Sunday, April 5, 2020

82nd Indiana Infantry Regiment at Chickamauga


JAMES DEMETRIS ROWLISON

OUR CIVIL WAR SOLDIER at The Battle of Chickamauga

I’ve told pieces of the story of my great, grandfather’s Civil War service and have distributed bits and pieces. His story deserves to be collected and preserved a single account and his descendants deserve a concise account of this story that can be preserved and passed on. – Jerrell R. (Jerry) Johnson, April 2020.

OUTLINE

Introduction
James’s own account of his service
An early Wikipedia entry on the 82nd Indiana Infantry
Context of The Battle of Chickamauga in the Civil War
Comments on the Union Army organization and where James fit in.







INTRODUCTION

James Demetris Rowlison (1839-1890) was in Company A of the 82nd Indiana Infantry from the beginning of the Civil War until the unit mustered out at the end of the war in 1865. He was one of two men who of Company A to serve in the unit for the entire war.

This account focuses on his participation in The Battle of Chickamauga, September 18-20, 1863 at Chickamauga Creek in Northwest Georgia, south of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

James D. Rowlison was the father of Maggie (Rowlison) Cassell > grandfather of Mildred (Cassell) Johnson > and great, grandfather of Jerry Johnson


NOTES ON SERVICE BY JAMES D. ROWLISON – His own account as preserved by Mildred (Cassell) Johnson.

            James D. Rowlison was born in Jefferson County, Indiana.  Enlisted, Fifteenth of August, 1862 at the age of Twenty-three years, in Co. A, 82nd Indiana Infantry, at Madison, Indiana.  Regiment mustered into U. S. Service the 22nd day of August with Morton C. Hunter as its Colonel, on the same day, it embarked for Louisville, Kentucky to meet Braggs invasion of Kentucky with 980 men, rank file.  (No uniforms had yet been given us) arriving about dark of the same day.

            Our first duty as warriors was under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Burbridge.  Our Brigade, known as the Burbridge Brig. was composed of the 80, 82, 87 Ind. and 104, Illinois.  We did duty together for about one month, when the Brig. was broken and we were assigned to the 1st Brig., 1st Div., 14th Army Corps.  Col. Walker 31 Ohio Brig. Com., Gen. Schoepff Div. Co., Gen. Geo. H. Thomas Corps Com.  The Brig. was composed of the 17th, 31st, 38th, Ohio, 82nd Ind. 12th Ky, and "C" 4th, Mich. Bat.  We remained in the same brigade and division until the Chickamauga battle when we formed a a part of the 1st Brig., 3rd Div., 14 A.C.  John Turchin Brig. Com., Absalom Barid Div. Com., John M. Palmer, Corps Com.  The Brigade composed of the following Reg'ts.  11th, 17, 31 89, 92, Ohio, 82 Indiana, 19, 24, Illinois, on the Atlanta Campaign (the 23 Mo. was added) when the 11th Ohio, 19 and 24, expired, after the fall of Atlanta, Gen. Turchin resigned.  Col. Hunter of 82 Ind. assumed command and continue to be the Brig. Com to the end of the war.  The 82 constructed more than two miles of earth works during her time of service, and never fired a shot at the enemy from behind one of the lines.  The regt. fought at Perryville, Ky, Stone's River, Tenn., Hoover Gap, Tenn., Tullahoma, Tenn., Chickamauga, Ga., Brown’s Ferry, Tenn., Mission Ridge, Tenn., Rocky Face, Ga., Resaca, Ga., Buzzard Roost, Ga., Snake Creek Gap, Ga., Big Shanty, Ga., Kennesaw Mt., Ga., Marietta, Ga., Etawa River (Etoway in diary) Ga., Peach Tree Creek, Ga., Atlanta, Ga., Jonesboro, Ga., besides a thousand skirmishes.  The Regt. never missed duty a day, never was driven from a single position asked it during the two years and ten months of Service.

            Now comes the master stroke of the war.  The march through Georgia to the sea.  The 82nd took an active part up to and including the capture of Savannah.  We cross the Savannah River into South Carolina, following the enemy until he surrendered.  The Regt. passed in Grand Review at Washington.  Arriving at the capitol of the state - Indianapolis we were mustered out the last of June, 1865.

