Charles V. Cain, a Civil war veteran and early settler who has been a dominant factor in the development of Butler county, is a native of New York. He was born in Elmira, November 12, 1840, a son of William H. and Lucinda (Valleau) Cain, both natives of New York. William H. Cain was born in Oneida county, October 20, 1809, and died October 20, 1846. Lucinda Valleau was born in Tompkins county, November 11, 1813, and was a daughter of Theodore and Elizabeth (Linderman) Valleau, the father being a native of Orange county, New York, and the mother of Tompkins county. The Linderman family are of German descent, and the Valleaus are descendants of French Huguenot stock, whose ancestors settled in North Carolina early in the eighteenth century. Lucinda (Valleau) Cain died in Butler county, September 15, 1899, at the home of her son, William H. Cain.

Charles V. Cain was six years old when his father died, and in 1852, when he was twelve years of age, his mother removed with her family to Ann Arbor, Mich. About a year later young Cain went to live with a sister of his father in Dupage county, Illinois. After remaining there about three years he returned to New York and worked on a farm at Horseheads, near his old home. In 1859, he went to Rockford, Ill., and the following spring went to Springfield, Ill. He was employed there by an old Kentuckian named Jack North. It will be remembered that Springfield was the home of Lincoln, and young Cain, who was an enthusiastic Republican, attended the ratification rally at Springfield, after the nomination of Lincoln and he was rewarded for his enthusiasm by his Kentucky employer, the next morning, by being "fired." He then returned to Rockford and entered the employ of F. H. Manny, a manufacturer of reapers who was a competitor of Cyrus McCormick.

He remained there until 1861, and a year later returned to Rockford, and on August 8, 1862, enlisted in Company K, Seventy-fourth regiment,

Illinois infantry. His company was assembled at Rockford, and on September 28, went to Louisville, Ky., under the command of General Buell. They participated in the battles of Perryville and Nashville, after which Mr. Cain was taken ill and sent to a hospital where he remained until March, 1863. He rejoined his regiment at Murfreesboro in June, 1863, and afterwards guarded supply trains near Chattanooga, in the Sequa Tchie Valley. After the battle of Chickamauga his command joined the main army at Chattanooga and took part in that battle and also the battle of Missionary Ridge, and then was sent to Knoxville to the relief of General Burnside. During the winter of 1863 and 1864 he was detailed on foraging expeditions, and to operate grist mills in eastern Tennessee. They then went with Sherman and he was at the battle of Dalton and a number of other engagements along the line of that famous March, and after the fall of Atlanta, they were sent back to Nashville, and took part in the battles of Franklin and Nashville. On October 28, 1864, he was granted a thirty day furlough and upon his return served in the expedition in pursuit of the Confederate general Hood, and spent the winter of 1864 and 1865 at Huntsville, Ala., and in the spring of 1865, started on a march north, through the mountains of Tennessee, and was in that locality when Lee surrendered. He was then ordered back to Nashville, where he was mustered out in June, 1865, and discharged at Chicago, Ill.

Mr. Cain then returned to Dupage county, Illinois, where he remained until 1870, when he came to Butler county, Kansas, and bought 480 acres of school land for $4 per acre. Mr. Cain came to Kansas with a considerable amount of capital, compared with other settlers of that time, and was able to engage in farming and stock raising on quite an extensive scale, from the start. In the early days he gave employment to a large number of men in connection with his various enterprises and operations, and in that way helped the new country in a material way. He carried on large farming operations and prospered in the cattle business. In 1901, he sold most of his land, and since that time has lived in Potwin, practically retired.

Mr. Cain was married September 4, 1874, to Miss Nancy N. Wentworth, a native of Ross county, Ohio, and a daughter of George Wentworth. The Wentworth family removed from Ohio to Jackson county, Missouri, at an early day, and located near the Clay county line, in the neighborhood of where the James and Younger boys lived. George Wentworth was unable to serve in the army during the Civil war, but was a strong Union man, and was a member of the Missouri State militia. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cain: Estella V., married E. McCarty, Lincoln township, Butler county, and Lou R., married Mark H. Johnson, Princeton, Wis. Mrs. Cain died February 17, 1896. In 1913 Mr. Cain went to Choteau county, Montana, and homesteaded 160 acres of Government land which he proved up on, and received his final title October 16, 1914. He has improved his Montana

place some and has a good comfortable house on it. Thus it will be seen that he has practically been a pioneer all his life, as the border line of the frontier moved westward, he has followed it.

Mr. Cain is a stanch Republican and has taken an active part in Butler county politics. He has served two terms as township trustee and was postmaster of Potwin for six years. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and a charter member of the Knights and Ladies of Security of El Dorado, Kans., Lodge. He has always been interested in the welfare of the community, as well as the State and Nation and is a progressive citizen who heartily supports any worthy enterprise.

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