Hiram M. IMUS was born in Genesee, Genesee County, New York, on November 4, 1822, the son of Charles Lemuel and Lucinda (BURLINGAME) IMUS. He was the brother of Horatio M. IMUS (1812-1854).

Hiram IMUS moved with the family to Coshocton County, Ohio in 1827 and lived there until he was 21. He went to Peoria, Illinois where he spent 2 years. He then went to live with his oldest brother Horatio, in Ingham County, Michigan where he learned the carpenter's trade. He then came back to Illinois and worked as a carpenter until 1853. Then he went to Appanoose County, Iowa and did freighting from Keokuk, Iowa to interior points in Iowa.

In May of 1854 he was helping Horatio move his family from Stark County, Illinois to Ringgold County, Iowa when Horatio drowned in Marion County, Iowa.

Hiram moved to Ringgold County, Iowa and settled 6 miles northeast of Mount Ayr, on the east fork of the Grand River. He served as the sheriff of Ringgold County.

Hiram enlisted for duty during the Civil War on August 15, 1861, and was mustered into service on September 12, 1861 as a private in Captain C. WARNER'S Company, 3d Regiment Iowa Cavalry. This company became Company M of the 3rd Iowa Cavalry. Hiram was promoted to 7th Corporal February 1, 1863. He was furloughed to Ringgold County from April 1 to April 29, 1863. He was promoted to 6th Corporal April 2, 1863; 5th Corporal April 20, 1863; 4th Corporal May 15, 1863, and 3rd Corporal on November 1, 1863.

On January 16, 1864, Hiram was with a detachment of 3rd Iowa Cavalry at Little Rock, Arkansas. He was discharged at Keokuk, Iowa on September 19, 1864 by reason of expiration of term of enlistment.

On April 15, 1888 he applied for a pension, stating that during March 1862 near Fayetteville. Arkansas he contracted rheumatism caused by exposure to bad weather and laying on cold ground. During the 24th session of the 58th Congress on March 7, 1904, Mr. FOSTER of the Committee on Pensions, submitted the following:

The Committee on Pensions. To whom was referred the bill (s4602) granting an increase of pension to Hiram IMUS, have examined same and report: This bill as amended proposes to increase from $12.00 to $30.00 per month the pension of Hiram IMUS, of Kalama, Washington, who was a private and corporal in Company M, 3rd Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, and who served from August 15, 1861 to September 19, 1864 when honorably discharged. Claimant is now a pensioner under the act of June 27, 1890, at the rate of $12.00 per month for total inability to earn a support by manual labor. He was formerly pensioned under the general law at $8.00 per month for rheumatism and resulting disease of heart, contracted during his service. He is upward of 81 years of age, and the evidence of file, including the report of his medical examination dated May 6, 1903 shows him to be suffering from chronic liver and stomach trouble, involving the functional disturbances of heart and kidneys, and also infirmities of age, and is totally unable to performany manual labor. It is also shown that he has no property of any particular value, all of his possessions not being worth over $500.00 and that his sole income is his pension of $12.00 per month. There are numerous precedents for increasing the pensions of the aged, totally disabled and destitute veterans of the war, especially those who served 3 years or more, in the light of which your committee report the bill back favorably with a recommendation that it pass when amended as follows: In line 8 strike out the word 'forty' and insert in lieu thereof the word 'thirty.'

Before settling in Kalama, Washington in 1889, Hiram moved to Roxbury Kansas, then in October of 1888 to Portland, Oregon.

Hiram M. IMUS died at Kalama, Cowlitz County, Washington, on July 13, 1909. He married December 23, 1855, Appanoose County, Iowa, to Mary Ann ROGERS, born April 27, 1835, Rogersville TN; died March 4, 1898. Hiram and Mary Ann were the parents of six sons, all but the youngest born in Ringgold County, Iowa.

Submission by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2010