            At Chickamauga September 18-21, 1863, the Regt. entered the fight with 240 men, rank and file, 40 of which was on the skirmish line, during the two day fight we lost 132 men (in killed, wounded and taken prisoner, 59 of which was killed outright.)  Co. A had 26 men for duty the morning of the Second day.  Lost 13 of them.  At the charge on Mission Ridge, November 25, 1863, the Regt. lost 30 men in killed and wounded.  Co. A. 2 killed at Rocky Face Ridge February 25, 1864.  The Lt. Col. and 35 men killed.  Co. A., 2 men slightly wounded.


AN EARLY WIKIPEDIA ENTRY ON THE 82nd Indiana Infantry

82nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry
OVERVIEW:
Organized at Indianapolis and Camp Emerson and mustered in August 30, 1862. Ordered to Louisville, Ky., September 1. Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Center 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to June, 1865.
SERVICE:
Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-15, 1862. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 7, and duty there till December 26. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro till June. Expedition toward Columbia March 4-14. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Hoover's Gap June 24-26. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-21. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Reopening Tennessee River November 26-29. Brown's Ferry October 27. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Orchard Knob November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. Pursuit to Graysville November 26-27. Demonstrations on Dalton, Ga., February 22-27, 1864. Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1-September 8. Demonstrations on Rocky Faced Ridge May 8-11. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Advance on Dallas May 18-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about DallasNew Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June l0-July 2. Pine Hill June 10-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Ruff's Station, Smyrna Camp Ground, July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Peach Tree Creek July 19-20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5-7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle ofJonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations in North Georgia and North Alabama against Hood September 29-November 3. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Fayetteville, N. C., March 11. Averysboro March 16. Battle of Bentonville March 19-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D. C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24. Mustered out June 9, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 65 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 6 Officers and 170 Enlisted men by disease. Total 244.



 CONTEXT OF THE BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA

The 82nd Indiana Infantry Regiment was mustered into the army in August 1862 from men in Jefferson County, Indiana. They first saw combat at the Battle of Stone’s River at Murfreesboro, Tennessee at New Years.

The family story is that James was struck by lightning at Murfreesboro. What injuries he must have incurred did not prevent him from serving in the army for the next two and a half years. The family story continues that he was never a healthy man, unable to work at 100% and that he applied, unsuccessfully, for a disability pension.

James died in 1890 at the age of 51 leaving his wife Rhoda (Walton) with 11 children, seven of them between 2 and 16 years of age. Rhoda did receive a widow’s pension of $12 a month for much of her later life. She died in 1932.

SPOILER ALERT! The Confederacy won the Battle of Chickamauga. MG Rosecrans, and James, had been tangling with General Bragg’s army from the middle of Tennessee to the southeast. Rosecrans was trying to engage and defeat the Army of Tennessee and give the Union its third major victory of the year after Gettysburg and Vicksburg.

The Battle of Chickamauga was a near standoff, and also a near rout of the Union forces. Watch for how James and the 82nd Indiana had a role in averting that rout.

The Army of the Cumberland made it to safety in Chattanooga after the battle but were under siege there for several weeks, cut off and down to one-quarter rations for a time. General Grant arrived, opened the supply lines, reinforced the army, and engaged Bragg in the Battle of Chattanooga forcing the Confederates to begin their retreat to Atlanta.

The 82nd Indiana and James played a role we can reconstruct at the battle on Missionary Ridge when they participated in the charge up that steep ridge in one of the more remarkable frontal assaults in military history. And that’s no hyperbole but it is another story.

COMMENTS ON THE ORGANIZATION OF UNION MILITARY UNITS and JAMES’S PLACE IN THE ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND.

The videos and articles that are linked to this account describe the action in the battle generally by referring to the generals in charge of the units. Thus, it is necessary to identify James’s position in the army’s organization to be able to track where he was and what he was doing in the battle.

The document that identifies the relationships of military units here is the Order of Battle for the Union at The Battle of Chickamauga available at Wikipedia:


The Army of the Cumberland under MG William Rosecrans (Union Armies were named after rivers.) facing the Army of Tennessee under General Braxton Bragg (Confederates named armies after states – a later Union army was The Army of the Tennessee, named after the river).

