This well-known citizen was one of the boys who, forty years ago, went out to fight for the preservation of the Union when the slaveholders undertook to separate the slave states from the free states and establish a slave republic in the southern half of the United States. Everyone knows the result — how their attempts failed after four years of bloody warfare and after filling the land with cripples and lamentations. He was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. May 22, 1830, and is the child of John and Anna (RAY) JAMISON.

The JAMISON family had settled in the Keystone state many years before and were of mixed descent, in which German and Irish predominated. The RAY family claim a Germanic descent. John and Anna JAMISON were reared in Pennsylvania, and there met and were married, and some time afterward they came to the West. Five children were born to them, as follows: Samuel, the subject, born in 1830: Mary Ann, born November 30, 1831, died in 1834; George W., born February 26, 1834, died in 1836; Daniel, born November 19. 1835, died in 1837; John, born January 10. 1838.

John JAMISON in youth learned the shoemaker's trade, which he worked at in the summers and at the pilot's profession in the winters. His life was spent without noteworthy event. His son Samuel, at the age of eight years, was bound out to learn the hatter's trade, and after having served his apprenticeship worked at that trade for over eight years. In 1846 he left Pennsylvania and came to Kosciusko county, Indiana, walking most of the way, and located himself in Clay township; he remained with his uncle during the succeeding winter. In the spring of 1847 he went to work at the carpenter's trade, and assisted in building the old Pelton Hotel, the first hotel building in Warsaw. During the following winter he worked for Thomas POPHAM for fifteen dollars per month and continued for him three years, laying aside his earnings.

On October 24. 1854, he was united in marriage with Miss Sylvia A. CALKINS, a native of New York, and to this marriage four children were born: Florence M., born August __, 1855, is the wife of John ROBERTS and resides in Arkansas; Aleth E., born June 19, 1860, became the wife of Emanuel ROWEN and lives in Lordsburg. California; Charles E., born June 30, 1867, married in the South and resides in Louisiana; Franklin U. R., born March 9, 1872, who also married a Southern lady, lives in Louisiana. He was born in Nebraska and all the others in Iowa.

After his marriage Mr. JAMISON worked a year for Mr. POPHAM at the carpenter's trade, and then removed to Iowa and entered forty-eight acres of land. Later he sold out and followed the carpenter's trade two years, and then moved to Johnson county, Iowa, and continued his trade, and while there he bought forty-eight acres in Ringgold county, Iowa, and was living there when the Rebellion broke out. At its commencement he enlisted in a company of scouts for three months, and saw severe duty scouting through southern Iowa and northern Missouri. Succeeding this he returned to his family and moved to North English and while there enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, under Thomas H. BENTON, colonel, and Andrew JOHNSON, captain, and was sent down on the Red River expedition, fighting all the way. After that he returned to Little Rock, Arkansas, and was transferred to Mobile and was in the battle and siege of that name. He next fought at Blakely, and then was transferred to the West and sent to the Rio Grande. At the close of the war he went to Mexico and then to New Orleans and was there mustered out in August, 1865. He fought in eleven hard-fought battles, and was always ready for duty. He draws a pension of six dollars per month.

He returned home and went into the huckster's business, continuing thus for two years. Later he sold out in Iowa and removed to Nebraska and bought a tract of one hundred and sixty acres near Lincoln and remained upon the same for twelve years. While living there his wife died, May 29. 1873.

He returned to Kosciusko county, Indiana, and soon afterward married Miss Silena, daughter of Samuel and Minerva C. BALL, the marriage occurring in October, 1874, The BALLS came to this county from Knox county, Ohio, in 1849. They came through in wagons and all were required to assist in clearing away the heavy timber that covered their land.

Mr. JAMISON is a Republican, was at one time a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a member of Kosciusko Post, No. 515, G. A. R., Warsaw. In Nebraska he served as deputy sheriff. He lived in Claypool township, this county, for sixteen vears, but eleven months.

SOURCE: Progressive Men and Women of Kosciusko County, Indiana Pp. 288-90. B.K.BOWEN & Co. Logansport, Indiana. 1902.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009