Saxton, John H.

SAXTON, MOORE, LEE, HATFIELD

Posted By: Volunteer Subscribers
Date: 2/17/2003 at 14:24:15

PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF CLINTON COUNTY, IOWA 1886 (CHAPMAN BROS.) 
Containing full page portraits & biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. (Also available on FHL film 1036331 Item 9)
JOHN H. SAXTON, living at De Witt, was born Dec. 11, 1844, in Ross County, Ohio. His parents, James P. and Lucinthia (Moore) Saxton, were natives of the same State. His father, James P., was a shoemaker by trade, and came West in 1854, and followed farming in Clinton County, Iowa. He subsequently retired from active labor and is at the present writing a resident of De Witt.

John H. Saxton was reared a farmer’s boy, and was educated in the district schools. He remained with his parents until 1862, when he enlisted for three years in Co. A, 18th Iowa Vol. Inf., and remained in active service until the close of the war. The 18th Iowa was a part of the 7th Army Corps and belonged for the greater part of the time to the Trans-Mississippi Department. In the Red River expedition a part of the 18th Iowa were taken prisoners, our subject being among the number. He was held as a prisoner of war for nine months at Camp Ford, Taylor, Tex. He was afterward paroled, and joined his regiment in May 1865, at Van Buren, Ark. In the battle of Springfield he was seriously wounded, and laid in the hospital for six months.

After Mr. Saxton returned home from the battlefield he engaged in clerking, in which occupation he continued for a number of years. He was appointed Postmaster of De Witt April 7, 1886, by President Cleveland, is the present incumbent of that office, and treating the people to an efficiency in postal matters that has earned for him their hearty commendations, irrespective of party.

Oct. 11, 1866, Mr. S. was united in marriage with Miss Frances E. Lee, daughter of E. B. and Mary (Hatfield) Lee. One child, Elsie E., has been the issue of this union.

Politically our subject is an ardent and active Democrat. Socially he is a member of M. D. Howard Post, No, 92, G. A. R., and is also a member of the I. O. O. F., of De Witt.