The Union had four Corps in the battle:

XIV Corps under MG GEORGE HENRY THOMAS – James’s unit was in this Corps for much of this part of the war.
XX Corps under MG Alexander McCook
XXI Corps under MG Thomas Leonidas Crittenden
A Reserve Corps under MG Gordon Granger – they would be important to James’s situation late in the battle.

MG GEORGE THOMAS’s XIV Corps had four Divisions

First Division under BG Absolom Baird
Second Division under MG James S. Negley
Third Division under BG JOHN MILTON BRANNAN – James’s unit was in BRANNAN’s division.
Fourth Division under MG Joseph J. Reynolds

BG JOHN BRANNAN’s division had three Brigades:

1st Brigade under COL JOHN M. CONNELL – James’s unit was in CONNELL’s brigade
2nd Brigade under John T. Croxton (who was wounded – then Col William H. Hays)
3rd Brigade under Col. Ferdinand Van Derveer
Plus there were three artillery batteries in the Third Division

COL JOHN CONNELL’s Brigade had four regiments:

82nd Indiana Regiment under COL MORTON C. HUNTER – James’s regiment.
17th Ohio Regiment under Ltc. Durbin Ward
31st Ohio Regiment under Ltc. Frederick W. Lister
38th Ohio Regiment under Col Edward H. Phelps – this regiment was detached and assigned to train guard – likely guarding the supply wagon trains. They did not fight with the rest of the brigade.

The list of enlisted men of the 82nd Indiana is at 


The accounts of the battle will usually track the action referring to the commanding generals of the Corps and the Divisions, rarely tracking the brigades and almost never referring to individual regiments. A major exception is the 82nd Indiana Infantry Regiment – James’s regiment that distinguished itself at Chickamauga late in the battle at Snodgrass Hill.

There was a structure to regiments as well. Regiments were composed of Companies. James served throughout the war in Company A of the 82nd Indiana. A newly formed regiment nominally consisted of ten companies of about 100 men each for a fighting force of 1,000 men. In James’s account above, he says that the regiment arrived at Chickamauga with 240 men. As men were killed, wounded, captured, or deserted during the war, the regiments were generally not replenished with new men. Brigade fighting strength was maintained by assigning additional regiments to a brigade.

As commander of the Army of the Cumberland, MG Rosecrans had a General Staff. His Chief of Staff was BG James A. Garfield who became the 20th President of the United States in 1881. Other staff positions included an inspector general, quartermaster, provost marshal (milltary police) Staff Judge Advocate, Engineers, Surgeons, Chaplain, etc. There was a unit of cavalry and infantry and sharpshooters who were assigned to the commander’s headquarters.

Corps commanders had a provost guard (military police) and an escort unit that protected the headquarters.

Artillery batteries could be assigned to brigade commanders or to the division commander.

To recap, to follow James and the 82nd Ind watch for:

THOMAS and the XIV Corps
BRANNON’s Division ---  Third Division
CONNELL’s Brigade  ---- 1st Brigade
82nd IND  --- 82nd Indiana Infantry Regiment.

Also, watch for James Rowlison’s younger brother Manelburt Rowlison (age 21) and their cousin Alexander C. Rowlison who were in the 22nd Indiana Infantry Regiment. Their units:

MCCOOK’s Corps  ---   XX Corps
DAVIS’s Division   ---  BG Jefferson C. Davis’s First Division – Union general, not president of the Confederacy
POST’s Brigade   ---   Col P. Sydney Post’s 1st Brigade
22nd IND    ---  22nd Indiana Infantry Regiment – Col Michael GOODING

Now to see what James was up to those days in September 1863:

This 53-minute youtube video describes the battle with lots of video of reenactment guys doing their thing.


This hour-plus video is a Battle of Chickamauga Documentary with a shout-out to the 82nd Indiana Infantry at about the 54-minute mark and a shot of the regiment monument at the Chattanooga – Chickamauga Battlefield Park.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZj9O-Ikm3M&t=3275s

This 22-minute video titled Chickamauga: Animated Battle Map illustrates unit movements.


A history.com overview including the story of George Thomas becoming the “Rock of Chickamauga”


“Thomas organized the remaining Federals in a desperate Union stand, earning a lasting reputation as the “Rock of Chickamauga” for his efforts.”

