W. W. Chisman, of Augusta, Kans., is a Civil war veteran and an early pioneer of Butler county. Mr. Chisman was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, a son of W. P. and Ann (Williams) Chisman, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of England. The Chisman family consisted of eight children, five of whom are living, as follows: W. W., whose name introduces this review; Mrs. Elmira Brewington, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Scott, resides in Dearborn county, Indiana; Mrs. Elda Ross, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and James N., Indianapolis, Ind.

When the Civil war broke out W. W. Chisman was still a mere boy of eighteen. Notwithstanding his youth, he enlisted at Lawrenceburg, Ind., in Company I, Eighty-third regiment, Indiana infantry, and served until the close of the war, being mustered out of service and discharged at Washington, D. C. in June, 1865. He saw much hard service and participated in many battles and skirmishes. He was at the siege of Vicksburg under Grant, the battle of Arkansas Post, Jackson, Miss.; Champion Hills. After the siege of Vicksburg his command marched to Memphis, Tenn. and from there to Chattanooga and was at the battle of Missionary Ridge. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea and participated in the battles of Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Ezra Church, Jonesboro, Atlanta and the storming of Fort McAllister. From Savannah, he went to South Carolina, participating in the battle of North Edistow river. Here the Union troops waded the river, running with ice, and marched through the swamps for days. Mr. Chisman says that when the soldiers wanted drinking water, they would brush the scum aside and fill their canteens, and in drinking the water, nothing smaller than a lizard was considered unpalatable. From the swamps of Georgia they marched through to Columbia, S. C., and from there to Bentonville, N. C., thence to Raleigh, N. C., Petersburg, Va., Richmond, Va., and finally to Washington, D. C. where he was mustered out of service June 12, 1865.

At the close of the war Mr. Chisman returned to Indiana and engaged in farming, near Aurora, where he remained until 1872, when he came to Butler county, Kansas, and settled on a claim, three and one-half miles south of Augusta. Later he added eighty acres to his original 160, and still owns the place. This is one of the best farms in Butler county, and in addition to its normal value as farm property it is considered valuable oil and gas land, in view of the recent developments of the Augusta field, and Mr. Chisman has leased his farm for development.

Mr. Chisman was united in marriage in 1884, to Miss Mary Clouse, of Augusta, and three children have been born to this union, as follows: Mrs. Lottie Bruce, Dearborn county, Indiana; Roy and Myra, both of whom live at home. By a former marriage to Louisa Bruce at Aurora,

Indiana, May, 1867, the following children were born: Alla Miller, now of Oklahoma City; Sherman, Feslton, Okla.; Sumner, Hanover, Colo.; Seymour, who was killed in April, 1892, by the horse he was riding falling on him.

Mr. Chisman is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Augusta Post, No. 105, and is post commander. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having been identified with that lodge for twenty-five years. Mr. Chisman is one of the substantial citizens of Butler county, and has ever been ready to do his part in furthering any cause for the betterment of his county or State.

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