, was the last fight in which he was engaged; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Raleigh, N. C., January 8th, 1866, having served nearly two years.

H. O. Studley when a boy of eighteen, and barely five feet, four inches in height, enlisted in Co. M, 5th regiment Michigan Volunteer Cavalry, in March, 1863, and took part in every battle, skirmish and raid in which his regiment was engaged. Served as special messenger on the staff of Colonel R. A. Alger, during the Wilderness campaign, and was severely injured by having his horse fall upon him while carrying a dispatch from General George A. Custer to Colonel Alger, during the battle of Trevillian Station, June 11th, 1864, but not disabled so as to be off duty from the date of his enlistment to the final wind up at Appomattox.

Henry C. Swartz enlisted October 1st, 1861, and was enrolled in Co. F, 46 Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was in active service with his regiment during all the time from enlistment to the date of his discharge, August 2d, 1865.

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Was in the following battles: Shiloh, seige of Corinth, Vicksburg, Black River, Jackson, Mississippi; Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Atlanta, July 22d; Kenesaw Mountain, Ezra Chapel, Jonesboro, Savannah, Columbus, South Carolina; Bentonvile, North Carolina; and Raleigh, besides a large number of skirmishes and minor engagements. The 46th made nine charges during the Atlanta campaign, being repulsed only twice. It was known as a fighting regiment by the entire army.

N. D. Settle enlisted March 3d, 1862, at Kokomo, Indiana, and was enrolled as a private in Co. K, 60th regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Served in Kentucky the first year; his company serving as a mounted infantry, chasing John Morgan over nearly all of that state. The regiment was captured by Bragg at Green River bridge, in the fall of 1862. Was paroled at once and received three days furlough. Afterwards served with Sherman in the campaign against Vicksburg, then served in the department of the Gulf until expiration of term of service; was on detached service for six months as orderly for General R. A. Cameron; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Dauphine Island, March 23d, 1865.

Thomas J. Stainbrook, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in 1843. He went to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1861, with a squad of fifteen to serve under Gen. Fremont: enlisted in the 13th Missouri Infantry and took part in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Corinth and many other engagements in which that famous regiment took part; afterwards served in the first Missouri Cavalry till its re-enlistment when he was mustered out; moved to Kansas in 1887 and settled in Republic county, where he has since resided.

C. W. Sense enlisted in 1864, and was enrolled as a private in Co. H, 30th Iowa Volunteer Infantry; served in the army of the Cumberland; was transferred after the grand review at Washington, to Co. K, 6th Iowa Infantry

History of Republic County. 317

in which he served four months; was in several skirmishes, but served a considerable portion of his time on garrison duty guarding prisoners at Pocatallago station in South Carolina; marched with Sherman to the sea; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky.

Henry Squire enlisted August 7th, 1861, at Indianapolis, Indiana, and was enrolled as a private in Co. A, 27th regiment Indiana Infantry. Served two years in the army of the Potomac, taking part in the battles of Winchester, Cedar Mountain, Anteitam, where he was severely wounded, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. Was then transferred to the army of the Cumberland, and was in the battles of Resaca, Dallas and Peach Tree Creek, being wounded at the last named place. The last engagement in which he took part was at Bentonville, North Carolina. Was mustered out and honorably discharged at Indianapolis, August 3d, 1865.

N. T. VanNatta was born in Schoharie county, New York, October 6th, 1833, and was prepared for the sophomore year in college, at the New York Conference Seminary, located at Charlottsville, New York. While preparing for college he engaged in teaching school winters to defray expenses. In 1855 he received a state certificate from the Hon. Victor M. Rice, superintendent of public instruction for the state of New York. In 1857 he entered the State and National Law school located at Poughkeepsie, New York, and graduated therefrom in 1860, receiving the degree of L. L. B. and was admitted to the bar at the general term at Newberry in September, 1860. In 1862 he was elected Superintendent of common school for the county of Schenectady, which office he held for three years. He was married in 1858 to Miss C. A. Smith of Montgomery county, New York. In 1867, he with his family started for Kansas, stopping at Mexico, Audrain county, Missouri, to visit friends and in September of

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that year was chosen Superintendent of the city schools, being the first free schools taught in the city. In 1868 he received a state certificate from the Superintendent of Public Instruction, for the state of Missouri. At the June term, 1868, of the circuit court held at Mexico, he was admitted to the bar. In 1869 he homesteaded the land on which he ow lives and removed thereto in February, 1870. In April, 1870, while Republic county was attached to Washington county for judicial purposes, he was admitted to the bar in the city of Washington, the late judge, Nathan Price, one of the ablest jurists of Kansas, presiding. Mr. VanNatta is easily the pioneer attorney of Republic county. In the early 70's he taught school and practiced law, being found on one or the other side of all important cases, until he became blind in 1885. During his extensive practice he has prosecuted four persons for murder in the first degree and defended three. Of the former three were convicted and one acquitted. Of the latter two were acquitted and one convicted of manslaughter in the second degree. He represented Republic county in the legislature of 1871, serving on the judiciary committee. Was elected county attorney of Republic county in November, 1876, by 486 majority, was re-elected in '78 without opposition, re-elected in '80 by a plurality of 735. In 1888 his vision was restored and he still continues to practice law, and ranks as one of the most trustworthy lawyers in Northwestern Kansas.

