Holliday, John O.

HOLLIDAY, KITCHEN, ARNDT, FISHEL

Posted By: Roseanna Zehner
Date: 7/22/2006 at 13:05:11

HOLLIDAY, JOHN

John O. Holliday, a venerable resident of Rock Rapids, where he is passing the evening of his days in a well earned and much respected retirement, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania April 9, 1843, and remained in his native state until he reached the age of seven years. In 1850 he was taken by his parents to Delaware county, Iowa, where they settled on a homestead claim. Here the young lad remained with his parents until he became fourteen, when he struck out for himself, doing whatever he could secure in that new country. The only schooling he could command was a few terms in the old log school house.

In 1864 John O. Holliday joined the Second Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and in June of that year went forward from Fort Snelling with about a hundred recruits to join his command then at Marietta, Georgia.

There he was assigned to Company B, and remained in camp about thirty days, when the regiment was called to the front, and took part in the battle of Jonesboro, being located on the left wing of the Union army. The regiment slowly followed General Hood on his retreat to Atlanta, as he fiercely disputed every step of the way. Mr. Holliday says that he had all the fighting a raw recruit could reasonably desire, and that right from the start. Then after General Sherman had captured Atlanta, marched with him to the sea. As one of the "foraging squad," at times he would be thirty-five miles away from the main command. At one time he turned in a large amount of sweet potatoes, and for eight days the army rations consisted mainly of sweet potatoes.

The army was bearing away steadily to the south, and provender of all kinds grew very scarce, and by the time Savannah was taken the soldiers were much in need of food. There the men were liberally supplied, and the march through the Carolinas began. There was a battle at Bentonville, and another at Goldsboro, where Mr. Holliday remained three weeks. At Headley Springs they camped in the swamps where the water was knee deep. The only thing they could do was to cut down the limbs and branches, making piles of brushwood on which snatches of sleep could be taken by the tired soldiers.

When they came to resume their march, the commander was uncertain which road to take out of the swamp. A fellow of the neighborhood volunteered to show the way, but the commander for some reason became suspicious, putting him under arrest and sending forward a squad to investigate. The road at a narrow turn was found mined with torpedoes, which would have done vast damage to the troops, and the traitor was at once ordered to be shot by a squad out of the regiment. At Jonesboro he was on the firing lines for nearly three hours, and all through those stirring scenes played the part of a man and a loyal soldier of the Union. At last the regiment went into camp at Alexandria, Virginia, where it made ready for the grand review at Washington. Shortly after this the command was sent to Louisville, Kentucky where in January, 1865, it was discharged and sent home.

Mr. Holliday resumed farming, and was engaged at that work near Ida Grove, Iowa, until 1884, when he came to Lyon county, and bought a farm then in a state of nature, but giving every indication of making a valuable farm when improved and cultivated. This has been done, and he still owns it, counting it as one of the very valuable farms of Lyon county. Here he has built a fine farm house, a roomy barn, and all kinds of buildings necessary for the stock, grain and the improved machinery the cultivation of the place demands. It is held worth something more than seventy dollars an acre. Mr. Holliday has also purchased a nice dwelling house in Rock Rapids, into which he has moved to spend his days, while his only son cultivates the farm.

Mr. Holliday was married March 29, 1864 to Miss Rachel, a daughter of William Holliday, who was born in England, and died at the age of seventy-three years. To this union were born eight children, of whom there are now living: Nancy and Ernest, residing in Fayette county, Iowa; Jennie Kitchen, of Lyon county; Sarah A. Arndt, who lives in Lyon county; Walter O., now living on the paternal estate; Eva Fishel lives in Rock Rapids; and Emma C., who is at home. George Holliday, the father of John O., was born in England and came to the United States at the age of twenty-one years. John O. has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for more than thirty years, being associated with Brownsville Lodge, No. 42, of Brownsville, Minnesota. He belongs to the Rock Rapids Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, is a Republican, and has been road master, and frequently a member of the grand jury.

Source: Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Lyon County, Iowa. Published under the Auspices of the Pioneer Association of Lyon County. Geo. Monlun, Pres.; Hon. E. C. Roach Sec’y; and Col. F. M. Thompson, Historian. Geo. A. Ogle & CO., Published, Engravers and Book Manufacturers. Chicago, 1904-1905

Transcribed by Roseanna Zehner, Darlene Jacoby and Diane Johnson