Uri Balcom Pearsall.

Uri Balcom Pearsall.
Birth: Jul. 17, 1840.
Death: Feb. 28, 1907.
Burial: Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas.

Father: Wm. PEARSALL
Mother: Eliza BALCOM
Wife: Josophine M. PECK, married, 29 Mar 1866 Clarksfield, , Ohio.

Children William Eugene PEARSALL, Uri Balcom PEARSALL, Charlotte Mell PEARSALL, Charles Martin PEARSALL, Mark Uri PEARSALL, Guy Balcom PEARSALL, Mary Ella PEARSALL

The following information come from:
(William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas.)
BOURBON COUNTY, Part 13.

COL. U. B. PEARSALL came to Kansas April 22, 1865, being stationed at Fort Scott, as Commander, relieving Col. Blair at that time. He had command of the subdistrict of South Kansas until September, 1865, and then went with his regiment to Fort Larned, with the Seventeenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and the Ninth Wisconsin Battery, and established headquarters at that point, having command of the troops on the Smoky Hill route, consisting of the line of posts from Fort Riley to Fort Lyon, Colorado. He was discharged at Leavenworth, February 1, 1866, and after spending a few weeks East, he settled in Drywood, Bourbon County, Kan., where he was engaged in milling until 1870.

He was then engaged in the stock business until July, 1874, when he entered the office of County Treasurer as Deputy, continuing in that office until October, 1878, at which date he became County Treasurer. He held that position until October, 1880, and has since been actively connected with the York Nursery Company. Col. Pearsall was born in Owego, Tioga Co., N.Y., July 17, 1840, and in 1857 went to Oconto, Wis., where he was engaged in lumbering until the outbreak of the war.

He enlisted as a private in Company H, Fourth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, May 14, 1861, but was made Sergeant of his company in about three months afterward, and Second Lieutenant July 1, 1862; he then went on the staff of Gen. T. W. Sherman as aid-de-camp, serving in that capacity until May 27, 1863, when he was transferred to the staff of Gen. Emery, with whom he served until July 15, 1863. He was then commissioned Lieutenant Colonel and raised a colored regiment known in military history as the Ninety-ninth Colored Infantry, but in fact the fifth regiment of colored troops raised in the country. He continued Lieutenant Colonel of that regiment until March, 1865, but on detached service a considerable portion of the time.

In the Red River campaign of 1864, he had charge of the engineers' department and of the pontoon trains. The dam built across the Red River, the one redeeming feature of that unfortunate expedition, was due to his sagacity and military genius, and George D. Robinson, June 13, 1864, mentioned his unceasing toil and devotion, and says that the final success of the dam, was largely due to his engineering skill. He was appointed to a position in the engineers' department by Gen. Canby in the summer of 1864 and had charge of constructions and repairs of fortifications on the Lower Mississippi River. He was then ordered to Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas, Fla. and after remaining in command there several weeks, went to Cedar Keys, Fla.

He was wounded at the battle of Natural Bridge, Fla., and was disabled for a short time and came to Fort Scott after his recovery. He was brevetted Brigadier General, March 13, 1865, for meritorious services during the war. Col. Pearsall was married at Clarksfield, Ohio, March 29, 1866, to Josephine M. Peck, a native of Clarksfield, Ohio. They have three children--Lottie M., Guy B. and Charles, and have lost two, Mark U., who died at the age of three and a half, Mary, who died at the age of two years. The Colonel is a member of Blue Lodge and Chapter, A., F. & A. M. and Knight Templars, and G.A.R., and was one of the youngest Colonels from Wisconsin. He is a son of William S. and Eliza Balcom Pearsall, and a nephew of Ransom Balcom, of Binghampton, N. Y., who was one of the leading judges of Supreme Court of the State for twenty-three years.