W. W. Wait enlisted October 15th, 1861, at Cattarangus station, New York, to serve three years or during the war; was enrolled in Co. C, 64th regiment New York Volunteer Infantry as a private; served ten months as a private when he was promoted to orderly sergeant of same company, in which capacity he served one month when he was promoted to captain of same company, which position he held until he was mustered out; took part in the battles of Fair Oaks, Gaines' Mills, Seven Pines, Seven Days' Fight, Malvern Hill, Cold Harbor, Deep Bottom, Weldon

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Railroad, Anteitam, Second Bull Run, Kettle Run, Chancellorsville, Spottsylvania Court House, Gettysburg, Fredericksburg and many other minor engagements. Was severely wounded at Anteitam and sent to hospital at Frederick City, Maryland; was again severely wounded at Spottsylvania; was honorably discharged October 2d, 1864, at Petersburg, Virginia. Captain Wait died at his home in Freedom township, August 13th, 1900.

James F. Walker was mustered in as a private in Co. K, 34th regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry at Burlington, Iowa, October 28th, 1862; served in the 13th army corps under Gens. Sherman, Grant and Canby; was in every fight in which his regiment took part—some nine or ten general engagements and a large number of skirmishes; never rode in an ambulance nor took refuge in a hospital; was mustered out September 15th, 1865, at Houston, Texas.

Ezra Williams enlisted March 21st, 1864, at Rock Bluffs, Nebraska; was mustered in at Omaha, April 27th and enrolled as a private in Co. C, 1st batallion Nebraska Volunteer Cavalry; was ordered west and served in the department of the plains; was consolidated with the 1st Nebraska Veteran Cavalry, July 10th, 1865; took active part in all the campaigning from 1864 to 1866; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Omaha, Nebraska, July 1st, 1866.

George L. White, a native of Guernsey county, Ohio, was mustered into the service as first lieutenant of Co. B, 185th regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Served in the army of the Cumberland under General Thomas. For about nine months his company was on detached service, guarding the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and on which road Lieutenant White served for some time as military conductor. Was commander of the post at Lebanon, Kentucky, the latter part of 1864, and until he was discharged as brevet captain in September, 1865. Came to Kansas in

320 History of Republic County.

1870, settling in Grant township near the Great Salt Marsh, where for several years he was engaged in farming and stock raising. Was elected in November, 1876, as representative in the state legislature, from the 107th district, comprising the south half of Republic county; was re-elected in 1878 by a decisive majority. He now resides at Scandia and is the present mayor of the city.

R. B. Ward was born in Lestershire, England, in 1852, emigrated to America with his parents at the age of thirteen, locating in Keokuk county, Iowa, where they remained six years, thence to Kansas in 1871, locating in Washington township, this county. R. B., familiarly called Dick, was elected sheriff of this county in November, 1891, re-elected in '93, by decisive majorities at both elections; was elected state senator in November, 1898, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Senator W. A. Mosher, by a majority of 695; was re-elected in November, 1900, and is the present incumbent. Is now engaged in the hardware and implement business at Belleville, Kansas.

Augustus Wegal was enrolled as a corporal in Co. H, 4th regiment, Michigan Cavalry, August 6th, 1862. Took part in the battles of Stone River, Resaca, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Kenesaw Mountain and the seige of Atlanta, and a large number of minor engagements and skirmishes. The 4th cavalry was a very active regiment, and probably took part in a greater number of engagements than ay other Michigan regiment. Comrade Wegal was mustered out and honorably discharged at Nashville, Tennessee, on July 1st, 1865, by reason of close of war.

Phio P. Way enlisted in August, 1862, at Portland, Jay county, Indiana, and was enrolled as a private in Co. E, 89th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Served in the army of the Cumberland and the army of the Mississippi; was taken prisoner at Mumfordville, Kentucky, in September, 1862; was paroled a short time and sent south; took part in the battles of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana; Natchez, Alexander

History of Republic County.

[IMAGE]
JOSEPH H. LONG,
Late Postmaster at Belleville.

History of Republic County. 321

and Topelo, Mississippi; Blue River, Missouri; Blakely, Alabama; Spanish Forts and Fort Blakely; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Mobile, Alabama, in September, 1865. Settled in Grant township in May, 1866, where he still resides on the land first taken. the W 1/2 SW 1/4 section 18.

John Williams, of Richland township, enlisted November 14th, 1861, at Peoria, Illinois, and was enrolled as a private in Co. C, 11th regiment Illinois Cavalry, better known as Col. Robert C. Ingersoll's regiment; served in the army of the Cumberland and took part in the battles of Shioh, Corinth, Vicksburg, Jackson, Mississippi; and many minor engagements; was honorably discharged as a corporal at Memphis, Tennessee, after having served nearly four years.

C. B. Williamson enlisted at Chicago, in August, 1862, and was enrolled as a private in Co. I, 88th Illinois Volunteer Infantry; served in the army of the Cumberland; took part in the battles of Perryville, Stone River and Chickamauga; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Indianapolis, Indiana, in July 1865.

S. W. Walker enlisted August 4th, 1862, at Oneida, Illinois, and was enrolled as a private in Co. I, 102d Illinois Infantry; served in the middle division under Gen. Sherman; took part in the battles of Stone River and the siege of Atlanta; was mustered out and honorably discharged at Nashville, Tennessee, June 27th, 1865.

Peter J. Zumalt enlisted at St. Louis, Missouri, June 1st, 1863, and was enrolled as a private in Co. H, 23d Missouri Infantry. Served in the army of the Cumberland; was in the battles of Big Sandy, Chatahooche, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Bentonville and Fort McAlister; was mustered out at St. Louis, Missouri, and honorably discharged July 26, 1865.

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