JAMES WM. WAILES

WAILES, NEEDHAM

Posted By: Mona Sarratt Knight (email)
Date: 6/7/2009 at 19:12:13

Source: The History of Appanoose County, Iowa, Containing A History of the County, its Cities, Towns, etc., A Biographical Directory of Citizens, War Records of its Volunteers in the late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of the Northwest, History of Iowa, Map of Appanoose County, Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, etc.; illustrated; Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878.

JAMES WM. WAILES, farmer and stock grower, Sec. 17; P.O. Iconium; born in Bartholomew Co., Ind., in 1833; the family was from Wales; dropped their original name and adopted name of their country; father and grandfather both served in the Revolutionary War for eight years; his great-grandfather, on his mother's side, James Wilson, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence; parents married in Bartholomew Co.; in 1851, came to this county and settled on the farm which James W. now owns, consisting of 251 acres of land, valued at $25 per acre. He married Miss Zerilda E. Needham, daughter of Wesley B. and Nancy N., who settled in Johns Tp., from Bartholomew Co., Ind., in 1855; she was born in Bartholomew Co., Ind., in 1844. They have five children - John W., born in December 1866; Harriet E., November 1869; Martha L., January 1872; Nancy S., in 1875; Lucinda in 1878. National Greenbacker; Mrs. W. is a member of the M.E. Church. Has held the offices of Assessor, Tp. Trustee, school offices, Tp. Clerk of Independence Tp., and Director and member of the Board of County Supervisors. Enlisted in the 1st Regt. Iowa State Guards as First Lieutenant of Co. A; in the fall of 1863, he enlisted in the 8th I.V.C., Co. H; participated at Rome, Ga., and Cassville, with Sherman, and was under fire for twenty-seven days; their horses not being from under their saddles for that time. Aug. 30, 1964 was captured on Stoneman's raid, after a continuous fight of five days, having had no sleep or anything to eat, except what was in their haversacks; men fell off their horses asleep; when it became known that they must surrender, they shot their mules and burned their wagons; after their capture they were taken to Andersonville and held one month; thence to Charleston, S.C., one month; thence to Florence, two months; then exchanged and sent to Annapolis, Md.; thence home for thirty days; after which he returned and joined his regiment at Macon, Ga., was mustered out as Sergeant in October 1865, at Macon, Ga.