Major Cornelius Spearman, 1831-1922

SPEARMAN, COINER, FROGG, SMITH, HOLLAND

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 11/2/2012 at 06:33:09

MAJOR CORNELIUS SPEARMAN

Major Cornelius Spearman who lived to the ripe age of 91 years and 25 days, had a very interesting life's history. He was among those who sought wealth in California's gold fields in early days, was a soldier in the Civil War and was identified with pioneer days.

His birth occurred in Morgan County, Ill., Feb. 3, 1831 and was the son of James D. and Cynthia Frogg Spearman, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Kentucky. The parents when removing to Iowa settled at Middletown, Iowa in 1840. They came to Center township near Pleasant Hill, Henry County where he resided until his father's death in 1846 and his mother died in 1870.

Cornelius Spearman acquired his elementary education in the country school, afterwards attending Howe's Academy. In 1852 he and two brothers and a brother-in-law went to California with ox teams they were on the way 3 months. They reached Nevada City and were engaged in mining for two and one half years. Selling this mine they started home by steamship but the boat struck a rock on Point Conception on the coast of Lower California. They were rescued by a mail boat and landed at Santiago. Mr. Spearman embarked from San Francisco on another boat and traveled by boat and land by way of Nicaragua and New York, came to Burlington by rail then by stage to Mt. Pleasant.

In the fall of 1861 he enlisted as a member of Company D, 4th Iowa Cavalry, which he raised and was elected Captain in 1863 was promoted to Major, serving three years as defender of the Union Cause.

On Nov. 15, 1860 he was united in marriage to Miss Julia A. Coiner, daughter of Christian and Elizabeth Coiner.

Major Spearman was called upon to mourn the death of his wife, June 17th, 1878, leaving seven children, all of whom have preceded him to the better land, but Allie wife of Geo. H. Smith, Frank on a farm near home. Major Spearman was a member of McFarland post No. 20 Grand Army and maintained cordial relations with all army comrades. He leaves two children, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren and one sister, Mrs. James Holland to mourn his loss. He was laid to rest beside his wife and children at Pleasant Hill, March 1, 1922.

[Undated obituary, probably from 'Mt. Pleasant News', March 1922]