Questions: How did the 82nd Indiana play a part in BG Thomas earning that reputation and why is this imposing monument to the 82nd IND on the Chickamauga Battlefield?



The description of the 82nd Indiana Infantry monument reads: “This monument to a 82nd Indiana Infantry Regiment is in recognition of their service during the during the Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Morton C. Hunter. This is one of three monuments to the 82nd Indiana Infantry Regiment on the battlefield.”

What happened? The text on the rear of the 82nd IND’s monument reads:
When the front line was driven from the works by Longstreet’s fierce attack, just before noon, Colonel Hunter ordered the 82nd, to charge, which it did in gallant style, recapturing and holding the works, but being Immediately outflanked and almost surrounded, it fell back fighting until it reached the site of this monument at a little after 12 M.
The 82nd was the first Regiment of Brannan’s division that formed a line of battle on Snodgrass Hill, which line was firmly held against all assaults until night put an end to the battle.
Killed 20; wounded 68; missing 23.


A second marker on the battlefield honors the Connell Brigade under the command of Col. John
M. Connell




This third marker on the Chickamauga battlefield designates the 82nd Indiana Infantry Regiment.




As described in the Animated Video (15-minute point), further south, one-third of the union army is forced off the field in a rout including Rosecrans, McCook and Crittenden leaving Thomas on the field. Note that Manelburt Rowlison and the DAVIS Division is clobbered when Longstreet breaks through the Union lines.

Union forces under General THOMAS, Wood and BRANNON needed to hold their position or, as the narrator states, the Union disaster will be complete.  

The 82nd IND is credited with being the first regiment-sized unit to take a stand on Snodgrass hill where small groups of soldiers joined them to resist the charging rebels.

General Granger’s reserves joined, and the Army of the Cumberland made its last Chickamauga stand on Snodgrass Hill and Horseshoe Ridge until late afternoon when Major General THOMAS order the retreat toward Missionary Ridge and Chattanooga to begin.

Almost all of XIV Corps was able to retreat safely except for the 22nd Michigan and the 21st and 89th Ohio regiments which were all lost, killed or captured.

Accounts refer to the 82nd as the first regiment-sized unit to take that stand on Snodgrass Hill. How large was this regiment at this time?

James Rowlison tells us that the 82nd had 240 men at the beginning of the battle. The 82nd IND monument’s inscription lists 20 killed, 68 wounded, and 23 missing – that’s 111 lost leaving 129 at the end of the battle. James’s account was 132 lost during the two days.

In any event, we can guess that the 82nd probably had no more than 150 or so men when it made that stand on the afternoon of September 20.

That small group of men, including our X times great, grandfather is credited with being the foundation of the stand on Snodgrass Hill which, with the stand on Horseshoe Ridge allowed the bulk of the Army of the Cumberland to retreat from the battlefield to safety eventually in Chattanooga. There the army regrouped and began their breakout at Brown’s Ferry on October 27 and at the Battle of Chattanooga and Ringgold on November 23-27 leading to the defeat of the Confederacy in Georgia and the southeast.

We can point to Civil War history that clearly shows that Corporal James D. Rowlison deserves to be remembered as having played a real and significant role in the success of the Union Army.

The Rowlison story had yet another distinguished chapter two months later.

After breaking the siege of Chattanooga, the Army of the Cumberland attacked Bragg’s army at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. There were shakeups in command before that happened.

President Lincoln assigned MG Ulysses S. Grant as Commander of the Military Division of the Mississippi, a new command. General Grant dismissed MG Rosecrans and replaced him with James Rowlison’s Corps commander, MG George H. Thomas. The new order of battle for following James in the videos about Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge is:

MG George H. THOMAS – Army of the Cumberland
XIV Corps – MG John M. PALMER
Third Division – BG Absalom BAIRD
1st Brigade – BG John  B Turchin
82nd IND  -  Col Morton C. HUNTER

The story of the frontal attack by troops from the Army of the Cumberland at Missionary Ridge is a classic in military history.

Troops from the Army of the Mississippi, fresh from their resounding victory at Vicksburg arrived in Chattanooga to reinforce Rosecrans's troops and troops from Army of the Potomac arrived from their even more honored victory at Gettysburg. Soldiers from each of those armies were not bashful in their treatment of the Rosecrans army after their defeat at Chickamauga.

