Samuel C. Heacock

CASKY, COMPTON, DELONG, HEACOCK, HOMMES, SCOTT, SMITH

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 9/9/2004 at 21:39:34

The veterans of the Civil war are justly entitled to honor, as it is to their valor and unselfish devotion to the country's good that its greatness today is in a large measure due, for it was only through their sacrifice that the Union could be preserved. Among those still living in Madison county who fought in the Union army is Samuel C. Heacock, a retired farmer, now living in Truro, whose birth occurred on the i7th of April, 1836, in Jackson county, Indiana. His father, Dunlap Heacock, was a native of Vermont, of Yankee descent, and his mother, who was in her maidenhood Miss Elizabeth Holmes, was born in Kentucky, of Dutch lineage. They were married in Jackson county, Indiana, and the father died there when our subject was but eighteen months old. He was a farmer by occupation and was highly respected in the community in which he resided. His widow remarried and continued to live in Indiana for a number of years, but in 1855 came with her children and her second husband, Abraham Compton, to Iowa, the family locating west of Peru in Walnut township, Madison county. Mr. Compton purchased land which he operated for a number of years. After the close of the Civil war the farm was sold and the family removed to Old Peru. Subsequently, however, they went to O'Brien county, Iowa, where Mr. Compton again engaged in agricultural work. Mrs. Compton died in 1875, while visiting the subject of this review.

Samuel C. Heacock received a common-school education and remained with his mother until he was twenty-one years of age. In addition to helping with the work on his stepfather's farm he freighted one summer with an ox team from Winterset to Keokuk. On starting out upon his independent business career he began farming upon rented land in Scott township and was so engaged when the Civil war began. As time passed and there was still no sign of the close of hostilities he decided that his paramount duty was the defense of the Union. Accordingly on the ist of August, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, Twenty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Dewey. The command rendezvoused at Des Moines, on the site of the new fair grounds and thence was sent to Keokuk and then to St. Louis. Mr. Heacock participated in the battles of Pittman's Ferry; Jackson, Mississippi; Fort Esperanges, Texas; and Spanish Port and Mobile, Alabama; and also took part in the famous siege of Vicksburg. He also saw much service in Texas as he went with the army of occupation whose task it was to reestablish law and order and it was only after a great deal of trouble that the bands of outlaws that terrorized the country were broken up. For about two years of his term he served as ward nurse at the brigade hospital. On one trip by boat from Mobile, Alabama, to New Orleans he had only one hour's sleep out of the twenty-four for four days and nights, and he underwent many hardships that were very trying and that tested severely his physical endurance. Although he was under fire many times and although there was never any question as to his intrepid valor he escaped without injury. He was mustered out at Harrisburg, Texas, and returned to Madison county in August, 1865.

Mr. Heacock again turned his attention to farming upon the restoration of peace and operated land in Scott township until the spring of 1867, when he removed to Ohio township, where he purchased forty acres of land. Two years later he traded it for eighty acres which he farmed until 1883, when on account of the state of his health he sold the land and removed to Truro. He purchased residence property here and has since lived retired, having accumulated a competence by his labor in former years. While actively engaged in farming he was alert, progressive and industrious and was successful both as a general farmer and stock-raiser.

In 1866 Mr. Heacock married Miss Elizabeth Holmes, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (De Long) Holmes, pioneer settlers of Madison county arriving here in 1857. The father was a farmer by occupation. Mr. and Mrs. Heacock became the parents of four children, as follows: Hattie married George Caskey, by whom she has two children, Jesse and Amsey, and she resides in Blue Ridge, Missouri. Nellie became the wife of Ed Scott and passed away two decades ago, leaving a son, Ray. Lillian is the wife of Ed Smith, a farmer of Warren county, Iowa, and they have two children, Leah and Earl. Ida married Frank Rankin, a farmer of Ohio township, and passed away June 18, 1905, leaving two children, Garry and Geraldine. Mrs. Heacock departed this life at Truro on the 20th of June, 1896. She was a devout member of the Christian church, to which her husband also belongs.

Mr. Heacock's political views coincide with the policies of the republican party where national issues are at stake but in local affairs he generally votes for the man rather than the party. He is a strong temperance man and does all in his power to overthrow the liquor traffic, which he believes to be the cause of many of the evils of our modern life. When a boy he was a member of the Sons of Temperance. He was an enthusiastic member of the post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Truro during the entire time that it was in existence and his wife belonged to the Woman's Relief Corps. She was also a member of the Band of Good Hope. From his earliest boyhood his life has conformed to high moral principles and he is given that respect which is always accorded to genuine worth. At all times public-spirited to a marked degree, he cooperates in many movements for the public good and is one of the most valued citizens of his township.

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