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Subject: [IAHENRY] Henry Co. Bio-Lot Abraham
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 20:44:09 EST

>From “Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County,Iowa”, Acme
Publishing, Chicago, 1888.

Page 483-485:

HON. LOT ABRAHAM, section 35, Center Township, was born in Butler County,
Ohio, April 18, 1838. In 1841, when but three years of age, he came with his
parents to Henry County,Iowa, where he grew to manhood, and received his
education in the common schools. In September, 1861, he enlisted as a private in
Company D, 4th Iowa Cavalry, and was mustered into the United States service at
Camp Harlan. After remaining in camp for a short time, the company was ordered
to Benton Barracks near St. Louis, from which place it was sent to Rolla and
Springfield, Mo., and at Pea Ridge joined the command of Gen.Curtis. It was
next ordered toBatesville, Ark., and then to Helena, in the same State,
operating asscouts. From Helena the regiment was sent to Vicksburg, participating in
the siege of that city. It was next ordered to Jackson, Miss., where it took
part in two battles. Returning to Vicksburg, it was sent up the Yazoo River,
and was on what is known as the Winslow raid, engaged in destroying railroads,
being in the saddle thirteen days and nights, stopping only long enough to
feed their horses, and returning north to Memphis, Tenn. In this raid 300 cars
and fifty engines were captured, some of which they destroyed. From Memphis
the regiment was sent by boat to Vicksburg, where it went into winter quarters.
The Meridian raid next occupied their attention, from which they again
returned to Vicksburg, where almost the entire regiment re-enlisted,after which
they received a furlough to return home. Much of the credit for the
re-enlistment of the regiment was due to Capt. Abraham, who worked hard among the men for
that purpose.

On their return from veteran furlough, the regiment was senton the raid to
Bolivar and Guntown. Their next fight was at Tupelo, where they fought and
defeated Forrest. Returning to Memphis, it was next sent to Holly Springs, and was
there when Forrest made his raid. Sept. 2, 1864, they crossed the river and
went to intercept Price, and participated in all the fights of that campaign.
The regiment was next ordered to St. Louis, where it was supplied with new
uniforms. Here Capt. Abraham was left in command ofthe regiment, and it was
ordered to Nashville, Tenn., and subsequently was sentto Louisville, Ky., where
they refitted, and later was on the Wilson raid. After the close of the war,
and while the armistice was still pending, Capt. Abraham being at Macon, Ga.,
with his command,with Lieut. L. Mann and fifty enlisted men, he was sent to
Washington, Ga., to parole Wheeler’s cavalry, which consisted of 4,000 men and
eight Generals,among whom were Gen. John Vaughn, who had displeased Jeff Davis,
and was under arrest, Gen. G.G. Gibbrel, Gen. Williams of Kentucky, and
others. They arrived there the day after the last cabinet meeting of the Southern
Confederacy was held. At Washington Capt. Abraham met Toombs and had a long
talk with him, and was requested by the latter to come down and get some money
which he had at his house. The Captain got the money and gave his receipt for
$5,180, which he soon after turned over to the General Government. At
Washington he remained for ten days, and they reported to Gen. Wilson at Macon, Ga.,
but was sent back with his company to look after rebel property, and there
remained until the 4th of July. They were then sent to Atlanta, Ga., where they
were mustered out Aug. 8, 1865,receiving their final discharge at Davenport,
Iowa, August 24 of the same year.

On receiving his discharge, Capt. Abraham returned to Henry County, where, on
the 13th day of September, 1865, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah C.
Alden, a daughter of Zephaniah and Damaris(Thompson) Alden. She is a native
of Guernsey County, Ohio, and came with her parents to Henry County, Iowa, in
1841. Four children have been born unto them: JohnG., now a student in the
Ames Agricultural College, in the class of 1888;Sallie, also attending the same
school; and Mary and Katie at home.