General Grant began breaking the siege with a battle at Brown's Ferry which the 82nd IND had a part in.

After the Union prevailed at Lookout Mountain, General Grant planned the attack at Missionary Ridge. General Sherman and his army was to attack the left end of the ridge. General Hooker was to attack the south end of the ridge. General Thomas was now in command of the Army of the Cumberland and they were given a "token" assignment to make a "demonstration" against fire pits at the base of the ridge. This assignment did not sit well with the troops who had taken that beating at Chickamauga. They expected an opportunity to redeem themselves.

The Sherman attack bogged down on the left; the Hooker attack on the right was not making progress.

General Thomas's troops took the Confederate positions at the base as the rebels began to retreat up the hill. Thomas's troops, including the 82nd Indiana Regiment in General Turchin's brigade were taking fire from rebels at the top of the ridge.

General Turchin is credited with being the first of the subordinate commander to give the order to attack up this steep 400 foot slope to the top of Missionary Ridge sending his 1st Brigade up the hill. The 82nd Indiana was in his brigade along with the 11th, 17th, 31st, 36th, 89th, and 92nd Ohio Regiments.

The rest of General Thomas's XIV followed. The Union soldiers, including Corporal James D. Rowlison pushed the rebels up the hill and turned right chasing them south along the top of the ridge and pursued the rebels to the east. The sound of the Rebel Yell had filled the air at Chickamauga two months earlier as the Confederates celebrated their victory. The Union soldiers chasing the rebels at the top of Missionary Ridge took up a celebratory scream, "CHICKAMAUGA!" "CHICKAMAUGA!" "CHICKAMAUGA!"

Generals Grant, Thomas, and Granger were positioned a distance back watching the action and were surprised, more likely stunned to see the 25,000 Union troops begin to charge up that hill.

General Grant asked Thomas if he'd given an order to advance past the fire pit. Thomas said he hadn't Grant asked Granger who also denied it but added, "Once those boys get started, even Hell can't stop them" or words to that effect.

Order of Battle at Missionary Ridge
The 22nd Indians Infantry was in Turchin's Brigade, Baird's Division on the left flank, Turchin n Baird's right nest to Wood's Division's left. Accounts credit General Turchin with being the first of the subordinate commanders to order his troops up the ridge.

Observers saw inverted "V" formations with the standard bearers at the apex carrying the flag as soldier's fanned out on either side. As the standard bearers fell, other soldiers picked up the flag and took the lead at the front of their "V". 

Brother Manelburt Rowlison and cousin Alexander with the 22nd Indiana Infantry were in Sherman's Brigade on the right flank of General Philip Sheridan's Division toward the south end of the echelon. 


Fun piece of information:  Brig. General John Basil Turchin’s real name was Ivan Vasilyevich Turchaninov, also known as “The Mad Russian.” He was a major in the Imperial Russian Army and fought in Hungary and in the Crimean War. He met U.S. officers in Crimea and after emigrating with his wife Nadezhda Antonina L’vova they settled in Chicago where he joined that army when the Civil War began. He began as commander of the 19th Illinois infantry, his contacts from his Crimea days probably helping.

Turchin’s wife, now known as Nadine Lvova Turchin traveled with him during the war (completely against all rules) at times serving as his surrogate in command of his troops when he was ill. The troops referred to her as Madame Turchin. Nadine Turchin kept a diary, the only Union female diarist of the Battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge.

Shall we speculate about how much James Rowlison knew about Madame Turchin after General Turchin became his brigade commander and what he thought of her?


Confederate Cavalry General Nathan Bedford Forrest may have been one of the most successful generals in Bragg's army. After the war, he was an early member of the Ku Klux Klan and became one of the klan leaders by the 1868 presidential campaign. He is believed to have been the first "Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan" the title stemming from his wartime nickname as the "Wizard of the Saddle."

Monday, September 4, 2017

Rhoda's Story after James Died

James Demetris Rowlison died on 2 Aug 1890 leaving Rhoda with small children on the farm in western Kansas. They had sold out on their farm on the Benedict place northeast of Edgar, Nebraska in November 1886 keeping a team and a wagon. They attended the state convention of the G. A. R. in Grand Island and then drove the team to Hoxie, Kansas.

