MILLIGAN, Jesse A.

MILLIGAN, GROVES, TAYLOR, HOSTETTER, ATHERTON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/11/2014 at 23:52:36

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.

Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising Editors

The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Pp. 224-25. Chicago. 1915.

JESSE A. MILLIGAN

Jesse A. Milligan has laid much of the cement walk in Davis City and still takes contracts for such work occasionally. He was born in La Salle, Illinois, on the 19th of April, 1846, a son of John and Mary (Groves) Milligan, natives of Ohio. They became residents of Illinois in an early day in the history of that state and the father, who was a Methodist Episcopal minister, had much to do with the establishment and development of that denomination in the Prairie state. He passed away in Livingston county, Illinois, in 1852 and in 1853 his wife followed him to the great beyond.

Jesse A. Milligan was thrown upon his own resources at a very early age and although he attended school in Illinois to some extent the greater part of his education has been acquired outside of the schoolroom. In 1860 he came to Decatur county and was employed as a farm hand until August 22, 1862, when, at the age of sixteen years, he enlisted at Garden Grove in Company C, Ninth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry. He served until February 28, 1866, when he was given his honorable discharge from the service. On the 10th of June, 1864, he was taken prisoner at Gum Springs, Arkansas, and was held for six months, being exchanged on the following Christmas. He rejoined his regiment and continued with that command until discharged. He then returned to Decatur county and was employed as a farm hand for some time. At length he rented land which he operated until 1883, but in that year he removed to Davis City and went to work for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. He was in the track department of that company for twenty years but at the end of that time abandoned railroading and accepted the position of caring for the school buildings in Davis City. He has laid most of the cement sidewalks in Davis City and still occasionally does work of that character.

On the 9th of November, 1874, Mr. Milligan married [November 9, 1874] Miss Melissa Freelove Taylor, a daughter of Benjamin R. and Lucretia (Hostetter) Taylor, natives of North Carolina and Ohio respectively. In 1837 they removed to Iowa and located at Agency, Wapello comity, where the father farmed until 1859, when he removed with his family to Decatur county and purchased land in Franklin and Woodland townships which he operated during his remaining years. He passed away in March, 1895, when seventy-nine years of age, as he was born in 1816. The demise of his wife occurred on the 28th of May, 1890, when she was seventy years old, as her natal year was 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Milligan have had two children. Bertha M. was married on the 9th of February, 1895, to R. O. Atherton, who passed away in 1909. She now resides with her parents and is a trained nurse by profession. Ada B. died on the 12th of December, 1889, at the age of four and a half years.

Mr. Milligan is a democrat in his political belief and his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. He takes much interest in the meetings of the post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Leon and derives much pleasure from association with his old comrades. He is entitled to great credit for what he has accomplished in life as he was compelled to earn his own living at an age when most children are in school and as at all times he has had to depend upon his own energy and ability without hope of outside aid. All who know him hold him in high esteem and he has many personal friends.

NOTE: Andrew died in 1943. Jesse (James Able Milligan in cemetery transcriptions) died April 21, 1931. Melissa Freelove (Taylor) Milligan was born in 1853, and died in 1934, Davis City IA. They were interred at Davis City IA.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2014