Thursday, October 27, 2011

George W. Martin

GEORGE W. MARTIN, Sheriff, was born in Fulton County, Ind., October 7, 1842. At the age of twelve years he removed with his parents to Appanoose County, Iowa. He enlisted May 11, 1863 in Company E, Seventh Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, and served until May 27, 1866. Returned to Iowa and began farming, and afterward engaged in the grocery trade. He was Deputy Sheriff of Appanoose County for five years. In April, 1878, he came to Clay County, Kan., and worked at the trade of plastering. In 1881 he was elected Sheriff of Clay County. He is a member of the G. A. R., I. O. O. F., and is the First Lieutenant of Company H, Second Regiment Kansas National Guard of Clay Centre - "The Golden Belt Guards." He was married November 8, 1866, at Centerville, Iowa, to Miss Mary J. Morris. They have six children - Jesse C., Amy A., George E., Cara G., Mary S. and Grant G.

Malitary service.

7th., Iowa Cavalry, Company E.

George W. Martin, Age 20, Resdience Centerville, Nativiy Indiana, Enlisted May 11, 1863, as fifth Sergeant.  Mustered June 3, 1863.  Promoted third Sergeant July 29, 1863.  Transferred to company E., seventh cavalry reorganized.

7th., Iowa Cavalry, Company E., Reorganized.

George W. Martin, Transferred from seventh cavalry company E., as third Sergeant.  Promoted Regimental Commissary Sergeant December 9, 1865.  Mustered out May 17, 1866, Fort Leavenworth Kansas.

Monday, October 24, 2011

William J. Mahan

WILLIAM J. MAHAN, contractor and builder, was born in Pleasant Hill, McLean Co., Illinois, in 1843. At the breaking-out of the war he enlisted his services in Company K, Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and soon after was instituted in the commissary of the Quartermaster's department with which he was connected till 1864, his term of enlistment; he then re-enlisted and veteraned in the Thirteenth Indiana, Company G, and remained in it till the end of the war, in the comissariat, when he was honorably discharged. After the war, he engaged at his present business in Bloomington, Ill., and followed it there till 1869, when, after spending several years in connection with his present business in Missouri and Texas, he located in Kansas and has been connected with it in the State almost continuously since. In 1877, he was married in Joplin, Mo., to Miss Martha A. Miller, of De Witt, Illinois. They have one little girl living, Eula May. Mr. Mahon is an active member of the K. of P. society. Since coming to the State, he has left important relics of his handicraft principally in Abilene, Kan., and in the mining and smelting institutions of Galena and Empire City.

Military Service.

Name: MAHAN, WILLIAM J.
Rank: Private.
Company: K.
Unit: 8th., Illinois United States Infantry.
Residence: MCLEAN County, ILLinois.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 5 1/2.
Hair: BROWN.
Eyes: HAZEL
Complexion: LIGHT
Marital Status: SINGLE.
Occupation: FARMER.
Nativity: PLEASANT HILL, MCLEAN CO, ILL.
Joined When: 08/01/61.
Period: 3 Years.
Remarks: DISCHARGED TERM OF SERVICE EXPIRED.

Indiana 13th., Infantry Company G.

When Enlisted: 1864/10/01.
Where Enrolled: Indianapolis, Indiana.
Age: 21.
Regiment: 13th.
Company G.
Discharged: 1865/09/05.
Remarks: Reorg. Promoted to Sgt., February 8, 1865. Substitute.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Charles Herman Selig

CHARLES HERMAN SELIG, druggist, came to El Dorado in 1870, embarking in business in 1872. Mr. S. is a native of Germany and was born in the city of Hamburg, February 17, 1849. In 1860, came to the United States with parents, locating in Lawrence, Kansas, which was his home for several years, and where he became proficient in pharmacy. Mr. Selig has been a vigorous worker in putting forward El Dorado's interests, and is one of the solid men of the place. Has been Councilman and otherwise officially identified. Is a member of the K. of H. and charter member of the Lodge in El Dorado. In 1861, enlisted as drummer boy in Company F Second Kansas Cavalry. At that time was eleven years and eleven months old, being the youngest boy in the service as far as ascertained. He participated in the battles of Cane Hill, Prairie Grove and other engagements. His father, Henry W. Selig, was in the same company. At Poison Springs was taken prisoner and held two weeks by the Confederates. After serving three years and two months was honorably discharged.

Charles Enlisted November 16, 1861, in Co. F., Second Cavalry, was mustered in same day. Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865, at Leavenworth, Kan.

His father Henry W. Selig enlisted in the same regiment and company November 5, 1861, mustered in November 6, 1861, Killed May, 1864, en route for Fort Tyler, Tex.; murdered by captors for being unable to march on account of wounds received in battle.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Reuben C. Chase.

REUBEN C. CHASE, green house and nursery, is a native of Otsego County, N. Y., born February 1, 1835; received a common school education in his native county, and also attended the Franklin Institute in Delaware County. At the completion of his studies he secured a situation to teach in Cooperstown Seminary, and afterward became principal of the graded school at Unadilla. He took part in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting with Company E, of the Third New York Volunteer Cavalry, but after serving one year, his health failing from exposure during service, he was discharged. He returned home and October, 1862, married Miss Julia A. Houghton, of Mr. Vernon, Ohio. In the spring of 1864 Mr. Chase re-enlisted with the First New York Engineers and served until the close of the war, and then returned to his native State and resumed school teaching. In 1867 he came to Hiawatha, permanently locating on the place where he now lives.