 Ethel was their 11th child born in November of 1888 and James died less than two years later.

Following is the chronology of Rhoda's life after James died in 1890 through her own death in 1932. Please review this information and let me know if you have any corrections, additions, or further information that is needed to complete Rhoda's story during this period.

Rhoda found herself widowed with a large family to deal with:

Ethel was 20 months old
Mabel was four years old
Roy was six
James was nine
Myrtle was eleven
Martha was thirteen
Charles was sixteen
Minnie was eighteen
George was 20 years old
Gustavus was 24 years old

Maggie was 22 years old, had married earlier in the year and was living near Edgar, Nebraska.

It is likely that at least eight of the children were still at home. George and Gustavus may have also been with her, but in any event, they were nearby to help. There would not be a second marriage in the family until September 1898 when Martha married Oliver Cassell in Clay Center, so it’s likely she had returned to Nebraska where she met Oliver, Maggie’s brother-in-law.

The story of Rhoda’s life as a widow from 1890 to 1932 is clearer when viewed chronologically.

Nov 1886                    The family left Nebraska for Hoxie.

9 Nov 1888                 Daughter Ethel Rowlison born in Hoxie, Sheridan, Kansas

7 Apr 1890                  Daughter Maggie Rowlison married David Cassell in Hoxie, Sheridan, Kansas

2 Aug 1890                 Husband James Demetris Rowlison died in Hoxie, Sheridan, Kansas

19 Feb 1891                Granddaughter Jessie Cassell (Maggie’s dau) born in Ong, Clay, Nebraska

11 Apr 1892                Grandson James Cassell (Maggie’s son) born in Edgar, Clay, Nebraska

2 Aug 1894                 Grandson Harry Cassell (Maggie’s son) born in Edgar, Clay, Nebraska

19 Mar 1897               Grandson Leonard (Bum) Cassell (Maggie’s son) born Edgar, Clay, Nebraska

21 Sep 1898                Daughter Martha Rowlison married Oliver Cassell in Clay Center, Clay, Nebraska

23 Oct 1898                Son George Rowlison married Clara Clements

8 Jan 1899                   Daughter Myrtle Rowlison married Hugh Long

20 Jun 1899                 Grandson Gaylord Cassell (Martha’s son) born

20 Aug 1899               Gustavus Adolphus (Dolph) married Madge Bryan

24 Sep 1899                Charles Rowlison married Laura Griffith

20 Jan 1900                 Florence Long (Myrtle’s dau) born

13 Jun 1900                 Mabel Rowlison (Charles’s dau) born

21 Jun 1900                 1900 Census – Rhoda was living in Kenneth Township, Sheridan County, Kansas with Minnie, age 28; James, 19; Roy, 16; Mabel, 13 and Ethel age 11.

20 Sep 1900                Rosetta Rowlison (Dolph’s dau) born

15 Nov 1900               Mabel Rowlison (Charle’s dau) died

22 Dec 1900                Ralph Cassell (Martha’s son) born

15 Aug 1901               Hazel Rowlison (George’s dau) born

29 Jan 1902                 Lois Long (Myrtle’s dau) born

7 Feb 1902                  Gladys Cassell (Maggie’s dau) born


20 Sep 1902                Buel Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

15 Jul 1903                 Dorothy Rowlison (Charles’s dau) born

7 Oct 1903                  Howard Cassell (Martha’s son) born

21 Feb 1904                Bernard Rowlison (George’s son) born

28 Dec 1904                Leland (Pete) Cassell (Maggie’s son) born

8 Feb 1905                  James Rowlison married Fanny Baldock

31 May 1905               Roy Rowlison married Laura Gowen

4 May 1906                 Earl Rowlison (Roy’s son) born

16 May 1906               Ralph Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

18 Jun 1906                 Vernon Cassell (Martha’s son) born

19 Aug 1906               Ruth Rowlison (Charles’s dau) born

14 Apr 1907                Arthur (Mike) Cassell (Maggie’s son) born

3 Aug 1907                 Theodore Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

27 Nov 1907               Darlene Rowlison (Roy’s day) born

5 Aug 1908                 Cleo Cassell (Martha’s dau) born

2 Feb 1909                  George Rowlison (Rhoda’s son) died

17 Feb 1909                Grace Rowlison (Charles’s son) born

17 Dec 1909                Wayne (Brody) Cassell (Maggie’s son) born

19 Feb 1910                Orville Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

27 Feb 1910                James Rowlison (James’s son) born

18 Apr 1910                1910 Census: Rhoda was living in Hayes Ward 1, Ellis County, Kansas with Minnie, age 38; Mabel, 23 and Ethel 21.

