Reuben S. Orris

BODEN, HIRCOCK, ORRIS, RIGGS, SHULL

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/13/2004 at 09:59:04

Reuben S. Orris, one of the highly esteemed and retired farmers of Winterset, was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of March, 1839, the fifth in a family of twelve children born to Henry and Phoebe (Shull) Orris, both natives of Pennsylvania. The father was born in 1807 and passed away on the 1st of February, 1880, while the birth of the mother occurred in 1809 and her demise on the 12th of April, 1889, when she was about eighty years of age. Henry Orris learned the shoemaker's trade in his youth and also became familiar with agricultural pursuits. In 1851 he removed from Pennsylvania to Louisa county, Iowa, where he entered land and erected a log house. Conditions were quite primitive there at the time of his arrival but he set himself resolutely to the task of developing his farm and became in time the owner of a valuable property. He passed away there in the faith of the Congregational church, of which he was a member.

Reuben S. Orris was a student in the early subscription and public schools of Louisa county and thus acquired a knowledge of the fundamental branches of learning. When sixteen years of age he became an apprentice in a wagon and carriage shop and followed that trade until August, 1861, when he answered the call of the president for volunteers and became a member of Company C, Eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The command rendezvoused at Davenport and was first under fire in Missouri, where they took part in the campaign against General Price. The regiment was then assigned to General Grant's army and participated in the battles of Shiloh and Pittsburg Landing. Mr. Orris was taken prisoner on the 6th of April, 1862, and was not exchanged for nearly a year, or until February, 1863. Following his exchange he was successively at Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Mobile, Alabama, and Macon, Georgia. In February, 1863, he rejoined his regiment and participated in the siege of Vicksburg, the battle of Blackwater and both the sieges of Jackson. He was then sent to Gunnison and was on scout and skirmish duty until 1864. He next participated in the raid against Memphis and saw service in and around New Orleans. He was mustered out on the 6th of May, 1866, as second sergeant of his company. He returned to Louisa county, Iowa, but later removed to Washington county, where he farmed until 1876, when he took up his residence in Union county. In the spring of 1883 he removed to Webster township, Madison county, and became known as one of the prosperous and able farmers of that township. For the last ten years he has lived retired in Winterset, enjoying the fruits of his former labor.

In 1868 Mr. Orris was married. Miss Olive Boden, a native of Des Moines county, becoming his wife. She was born on the 8th of April, 1849, of the marriage of Thomas and Maria (Riggs) Boden, both natives of Virginia, the former born in 1812 and the latter on the 12th of February, 1819. They removed to Iowa from Ohio in 1845, traveling by water to Burlington, and from there overland to their destination in Des Moines county. The land which they entered had never been touched by the plow and the first task was to break it with ox teams. There were but few settlers and all of the hardships of pioneer life had to be endured. However, the settler fond of hunting found every opportunity to gratify his love of sport, as all kinds of game abounded. In 1858 the family removed to Washington county, where Mr. Boden passed away in 1876 and Mrs. Boden in 1895. They were the parents of five children, of whom Mrs. Orris is the fifth in order of birth. She has become the mother of four children: Mrs. C. E. Hircock; Samantha, the widow of Benjamin Morley, of Bayfield, Colorado, by whom she has a son, Joseph, and a daughter, Olive; Mary, at home; and Dewey H., of Red Oak, who is married and has two children, Lloyd and Cecil.

Mr. Orris is identified with the republican party and his fraternal relations are with Pitzer Post, No. 55, G. A. R., at Winterset. The willingness to place the public good above private considerations, which he displayed when as a young man he joined the Union army, has been characteristic of him throughout his entire life, and he has cooperated in all movements for the advancement of his community.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”