In 1870 he was elected County Superintendent of Public Instruction, which position he held three terms, having previously been principal of the Hiawatha school. He also taught the same school in 1880. Mr. Chase established his nursery in 1878 and now has twenty-five acres in all kinds of fruit trees best adapted to this Western climate. He is also proprietor of two large green houses, 18x60, where anything in the form of choice house or garden plants and cut flowers in beautiful designs may be found. He was Township Clerk of Hiawatha a number of terms, and is now one of the Trustees of the Morrill public library. He has always been a strong advocate of temperance and was largely instrumental in ridding Brown County of that able assistant of human depravity, the saloon. He is connected with Hiawatha Lodge, No. 83, I. O. O. F, and is a charter member of the Star of Hope Lodge No. 1338, of the K. of H. and was first presiding officer in said Lodge.

Service Record.

New York 3rd. Cavalry.

CHASE, ( REUBIN ) REUBEN C—Age, 26 years. Enlisted August 12, 1861, at Schenevus; mustered in as private, Company D, August 13, 1861, to serve three years; appointed corporal, date not stated; discharged for disability, April 7, 1862, at Washington, D. C.

New York 1St., Engineers.

C H A S E , R. C—Age, 29 years. Enlisted, August 30, 1864, at Norwich; mustered in as private, Co. E , August 30, 1864, to serve one year; promoted corporal, November 1, 1864; mustered out with company, June 30, 1865, at Richmond, Va.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Edward A. Blakeley

CAPT. EDWARD A. BLAKELEY came to Kansas in April, 1868, and was employed by C. W. Goodlander as a carpenter for eighteen months succeeding his arrival. He then had charge of teams for Mr. Clough (who was Street Commissioner) until 1873, when he became engaged in the transfer business for himself, in which he has continued since. He was born in Syracuse, Onondaga Co., N. Y., December 24, 1840, and lived there until he came to Kansas with the exception of four years' service in the Union Army. He enlisted as a private May 16, 1861, in Company G, Eighty-first New York Volunteer Veteran Infantry, and served in the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac until September 16, 1865, participating in all the battles of his command. He was fireman on the N. Y. C. R. R. five years and engineer two and a half years on the same road after the war until he came to Kansas. He is a merchant by trade; he was married at Syracuse, N. Y., October 4, 1872, to Martha A. Mortimer, a native of Virginia. They have three children--Edward S., Arthur R. and Everett H. Capt. Blakely sic is a member of the A. O. U. W., I. O. O. F. and G. A. R., Grand Legion, and Captain of Company F, First Regiment of the Kansas National Guards.

Service Record.

BLAKELEY, EDWARD A.—Age, 22 years. Enrolled, September 12,1861, at Syracuse, to serve tbree years; mustered in as sergeant, Co. G, September 16, 1861; re-enlisted as a veteran, January 1, 1864; wounded in action, September 30,1864,at Chaffin's Farm, Va.; mustered in as first lieutenant, September 22, 1864; as captain, January 28, 1865; mustered out with company, August 31, 1865, at Fort Monroe, Va. Commisioned first Lieutenant, November 30, 1864, witb rank from September 20, 1864, vice G. C. Smith promoted; captain,March 14, 1865, with rank from January 28, 1865.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Erastus J. Turner.

SHERIDAN COUNTY.

William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas.

HON. ERASTUS J. TURNER, lawyer and real estate dealer, was born at Lockport, Erie County, Pa., Dec. 26, 1846. When he was only one year of age, his father, J. L. Turner, a Methodist clergyman, removed with his family to Ohio, remaining thee until 1849, when he pushed further west into Indiana, remaining there until 1853, then removed to Niles, Mich., where he lived until 1856, when he located at Henry, Ill., and from thence to Bloomfield, Iowa, in 1860. E. J. Turner was for three years a student at the Adrian College of Michigan.

In 1870 he entered the law office of Gen. Weaver, the recent Greenback candidate for President, remaining with him for two years; then located at Mount Ayer, Iowa, where he practiced law and conducted the Ringgold Record for two years; afterward embarking in the mercantile business at Ottumwa and Corning, Iowas, remaining in the business until his removal to Sheridan County, Kan., in February, 1879.

He purchased a section of land and laid out the town of Kenneth, and engaged in the practice of law, selling town lots and dealing in other real estate, continuing in the business to the present time, besides being largely interested in wool growing, having an extensive sheep ranch extending for a distance of three miles, on the south bank of the Solomon River, beginning a distance of about six miles from Kenneth. He considers Sheridan County as one of the best cattle and sheep territories in Kansas. When he located in the county only twenty claims had been taken. Before the 20th of June of the same year there was not a section of land within the borders of the county upon which claims had not been made.

He as served two terms in the Kansas Legislature, being elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1880 and 1882. He was in the army from November, 1863, until July, 1865. He enlisted in Company E, Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, but was soon afterward detailed to duty in the Provost Marshal's Office, doing duty most of the time at Louisville, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M. Nov. 28, 1873, Mr. Turner was married at Afton, Iowa, to Ella Beymer, a native of Clyde, Ohio; she died Jan. 25, 1882, leaving one child - Kenneth Beymer Turner -- who was born at Corning, Iowa, Dec. 5, 1874.

Military Record.

Erastus J. Turner, Age 18, Residence Adams, Nativity of Pennsylvania, enlisted in the 13th, Co. E, Iowa infantry on November 28, 1864, mustered in same day. Mustered out July 21, 1865. at Louisville Kentucky; Substituted for Hiram Long.