4 Aug 1910                 Oleta Rowlison (Roy’s dau) born

6 Dec 1910                  Helen Cassell (Martha’s dau) born           

21 Mar 1912               Wayne Rowlison (Charles’s son) born

22 May 1912               Mildred Cassell (Maggie’s dau) born

8 Jun 1912                   Mabel Rowlison married Fredrick Calvert

20 Jun 1912                 Dwight Rowlison (Roy’s son) born

24 Aug 1912               Lena Rowlison (Dolph’s dau) born

9 Apr 1913                  Marvin Cassell (Martha’s son) born

21 Nov 1913               Wilma Rowlison (Charles’s dau) born

8 Mar 1914                 Eva Rowlison (Roy’s dau) born

1 Apr 1915                  Roy Cassell (Martha’s son) born

8 Oct 1915                  Emma Rowlison (Dolph’s dau) born

16 Aug 1916               Floyd Rowlison (Roy’s son) born

16 Aug 1916               Fern Rowlison (Roy’s dau) born

22 Feb 1917                Gr-granddaughter Ruth Cassell (Maggie>Harry) born in Nebraska

23 Mar 1918               Gr.grandson Robert Cassell (Maggie>Harry) born in Nebraska

8 Sep 1918                  John Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

6 Jan 1919                   Merna Cassell (Martha’s dau) born

19 Apr 1919                Gustavus Adolphus (Rhoda’s son) died

13 Nov 1919               Max Rowlison (Roy’s son) born

3 Jan 1920                   1920 Census: Rhoda was living in Ong, Logan Township, Clay County, Nebraska with Ethel, age 31 and Maggie's son Leonard (Bum) Cassell, age 22, a garage mechanic in Ong, the town’s first mechanic according to our folklore.

3 May 1920                 Gr-grandson Lovelle Karnatz (Maggie>Jessie) born in Nebraska

20 May 1920               Minnie Rowlison married Gilbert Carey
                                                Pearl Carey (Minnie’s step-dau) was 7 years old

27 May 1920               Gr-granddaughter Margaret Cassell (Maggie>Harry) born in Nebraska

5 Jul 1921                   Gr-granddaughter Rhodabelle Karnatz (Maggie>Jessie) born in Nebraska

1 Nov 1921                 Betty Rowlison (Roy’s dau) born

7 Jun 1922                   Ethel Rowlison married LeRoy Oakley

19 Aug 1923               Gr-granddaughter Florine Cassell (Maggie>James) born in Nebraska

15 Sep 1923                Gr-granddaughter Vaunden Nelson (George>Hazel) born in Nebraska

14 Nov 1923               Gr-granddaughter Irlene Beam (Myrtle>Lois) born in Twin Falls, Idaho

15 Nov 1923               Gr-granddaughter Irlene Beam (Myrtle>Lois) died in Twin Falls, Idaho

13 Apr 1924                Ethel LoRee Oakley (Ethel’s dau) was born

26 Oct 1924                Gr-granddaughter Ruby Karnatz (Maggie>Jessie) born in Nebraska

11 Nov 1924               Gr-grandson Ronald Cassell (Maggie>Harry) born in Nebraska

16 Jun 1925                 Gr-granddaughter Lois Beam (Myrtle>Lois) born in Twin Falls, Idaho

9 Mar 1926                 Gr-granddaughter Nellie Louise (Haskett?) (Gustavus > Rosetta) born 9 Mar 1926 in Missouri

10 Aug 1926               Gr-grandson Ray Karnatz (Maggie>Jessie) born in Nebraska

27 Sep 1926                Marjorie Calvert (Mabel’s dau) born

11 Mar 1927               Gr-granddaughter Irla Beam (Myrtle>Lois) born in Twin Falls, Idaho

18 Dec 1928                Buel Rowlison (Dolph’s son) died    

1929                            Gr-grandson James (Haskett?) (Gustavus > Rosetta) born

28 Apr 1929                Gr-grandson Donal Nelson (George>Hazel) born in Nebraska

18 Apr 1930                1930 Census: Rhoda was living in Clay Center, Clay County, Nebraska with daughter Ethel and Roy Oakley and their daughter LoRee, age 6.

