JAMES H. POLLOCK, son of John POLLOCK and Elizabeth STEWART, was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, March 22, 1816. His mother died while he was a babe, leaving a family of eight children, of whom James was the youngest. In 1837 his father fell a victim to cholera, and was buried at his old home.

When but fifteen years old James was apprenticed to a blacksmith, near his home; but he became dissatisfied here, and a year later went to Clermont county, Ohio, where he finished his apprenticeship and wrought at his trade.

In 1836 he married Hettie SMITH, daughter of John SMITH and Ellen McINTOSH.

Hettie SMITH was born in the year [March 19] 1818, in Clermont county, Ohio, but was reared by her grandparents of Brown county. Here she was the schoolmate and playmate of Gen. U. S. GRANT, and spent many hours playing with the embryo president about his father's tanyard. By her grandparents she was instructed in the old-time duties of carding, spinning and weaving, and still recalls those as among her happiest days.

In 1837 Mr. and Mrs. POLLOCK came to Henderson county, Illinois, settling at the village of Terre Haute. They afterward went to Indiana, and lived in Jefferson county until 1856. Again coming to Henderson county,Illinois, Mr. POLLOCK worked at his trade, first at Terre Haute six years; then one year at Olena.

In 1862 his eldest son (William) had enlisted in the 91st reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., and the next spring the two remaining sons in the 84th. Then his heroic wife sent him, also, to look after the boys. Enlisting [January 7, 1864] in Co. K, 84th reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., he joined the main army at Nashville.

He saw almost continuous fighting, untill [Love Joy Station, Georgia, September 2nd, 1864], at Jonesboro, a ball shattered his leg. A surgeon with a rude bandage stayed the flow of blood; but he lay there on the field, faint and feverish, his limb, now greatly swollen on account of tightly drawn ligature, giving unutterable pain, from three P.M. of September 2, until nine A. M. of the 3rd, twelve weary hours of constant agony. When finally he was taken to the [Atlanta] hospital, so extensively had mortification set in, that the leg, shot off below the knee, had to be amputated half-way from the knee to the hip.

After several months spent in hospital [at Chattanooga, Tennessee], he was discharged, May [6th] 1864, at Quincy, where he had spent the days of his convalescence.

His sons passed unscathed through many of the severest battles of the war, and honorably discharged, now live, William and Henton in Ringgold county, Iowa, and John in the Far West.

After his discharge from the army Mr.POLLOCK again engaged in blacksmithing; but an unlucky stroke of the hammer broke a finger of his left hand, and rendered the hand stiff and useless for work. Through the beneficence of the government to which he so nearly gave his life, Mr. POLLOCK is spending his last years in modest, but assured comfort-comfort richly earned, both by him and his worthy wife, now no less heroic and honorable, though less honored than the highly exalted playmate of her youth.

NOTE: James H. POLLOCK died on September 1st, 1896, Cowley County, Kansas. Hettie (SMITH) POLLOCK died November 21, 1893, Cowley County, Kansas. They were interred New Salem Cemetery, Winfield, Kansas.

Henton POLLOCK, son of James H. and Hettie (SMITH) POLLOCK, was born March 28, 1841, Jefferson County, Indiana, and died April 7, 1920, Cowley County, Kansas. He enlisted November 23, 1863 and was assigned to Company K of the 84th Illinois Infantry; transferrred to Company F of the 21st Illinois Infantry; and was discharge December 16, 1865 at San Antonio, Texas. Henton never married. He was interred at New Salem Cemetery, Winfield, Kansas.

William H. POLLOCK, son of James H. & Hettie (SMITH) POLLOCK, was born June 16, 1844, Jefferson County, Indiana, and died January 6, 1906, Ringgold County, Iowa, with interment at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Iowa.

John S. POLLOCK, son of James H. & Hettie (SMITH) POLLOCK, was born in Jefferson County, Indiana on October 9, 1846. He served with Company K of the 84th Illinois Infantry and was later transferred to Company F of the 21st Illinois Infantry. He was run over by a train December 8, 1894 at New Salem, Kansas, and was killed instantly, leaving a wife, Sarah Ann (STEWART) POLLOCK, and three young children; Lydia Esther, Ira Lee, and Edith. John was interred at New Salem Cemetery, Winfield, Kansas.

SOURCE: History of Mercer and Henderson Counties. Pp. 1043-44. H. H. Hill & Co. 1882.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2010