Efnor, Henry S.

EFNOR, NIMS, BUTIN, TALBOT, MINOR, HENRY, BROWN, SWANK

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/22/2009 at 13:29:33

Efnor, Henry S.

The veterans of the great Union Army that saved the nation from disruption during its darkest period should be justly proud of what they have done for succeeding generations, having left an inheritance of which we should be very grateful; indeed we owe them a debt of gratitude that we can never pay. Now that the "sunset of life" is upon them and the "Grand Army of the Republic" is continuously marching across the "great divide" to join "the phantom army in the silent land," let us of the aftermath accord them every courtesy and honor, and prove our gratitude for what they have achieved while we have the opportunity. One of this worthy number is Henry S. Efnor, long a well-known businessman and public official of Jasper County now living in retirement in his cozy home in Newton, surrounded by every comfort of life as a result of his former years of industry and right living.

Mr. Efnor was born May 4, 1839, in Saratoga County, New York. He is the son of Samuel S. and Perlexy (Nims) Efnor, both natives of the State of New York, where they grew to maturity, were educated and married. The paternal grandfather came from Germany with two brothers, locating in the United States during the Revolutionary war, and they fought in the famous Battle of Saratoga, one brother being killed there; subsequently another went west and the third, John, settled in New York, and from him sprang the subject's family. In his early life, Samuel S. Efnor, father of Henry S., of this review, was a lumberman. He came west and located in Jasper County Iowa, in 1853, securing eighty acres of raw land in Elk Creek Township; this he improved and here lived until his death, in 1868, at the age of fifty-eight years. His wife, who was a "down East Yankee," died in 1871, being also fifty-eight years old. The father was a man of splendid Christian character of strict morality and integrity, having none of the so-called bad habits, never having used liquor. He was active in church, educational and political work.

Henry S. Efnor was the only son in a family of seven children, five of whom are now living, namely: Electa, widow of Francis Butin, lives in Galesburg, Iowa; Fannie married H. M. Talbot and lives in Fargo, North Dakota, Ella married John Minor and lives in Harlan, Iowa.

Henry S. Efnor was reared on the home farm and secured what education he could in the old time schools. Up to 1860 he worked out as a farm hand and in the coalmines. He then began contracting for coal delivery in Fulton County, Illinois. On April 5, 1860, he was united in marriage with Esther M. Henry, of Pennsylvania, and this union resulted in the birth of seven children, of whom two are deceased; Edwin resides in Newton; Robert lives in Webster, South Dakota; George is farming in Buena Vista Township, this County; Frank is farming in Fairview Township; Ella married Ulysses Brown, and they live in Wayland, Iowa; Henrietta died when eight years of age and Fannie when a baby.

In the winter of 1860 Mr. Efnor came to Jasper County, Iowa, and began farming. He could not be content to remain at the plow when his country was in arms, consequently in August 1862, he left his young wife and child and enlisted in Company K, Twenty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. John Meyer. After short stops at Iowa City and Davenport, the regiment was sent to Helena, Arkansas, thence to Oakland, Mississippi, then was sent on the White River expedition to Duval's Bluff, Arkansas, and later took part in the famous Siege of Vicksburg. Mr. Efnor took part in the bitter engagements of Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Edward's Station, Baker's Creek and Champion Hills, having been desperately wounded in the last named engagement, having been shot through the right thigh and, being unable to walk, he was captured, and he was permitted to lie upon the ground with no covering of any kind for two weeks. The wounded prisoners were placed in lines of twenty-five each, and received little or no attention whatever. Their food consisted of but a half pint of thin soup to each man per day. Mr. Efnor's wound was not dressed for three days after the battle; in that time it was in a very bad condition, and then it was merely washed. In the group of twenty-five wounded Federal soldiers in which he was in, all died but Mr. Efnor. Two weeks later the subject was fortunate, enough to be exchanged and was placed on a boat bound for Memphis. His leg and right side were swollen to twice their normal size and were a mass of vermin and clotted blood. After remaining in a Union hospital three weeks, he was taken, along with some Indiana soldiers, to Indianapolis. Later Governor Morton sent him to St. Louis and from there he was sent home on a thirty days' furlough. He was using a crutch and cane when he returned to his regiment at Opaloosa, Louisiana, reaching there just as it was going into battle. Later he participated in the Red River expedition and bought at the Battle of Sabine Cross-Roads. He was then transferred to the Eastern Army, with which he marched over a large portion of the South. He was at the battles of Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, and he saw Sheridan make his famous ride. All told, Mr. Efnor was in fourteen general engagements, besides numerous skirmishes, in all of which he acquitted himself most creditably, according to his comrades After being honorably discharged at Davenport, Iowa, he returned home and resumed farming, which he continued until 1887, when he began contracting County bridges. This he continued with a large measure of success for fourteen years, building bridges all over the County. Beginning in 1882, he served a term of three years as County supervisor. In 1890 he retired and moved to Newton. He owns considerable farm and city property, all well improved and desirably located.

Mr. Efnor's first wife died about 1906 and he subsequently married Anna Swank, of Jasper County, which union has been without issue.

Fraternally, Mr. Efnor is a member of the Masons and Knights of Pythias. He is a member of Garrett Post No. 16, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is past commander. He and his wife belong to the Congregational Church, of which he was formerly a trustee and is now a deacon. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 605.