4 June 1930                 Gr-grandson Kenneth Cassell (Maggie>James) born in Edgar, Clay, Nebraska

11 Jul 1930                 Gr-granddaughter Donna Cassell (Maggie>Leonard) born in Clay Center, Clay, Nebraska

12 May 1931               Gr-grandson Harold Rowlison (Gustavus>Theodore) born in Kansas

9 Jul 1931                   Gr-granddaughter Marylee Cassell (Martha>Howard) born


24 Mar 1932               Rhoda (Walton) Rowlison died

Monday, August 22, 2016

The 1966 Walton Picnic



This clip appeared in The Clay County News on August 18, 1966 listing the attendees at the Walton Picnic in Clay Center.


Walton Picnic, 1966
Were you there? I missed it having just finished basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas and was waiting to hear if I'd been accepted to officers' training. That happened one month later.
JJ

holding place for draft post

holding place for draft post

Holding place for draft post

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Why did James and Rhoda go to Moulton, Iowa?

by Jerry Johnson

Genealogical research does not need to be limited to a collection of dates and places. In fact, I'd likely have never taken up the activity if that were so. The topic gets better as we flesh out those dates and places, ask the questions "When?" and "How?" and especially "Why?"

James and Rhoda Rowlison's migration from southern Indiana to western Kansas included a stop in Moulton, Iowa around 1876. Martha Anna was born there in January of 1877. The stop in Iowa followed a longer stay near Kirksville, Missouri about 35 miles south of Moulton.

It is worth researching and maybe speculating as to "Why?" did the Rowlisons decide to go to Kirksville and to Moulton.

There was a fellow named Robert J. Rowlison who seems to be the same fellow as a John L. Rowlison who shows up in the Kirksville census as early as 1860. He had come from Jennings County, Indiana. These could be two different guys but there is too much commonality to ignore.

I'm speculating that this was a son of Nathanial Rowlison and a cousin of James. John, or Robert Rowlison seems to have been in the Civil War as a corporal in the 2nd Missouri Cavalry - a Union unit. So the Rowlison name, common youth in Jennings or neighboring Jefferson Counties in Indiana and probably cousins leads us to speculate that James and Rhoda went to Kirksville because they knew of this Rowlison already living there.

Now to Moulton, Iowa. In 2007 after the reunion in Kewanee, Illinois, Rita and I went to Kirksville, Missouri and located the Rowlison farm there (earlier post here). We have the farm location from the ad that James put in the local paper when he put the place on the market. From Kirksville we drove the 35 miles north to Moulton, Iowa.

I do not have any clue as to where the Moulton farm may have been, but comparing the farmland at the two areas it is clear that the Iowa location was much better land for corn and other crops, at least it appears so today and was likely so in the 1870's. I speculated that during the several years that James and Rhoda lived in Kirksville, James would have had opportunity to scout the surrounding area and could have seen that there were better prospects around Moulton. I guessed he put the

The family of James and Sarah (Walton) Hays
Missouri farm up for sale and moved north. That was my "best guess" as to why the went to Moulton, until today.

Today I stumbled upon the grave record for Sarah (Walton) Hays who was buried in the Moulton, Iowa cemetery in 1893 and was living in Moulton as early as 1870. Sarah and her husband James Hays had lived in Jefferson County, Indiana when they were younger. Sarah was the older sister of Isaiah Walton and Rhoda's aunt.

James Hays died in May, 1876 and was buried in Moulton. Rhoda had her sixth baby, Martha Anna in January, 1877 in Moulton.

I think we can safely say that James and Rhoda moved to Moulton because her aunt already lived there.

After the short stay at this farm the Rowlisons moved on west to Peru, Nebraska. I do not have any clues what that attraction may have been. But the next move was to the series of four farms around Edgar, Nebraska where they stayed several years. The first of those farms was the farm of Merritt Walton, Rhoda's older brother where they spent their first winter while Merritt and his family went to Missouri for the winter.