Lamphier, Daniel

LAMPHIER, BROTHERSTON, FREEMAN, BURNS, STONE, MCDONALD, BELL, LAWSON, WINGATE, OLSON, KINZYBAUGH, RUMPLER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 9/14/2009 at 13:43:31

Lamphier, Daniel

An honored veteran of the Civil War, a successful agriculturist and a man of sterling qualities of character, such is the briefest epitome of the gentleman whose life is outlined in the following paragraphs.

Daniel Lamphier was born in Onondaga County, New York, July 6, 1835, and was the seventh child in a family of thirteen born to Stanton and Rhoda (Brotherston) Lamphier, only three of whom are now living: Olive, the oldest child, married Charles Freeman, who died in Michigan City, Indiana; Edson and Edward both died in Michigan before reaching their maturity; Sarah, who married James Burns; Fidella, who married Charles Stone, and Clinton Lamphier all died in Michigan City, Indiana; Louisa, who died in March 1911, was the widow of William Beadle; William and Wallace, twins, died in infancy; Edson H., named for the brother who died several years before, died at South Bend, Indiana; Jared, the thirteenth child, died April 18, 1912. The subject is the only one living of thirteen children.

Stanton Lamphier was a native of New York State and his wife was a native of Connecticut. About the year 1836 Stanton Lamphier moved with his family, then consisting of seven children, from New York to Michigan, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres. But proved to be a very disastrous move. The whole family was taken sick with a fever, which was epidemic in those parts; two of the children were buried and then the father, at that time thought to be on his death-bed, vowed to God that if he was spared, that as soon as he was able to get around he would move away from the state, which he did the year following, abandoning the farm. He left money with a friend with which to pay the taxes, but the friend proved false to his trust and the farm was sold for taxes, and was a total loss to the family. When they abandoned the farm they moved to Michigan City, Indiana, where the father and mother both resided until their deaths, the father dying in 1852, at the age of fifty-two years, and the mother in 1897, at the age of seventy-seven years. In 1852 Daniel Lamphier, then a boy of not quite eighteen years of age, was married to Anna McDonald. She was a winsome Irish lassie of his own age, having been born July 3, 1835, in County, Louth, Ireland. On account of the tender age of the couple, they could not obtain a license in Indiana, and so they ran away to Michigan, where no license was required at that time, and were married at New Buffalo. Ann Lamphier was one of a family of nine children, only one of whom, Rosa, a sister, is now living, besides Mrs. Lamphier. The sister still lives in Michigan City, Indiana, where the family settled on arriving in this country from Ireland. They came over in the sailing vessel "Royalist" when Mrs. Lamphier was eleven years old. Her father's name was John McDonald and her mother's given name was Nancy. The father died in 1855 at Michigan City, at the age of sixty-five years and the mother died in Jasper County, Iowa, in 1892, at the age of seventy-seven years.

In 1852 Daniel Lamphier moved his family to Jasper County and obtained work on a farm. At the time the Civil War broke out he was living upon a rented farm in Buena Vista Township and working for himself. To him and his wife were born eight children, namely: Sarah, born February 18, 1853, in Michigan City, Indiana, is unmarried and lives at home. When but a small child she was cruelly trampled upon and clawed by a large drove of elk near their home in Jasper County; Mary Francis, born in Jasper County, July 29, 1854, married Bazzel Bell, and died June 14, 1887; James S., born in Jasper County, March 7, 1856, married Clara Lawson, and lives in Mahaska City, Iowa; Jared, born in Jasper County, June 2, 1858, died June 11, 1896, in Jasper County. He had married Ona Wingate; Albert, born in Jasper County, October 2,1860, died in 1963, while the father was serving in the army; Elma, born May 14, 1864, married William Olson, and she died m 1891; Edward, E., born March 16, 1866, lives in Buena Vista Township; he married Debby Kinzybaugh; Lucian, born July 8, 1878, married Alice Rumpler and lives in Newton, Iowa.

When the Civil War broke out, Daniel Lamphier, leaving his wife and five children, enlisted October 17, 1861, and was sworn into the United States service at Davenport, as a member of Company B, Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. They wintered at Jefferson City, Missouri, and then were ordered back to St. Louis, where they took a steamer and were sent to Pittsburgh Landing. At this battle the regiment lost one hundred and twenty-five men. Mr. Lamphier was also at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi, when Price's army surrendered; he was in the Siege of Vicksburg, and at Nickijack Creek, near Atlanta. He was wounded in the right leg and was sent to the hospital at Maryetta, then to Rome, Georgia, and from there was sent home. At the end of his sick leave he reported for duty at Davenport, but was found unfit for service and was again sent to the hospital where he remained until the close of the war. He was not discharged from the service until five months after the close of the war, owing to the papers having been lost by his captain. The first captain he served under was Thomas H. Miller, of Newton, who was killed at Shiloh. His second captain was Harvey J. Shift.

When Mr. Lamphier became able to work he farmed for his cousin, Margaret Likens, whose husband was killed in front of Atlanta. He bought forty acres of land from her in 1867, which he still holds, and where he has ever since made his home.

Mr. Lamphier served as constable in Buena Vista Township for eight years. He is a member of Garrett Post No. 16, Grand Army of the Republic, at Newton, and politically he is a Republican. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lamphier are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Mt. Zion, having been members there since 1856. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 786