Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1109 - 1110

 JAMES GRIMSLEY is one of the oldest settlers in the county south of the Ninnescah River, as he entered the land where he now resides, on section 33, Viola Township, Aug. 18, 1876, and settled on the same in April of the following year. He is now numbered among the highly prosperous agriculturists and reliable and substantial citizens of the county.

             Mr. Grimsley is a native of North Carolina, and was born Jan. 18, 1845. He is the son of Rev. Lowry and Catherine (Koonse) Grimsley, who were also natives of the old North State, and derived their descent from ancestry who had crossed the seas from the German Fatherland. The father of our subject was occupied principally in farming in his native State until the fall of 1866, when he removed to Jackson County, Mo., and one year later to Johnson County, in this State, where he now makes his home. For more than half a century he has been a watchman upon the walls of Zion, and has preached the Gospel, the good tidings of peace, having been a regularly ordained minister of the Baptist Church. Although he is now superannuated, he still continues to bear testimony and labors faithfully in the vineyard of our Lord. Having his farm to support his needs, he has never taken remuneration in a pecuniary form, but has given his services gratuitously. While a resident of Johnson County, Kan., in 1884, the mother of our subject was taken from this world by death, and translated to the peace of her heavenly home. They were the parents of the following children: Evaline, who is the wife of Allen Porter, died in Missouri; Pollie, who died in Texas; George, who is a contractor and builder at Waverly, Ohio; Drury, who is a farmer in Lawrence County, Ky.; Susan, Mrs. Jackson Ireland, now living in Jackson County, Mo.; James, the subject of our sketch; John, who is living in Sedgwick County, and Andrew, who lives in Johnson County, this State.

             The subject of this biographical notice was reared upon a farm, in his boyhood days receiving but a limited education, but being of a studious nature, he has, by a course of extended and judicious reading, become well informed upon all general subjects. His school days were cut short by the breaking out of the Civil War, and as he was then a resident of North Carolina and under the conscript law of the Confederacy, he was liable to be called into the service at any moment, and in order to get into a regiment he desired, he offered his services, and in the month of January, 1864, was mustered in as a recruit, in Company I, 61st North Carolina Infantry, C. S. A., and served under Gen. Lee's command. He was an active participant in the three-days battle at Drury's Bluff, and at Bermuda Hundred and Cold Harbor, and in the latter conflict was wounded in the mouth by a rifle ball. He was placed in the general hospital at Richmond, where the smallpox soon broke out, and on account of the contagious nature of that disease, was not allowed to return to his regiment until August, 1864, when he rejoined them within the lines at Petersburg, Va. He participated in the fierce contest on the Weldon Railroad, and on the Darbytown road, which took place in the fall of that year. The command to which he was attached was then transferred to Ft. Fisher, on the coast of North Carolina, and while there our subject received a sixty-days furlough and returned to his home. Before the expiration of his leave of absence, Gen. Sherman had reached the sea, and the armies of Lee and Johnston had laid down their arms and surrendered. Like many others who resided in the Southern Confederacy, and who bad been forced into the ranks against their will, Mr. Grimsley was truly thankful that the end had come.

             In the fall of 1865 the subject of this narration went to Lawrence County, Ohio, where he remained about three months, and then returned to Alleghany County, N. C., and was there married. His chosen life companion was Emeline, the daughter of John and Tincy (Halsey) Ross, who was born in Ashe County, N. C., Dec. 31, 1847. The young couple remained at their home in the Turpentine State until the fall of 1866, when they removed to Jackson County, Mo., where our subject engaged in farming, and remained until he came to Kansas, as above mentioned. He has now 100 acres of most excellent land, all of which is under a state of high tillage and well improved with good and substantial buildings, and all the surroundings that go to make up a beautiful and comfortable home. Mr. Grimsley is also engaged in dealing in live stock and fuel at Viola Station, which place is located on land owned by him, and is also the agent of the Arkansas Valley Town and Land Company.

             To Mr. and Mrs. Grimsley there has been born an interesting family of nine children, whose advent has brightened their home and brought joy to their household. Their names are as follows: William N., Albert C., Dora T. C., Rose L., Florence M., John A., Effie J., Elisha J. and Emma Pearl. Rose L., an interesting girl of fifteen years, was taken from the home circle March 31, 1888, by pneumonia. In his political views our subject coincides with the Democratic party, but has had no aspirations for political preferment. In his religious convictions he follows the tenets of the Baptist denomination, and is a member and active worker in that church. He is a highly respected and esteemed citizen of the community, and he and his family take a high rank in the society of this portion of Sedgwick County.

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