Madison County, Ohio - Chapter 30: Military History of Madison County, 1915 (part 2 of 2)

Roster Of Company E.

Company E, on its arrival in Columbus, proceeded at once to Camp Bushnell, where it joined its regiment, the Third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Col. Charles Anthony, of Springfield, and made up of the following companies: Company A, Covington; Company B, Springfield; Company C, Gettysburg; Company D, Urbana; Company E, London; Company F, Hillsboro; Company G, Dayton; Company K. Piqua; Company L, Sidney, and Company M, Sabina. The local company was given its government medical examination on Thursday, July 1. Several members were forced to return home, but their places were taken at once by recruits whom Lieutenant Emery had taken to Columbus from London. The company, as mustered into the United States service, was as follows:

Movements Of The Third

On July 7, 1898, the Third Regiment proceeded by rail to Florida and went into Camp DeSoto, on the west coast of that state, near Tampa, where it remained until Monday, July 25, on which date it was transferred to Fernandina, on the east coast of Florida, where it remained until the latter part of August, at which time it moved by rail to Huntsville, Alabama, where it stayed until ordered to Camp Bushnell, Columbus, Ohio, to be ordered out on a thirty-days furlough.

The trains bearing the Third Regiment and its equipment passed through London on the way. to Columbus on September 15. The section bearing Company E stopped for a few minutes at London, where a large crowd awaited it. Company E was returned to London on the evening of the next day, marched to the court house and there dismissed for a thirty-days furlough. They were never called together again and were mustered out of the United States service on October 26, 1898.

The people of London held a great peace jubilee, celebrating the return of peace, on - Friday, September 30, 1898. It was estimated that fully twelve thousand people were in London to watch the mammoth parade and to hear the speeches. In the procession were five bands, Company FE led by Captain Locke, a squad of police, the London fire department, Plain City Uniformed Rank, Knights of Pythias, the Grand Army of the Republic, with one hundred and twelve members, fovr hundred children from the public schools, one hundred and twenty children from the St. Joseph parochial sehool, floats depicting historical and industrial scenes, a bicycle corps of sixty-five men and fifteen women, a cavalcade of horseman, headed by the Oak Run "rough riders" - forty-five

London was without a military company until 1900, when, on April 3, Company L of the Fourth Regiment. Ohio National Guard, was organized with E. Arnett Smith us captain; Rea Chenoweth, first lieutenant, and Harry Armstrong, second lieutenant. At the time of its organization the enlisted men of this company were, Dan Foley, Wright Andrews, Jefferson Wagoner, Ross Hornbeck, Leo:ard McPike, T. B. Maloney, Pearl Smith, George M. Kelly, L. B. Prugh, Charles Skeels, Ed Beck, Will Robey, Clifford Murlett, H. Bunnemeyer, William Tumblison, James T. Corbett, George Davidson, J. W. Byers, W. R. Whitten, Walter Barnhart, Charles Watrous, Harry Bennet, Harley Long, Charles D. Smith, James B. Stephens, Charles Thompson, Fred Snyder, John Minter, Michael Maloney, Emery Watrous, LeRoy Long. Ernest Burt, A. C. Sifrit, Jr., Malachia Jones, Elizil Tway, F. IF. Mohar, Earl Prugh, Scott Andrews, Walter Jones, Bruce Tanner, H. McSaveny, Thomas lee, Bernard Flynn, J. F. Flannagan, Cilton Stoll, J. F. Beathards, A. L. Roland, W. A. Shaw. Charles Hart, Har] A. Bentzel, J. B. Livingsparger, Will Stephens, William Kinner and M. C. Hickey. 'This company was mustered out on March 31, 1905.

Company C, Fourth Regiment

Again London was without a militia company until during the spring and early sununer of 1915 there was a strong effort to organize a local militia company and the result of the agitation was finally a success. On June 1 the organization of a company was effected, the company being known as Company C, Fourth Regiment, Ohio National Guard. On that date John C. Volka was elected captain, R. M. Cheseldine first lieutenant, and R. M. Mabe second lieutenant. Those mustered in at the time the company Was organized were as follow: Pearle Ames, Darwin Beach, Raymond M. Cheseldine, Charles Clark, Walter Clemens, Charles C. Crabbe, Dale Crabb, Floyd Dunavent, Raymond Eades, Merrill Emmons, Marion F. Engard, Walter R. Engard, William M. Farrar, Cyril Fisher, Joseph Ford, Fred W. Guthrie, W. J. Guthrie, Frank Johnson, Robert D. Jones, George Kelly, Ernest Lane, Caylor B. Lewis, Raymond M. Mabe, John L. Moon, Ed L. Morrissey, Ray A. Morrissey, Charles R. Morcher, Pear] H. Moats, John T. Norris Wiley B. Queen, Albert B. Rankin, Robert L. Rea, William C. Roberts, W. J. Robey, Rupert Roddy, Harry F. Smith, John Spring, Richard P. Strain, Lester G. Summers, J. F. Swartz, Fred W. Thiel, John Thiel, Kyle M. Vance, Nathan Vanskoy, John C. Volka, Fred E. Walp, Frank Webb, Jr., Francis Whalen and Walter G. Willis.

The charter for Lyon Post No. 121. Grand Army of the Republic, was granted on August 9, 1885, by the department of Ohio, John S. Kountz, department commander, installing the post, the charter members being the following veterans of the Civil War: Toland Jones, William A. Neil, R. B. Cowling, T. Haley, James C. Peck, Jacob March, George W. Wilson, I. G. Peetrey. M. W. Dungan, J. M. Taylor, H. H. Johnstin, H. H. Harper. Charles E. Skeels, George FE. Ross, D. A. Morse, L. H. Miller, T. W. Miller, and A. H. Underwood. The living charter members at the present time (1915) are I. G. Peetrey, M. W. Dungan, R. B. Cowling and H. H. Jobnstin.

This post was organized in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows hall, which was then located just across the street from the present quarters, and later moved to the present room in the Union block, now the Boyd block. This post has had about two hundred and twenty-five members during its existence. There are at present thirty-one active members as follow: S. P. Trumper, James Withrow, John T. Vent, Robert Moore S. F. Finley. H. J. Sharp, John VanScoy, Augustus Paine, Benjamin Emery, Henry

Kelley, John Armstrong, H. H. Johnstin, E .S. Vent, Thomas Preston, John Reed, James A. Trehearn, Michael Deveraux, M. Blacker, William Soward, W. A. Elsworth, Austin Hutson, George Houduell, EK. H. Reed, John A. Williamson, Aaron Nickle, Jonathan Warren, James M. Dungan, Charles J. Lankaster, William Epley, Josiah Morris and Dr. A. J. Strain.

Hon. George W. Wilson was the first commander of the post. The other commanders follow in the order of their service: Judge S. W. Durflirger, Col. Noah Thomas, H. H. Johnstin, John T, Armstrong, L. G. Peetrey,-L. H. Miller W. Miller, Capt. James Peck; Hon. B. H. Lewis, A. T. Phifer, Capt. David Watson and Wyatt Minshall. The present officers are Dr. H. J. Sharp, commander; Renjamin Emery, vice-commander; J. M. Dungan, quartermaster; H. H. Johnstin, adjutant; John F. Armstrong, officer of the day, and Charles Lankaster, chaplain.