On her father’s side Mrs. Abraham traces her ancestry back to the celebrated
John Alden, who came over from England in the “Mayflower”, in1620, and who
has been immortalized by Longfellow in his celebrated poem, “TheCourtship of
Miles Standish”, where John was pleading the cause of Miles to the beautiful and
loving Priscilla, urging her to wed his friend, while at the same time his
heart had been lost to the one with whom he was so eloquently pleading, and who,
unknown to him, returned his love, and in reply said: “Why don’t you speak
for yourself, John?” The result of this question was, that John did speak for
himself, and of their union was born Joseph Alden, of Bridgewater, Mass., who
was the father ofa son, also named Joseph, and who died at the age of
seventy-three. The second Joseph also lived in Bridgewater,and died at the age of
eighty, leaving a son Daniel, who resided at Hartford,Conn., and who also lived to
the ripe old age of eighty. He had a son Daniel, who made his home in
Lebanon,Mass., and who lived to the age of seventy. Both Daniels were well known in
their native State, and for many yearsheld the honorable position of Justice of
the Peace. Daniel, of Lebanon, had a son Barnabas, who died aged
sixty,leaving a son bearing the same name, who passed away at the age ofseventy. His
son, Jonathan, lived to beeighty years of age. Jonathan was thefather of
Zephaniah, the father of Mrs. Abraham.

Zephaniah Alden was born in Massachusetts, in 1812, and there learned the
trade of a stone-cutter. In 1837 he wedded Damaris Thompson, in Guernsey County,
Ohio, to which place he had previously removed, and four years later the young
couple removed to Henry County, Iowa, where Mr. Alden died in 1850, at the
age ofthirty-eight, being the youngest member of the family to ever pass away.
On coming to this county, for a time he combined farming with his trade of
stone-cutter, but in consequence ofill-health could not follow the plow, and
therefore gave his attention solely to his trade. He dressed the first marble in
Henry County, and put the first lettering on tombstones. He was a man of
excellent character, and was respected by all who knew him. His widow is still
living, and makes her home with her daughter. Of their six children, but two
are now living: Mrs. Abraham and John B. Alden,the well-known book publisher of
New York City. The latter, though yet comparatively a young man, has made
his name a household word, his catalogue of publications comprising the best
standard works, and all sold at a price bringing them within the reach of the
very poorest.



The grandfather of Mrs. Abraham, on her mother’s side, was a well-known
pioneer and minister. Samuel Thompson was a native of Maine, born in 1782. He grew
to manhood in his native State, his early life being spent uponthe farm,
while his educational advantages were meager, indeed. Making the best use of all
the advantages within his reach, reading little, and reflecting more, he
became well posted upon all topics of general interest. At the age of twenty he
made a profession of religion, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and, showing an aptness for public speaking, he was at once licensed as an
exhorter, and one year later united with the conference,was ordained, and assigned
to the Cape Cod district. He continued to labor as a minister in his native
State until about the close of the war with Great Britain, when he removed
with his family to West Virginia, where he remained about five years, and then
removed to Guernsey County, Ohio. In 1847 he came to Henry County, Iowa, and
located in what is now Tippecanoe Township, where he combined farming with
preaching, continuing actively in the latter work until within four years of his
death, which occurred in 1866. In about 1803 he was united in marriage with
Miss Sarah Harrington, by whom he had twelve children, seven boys and fivegirls,
of whom seven are yet living. For nineteen years he was a citizen of Henry
County, and few among the older citizens but well remembered the good old man.
Of that rugged nature peculiar to those born among the hills of Maine, he was
not afraid to express himself freely upon all questions affecting the public
interests. Living for a time in a slave State, and witnessing the beauties of
the “peculiar institution”, he came to abhor slavery, and therefore determined
to do all he could for its abolition. He was not afraid to becalled an
Abolitionist, but rather gloried in the name. He left the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and united with the Protestant Methodists on account of the more radical
position of the latter body on the slavery question. On the temperance question
he was likewise radical, and believing the use of intoxicating liquors
hurtful, he waged continual warfare against their use. No uncertain sound came from
hislips on this question. As a minister of the Gospel, he believed in
“declaring the whole counsels of God” as he understood them, and therefore was a
most earnest laborer in the Lord’svineyard. He was by nature an eloquent man,
with a good command of language, and was eagerly listened to by the thousands
who sat under the sound of his voice.

In early life Capt. Abraham was politically a Democrat, butsince 1864 he has
affiliated with the Republican party, at that time casting his vote for
Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency. In political matters he has usually taken an
active part, and in 1881 received the nomination from his party to the State
Senate, was elected and served in the Nineteenth and Twentieth General Assemblies
with credit to himself and his constituents. A memberof McFarland Post No.
20, G.A.R., he takes an active interest in all itsworks. In the temperance
cause he is also quite active, and is never afraid to express his opinions freely
upon that question. Capt. Abraham, with hisfamily, occupies a beautiful home
on section 35, Center Township, where he is the owner of 345 acres of land,
all of which is under a high state of cultivation.

END
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pat Ryan White
Camarillo, CA

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