William H. Dutcher

Among the representative men of Yell township, Webster county, Iowa, is William H. Dutcher, who was born July 9, 1842, in Ross county, Ohio, a son of Charles and Nancy (Ratliff) Dutcher. both natives of Ohio, where they were married and where they remained for twelve years thereafter, living upon a farm. They then removed to Moniteau county, Missouri, where the father purchased six hundred acres of raw prairie land. This he broke with ox teams and spent his life in cultivating the property, living there until his death, which occurred in 1885. The death of his wife took place in 1870. In politics he was a Republican. Seven children were born to them, namely: Reuben married Lucy Harriman and resides in Stewart, Idaho; John, deceased, married Camelia Dunham, who now resides north of Homer, Iowa; David, deceased, married Abbie Burnett, who lives in Oregon; William H., our subject, is the next of the family: Jeramiah married Margarette Jessup and resided in Webster county, Iowa, until their deaths; Charles married Eliza Jane Steeley and makes his home in Moniteau county, Missouri; and Robert died at the age of three years. The Dutcher family is of English extraction and its founder in this country settled in New York. Various members of it became prominent, the grandfather of our subject being a well-known Methodist minister.

William H. Dutcher attended school at the Pilot Grove church school in Moniteau county, Missouri; at Hopewell, Missouri; and also at Sand Hill in the same vicinity. At the age of seventeen he left school and as his opportunities in that direction were poor his education was necessarily limited. The schools were conducted on the subscription plan and held only in winter, the pupils working on the various farms in summer. He remained at home until he was twenty-one, assisting his father upon the farm.

On June 15, 1862, Mr. Dutcher enlisted in Company B, Forty-third Missouri State Guards, encamped at the state capital. He did guard and scout duty and remained in the service until December. 1864, when the regiment was disbanded. In the spring of 1865 he came to Iowa and located in Webster township, Webster county, where he worked at the trade of carpenter and farmed a little. Marrying that year, he removed to Homer, where he engaged in carpenter work remaining in that locality three years. He then came to Yell township and purchased eighty acres on section 22, which was only partially cultivated, and he has since added to his property until he now owns two hundred and fifty-eight acres, the greater part of which he has turned over to his sons, as he is now living a retired life. When he was actively engaged in farming he raised a great deal of stock for the market, making a specialty of hogs, and also raised sufficient grain to feed his stock.

On December 12, 1865, Mr. Dutcher was married, at Webster City, Iowa, to Sarah W. Pierce, who was born in Missouri January 1, 1846, a daughter of William and Permelia (Eslick Alcorn) Pierce, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were married in Missouri and lived there until 1851, the father being engaged in farming. In 1851 the family removed to Iowa, settling in Webster township, Webster county, where Mr. Pierce purchased seven hundred acres of wild land. There was a log cabin on this land, into which he moved his family. He was a most successful man, possessed great intellect and was the first judge of Webster county. In politics he was a Democrat and always took a deep interest in all that pertained to the advancement of the community in which he lived. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and during his latter days became a member of the United Brethren church. His death occurred on June 20. 1870, and his remains were interred in the Vigo cemetery in Webster township. The Pierce family is of English extraction and was founded in America by two brothers, one of whom changed the spelling of the name to Pearce, while the other retained the original form, and it is to the latter branch of the family that Mrs. Dutcher belongs. They were members of the William Penn colony of Quakers that settled in Philadelphia. The family has been well represented in all the wars of this country; Mrs. Dutcher's great-great-uncles, George and James Pierce, having taken part in the Revolutionary war while her father participated in the Black Hawk war and afterward received a land warrant for his services. Her grandfather, Thomas Goldsbury Pierce, had a family of eight children.

Mrs. Dutcher's mother now resides with a son, R. G. Pierce, in Homer, Iowa. By her first marriage she had two children: Polly, who died in childhood; and Robert, who married Charity Hice and now lives in Oklahoma. He served through the Civil war as a member of Company D, Sixteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and held the rank of first lieutenant. By her second union Mrs. Pierce had nine children, namely: Frank M., who enlisted in Company K, Sixth Iowa Cavalry and died in the service; Thomas G., who enlisted in Company D, Sixteenth Iowa Infantry and was killed at the battle of Atlanta, Georgia; Samuel, who died in infancy; Sarah W., the wife of our subject; Levina, who married Matthew Landreth and resides in Baker City, Oregon: Alexander, who married Mrs. Mary (Dingman) Hetzel and resides at Homer, Iowa: Martha Jane, who died when one year of age; John W., who died at the age of five years: R. G., who married Mary Dutcher and later Maud Fisher, and now lives at Homer, Iowa.

Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dutcher, namely: (1) Thomas S., born September 6, 1866, married Stella Ewing and resides in Yell township. They have four children: Ralph, Forest, Lester and Ernest. (2) Reuben W., born September 11, 1868, married Minnie Bankston and resides in Yell township. They have six children: John W., Floyd, Lillie, Roy, Frank M. and Pierce A. (3) Richard J., born April 9. 1871, married Hannah Odell and resides in Yell township. They have three children: Charles, Thressa and William. (4) Nancy, born February 15, 1874, married Sidney Culver, of Lehigh, Iowa, and they have two children: Florence and Sylvester. (5) Robert, born November 25, 1877, married Sarah J. Carpenter and lives in Yell township. (6) Sadie, born February 14, 1884, is at home with her parents. (7) One child died in infancy.

Mr. Dutcher is a Republican in politics, and has been honored by election to many of the township offices, always giving entire satisfaction in every position he has been called upon to fill. He is highly esteemed in the neighborhood where he and his family are so well-known and his life of hard work is now crowned by years of ease in which to enjoy the comforts secured by former toil.

SOURCE: S. J. Clark Publishing Company, The Biographical Record Of Webster County, Iowa, p. 506-8

The Sixth Iowa Cavalry

This regiment was raised in October and November, 1862, and was made up of men enlisted in various portions of the state. Some of the companies went into camp at Davenport late in 1862, and others were not mustered in until March, 1863. It numbered over 1,100 men. The field officers were David S. Wilson, colonel; Samuel M. Pollock, lieutenant-colonel, and Thomas M. Shepherd, E. P. Ten Broeck and A. E. House, majors. It marched to Sioux City in March and April, and crossed over into Dakota territory to serve against the Indians. In June, they marched with General Sully's army on a campaign up the Missouri river to the mouth of the Little Cheyenne river, near which the battle of White Stone Hill was fought. The Sixth cavalry took an active part in it, losing twenty-two men. The Indians were driven from the field, 156 captured, and probably as many more killed and wounded. The march continued up through the bad lands, where several skirmishes took place with the retreating Indians, and the Yellowstone river was reached on the 12th of August. Colonel Wilson resigned in June, 1864, and Lieutenant-Colonel Pollock was promoted to the command of the regiment, which remained in the Indian country until September, 1865, when it returned to Sioux City, and was mustered out on the 17^th of October.

SOURCE: Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 122-3

Jacob H. Camburn

Major Jacob H. Camburn died at Webster Grove, Missouri, August 19th, 1901.

Dr. Camburn was born at Macedon Center, N. Y., December 8th, 1828. Subsequently removing to Michigan, the family became pioneer settlers of Lenawe county. He was afforded exceptional opportunities for a medical education, of which he took advantage and entered upon the practice of his profession at Tecumseh, Mich.

In 1854 he removed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and when the war broke out, he accepted the appointment of Surgeon of the 16th Iowa Infantry, and with it entered the field in 1862, but was shortly afterward prostrated by sickness, necessitating his resignation.

He again entered the service as Surgeon of the 6th Iowa Cavalry under General Sully's command, who was sent to quell the Indian outbreak in Dakota, and at the close of the war he again returned to the practice of his profession at Cedar Rapids.

In 1899 a malignant cancer developed on his tongue, causing him untold agony until his death. While his military services were by no means distinguished or brilliant, he was faithful to his professional duties and rendered most excellent service in his chosen field.

By his special request Myron O. Camburn will succeed to his honorable record as a member of our Society.

SOURCE: Report Of The Proceedings Of The Society Of The Army Of The Tennessee At The Thirty-Third Meeting Held At Indianapolis, Indiana, November 13-14, 1901, p. 190-1

Iowa Colonels and Regiments: Appendix

SAMUEL M. POLLOCK, second colonel, 6th Cavalry, is a native of Ohio: age, thirty-five.

HERMAN H. HEATH, second colonel, 7th Cavalry, is a native of New York: age, forty-two.

HUGH J. CAMPBELL, second colonel, 18th Infantry, is a native of Pennsylvania: age, thirty-three.

JOHN Q. WILDS, second colonel, 24th Infantry, (mortally wounded at Cedar Creek, Virginia) is a native of Pennsylvania: age, forty.

GUSTAVUS A. EBERHART, second colonel, 32d Infantry, is a native of Pennsylvania: age twenty-nine.


IOWA COLONELS OF THE ONE-HUNDRED-DAYS’ SERVICE.

STEPHEN H. HENDERSON, 44th Iowa Infantry, is a native of Tennessee: age, thirty-six.

ALVAH H. BEREMAN, 45th Iowa Infantry, is a native of Kentucky: age, thirty-six.

DAVID B. HENDERSON, 46th Iowa Infantry, Is a native of Scotland: age, twenty-six.

JAMES P. SANFORD, 47th Iowa Infantry, is a native of New York: age, thirty-two.


SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 652

Colonel David Stokely Wilson

FIRST COLONEL, SIXTH CAVALRY.

David S. Wilson is a native of Steubenville, Ohio, where he was born on the 18th of March, 1823. Both on the paternal and maternal side he came of loyal stock. His father was a Revolutionary soldier, and later, for twenty years, was an United States receiver of public moneys at Steubenville. The father died when the son was six years of age, leaving him to be cared for and instructed by his mother. Upon the organization of the Iowa Territorial Courts, Thomas Wilson, an older brother of David, received the appointment of Judge of the Northern District. In 1841, David joined his brother at Dubuque, and passed his first year in Iowa, in opening up a farm of his brother's, near that place. The next year he entered the office of the "Miner's Express," the old-time Democratic organ at Dubuque, and shortly after purchased an interest in the concern. He held the editorial department.

In 1844, he was elected a member of the Territorial House of Representatives, but with this exception confined himself to the editorial duties of the "Express" till the declaration of war with Mexico. Then he began enlisting a company for the service, and succeeded so well as to secure a lieutenancy. He was ordered with his command to relieve Captain, later General Sumner, who was stationed at Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien. Lieutenant Wilson continued in the service about three years, a chief portion of this time being stationed at Fort Atkinson, and having charge of the Winnebagos. This tribe of Indians he assisted in removing to their reservation in Minnesota.

While stationed at Fort Atkinson, I am told he devoted his leisure moments to the study of law; and the knowledge thus gained enabled him, soon after leaving the service, to enter the law practice. He opened an office in Dubuque, and made the law his business till the breaking out of the rebellion. I should not omit to state that in 1857 he was elected to the State Senate from the Dubuque District. He was a democrat; but I need not have added that, for he was elected from Dubuque.

The services of the 6th Iowa Cavalry, like those of the 7th, are for the most part tame and uneventful. The regiment has served constantly on the Western Frontier, with head-quarters, the most of the time, at Sioux City. The history of its marches and campaigns may be found in General Sully's reports of his operations against the Indians in Dacotah Territory. In the latter part of August, 1863, Colonel Wilson marched with his regiment on General Sully's expedition up the Little Cayenne, and took part in the battle fought with twelve or fifteen thousand warriors near the head-waters of Elm River.

The above is the most important engagement the regiment ever took part in.

Colonel Wilson resigned his commission late in the spring of 1864, and was succeeded, in the colonelcy of the regiment, by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel M. Pollock of Dubuque.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 631-2

6th Iowa Cavalry

Organized at Davenport January 31 to March 5, 1863. Moved to Sioux City, Dakota, March 16-April 26, 1863. Operations against hostile Indians about Fort Randall May and June. Moved to Fort Pierre, and duty there till July. Sully's Expedition against hostile Sioux Indians August 13-September 11. Actions at White Stone Hill September 3 and 5. Duty at Fort Sully, Fort Randall and Sioux City till June, 1864. Sully's Expedition against hostile Sioux Indians June 26-October 8. Engagement at Tah kah a kuty July 28. Two Hills, Bad Lands, Little Missouri River, August 8. Expedition from Fort Rice to relief of Fisk's Emigrant train September 11-30. Fort Rice September 27. Duty by Detachments at Fort Randall, Sioux City, Fort Berthold, Yankton and the Sioux and Winnebago Indian Agencies till October, 1865. Mustered out October 17, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 21 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 74 Enlisted men by disease. Total 97.

SOURCE: Dyer , Frederick H., A Compendium Of The War Of The Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1162