Olds, James (1841-1918)

OLDS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/15/2019 at 00:24:56

James Olds
Jan 24, 1841 - Sep 7, 1918

[From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.413]
JAMES OLDS is one of the old soldier farmers of Pottawattamie County, who, after serving his country in the great civil war, has settled down to the peaceful pursuits of agriculture. He was born on a farm at Elgin, Kane County, Illinois, on the site where now stands the court-house, January 24, 1841. He was the son of Ransom OLDS, who descended from an old American family. The great-grandfather of our subject was a seaman, and during the reign of King George, of England, captured a celebrated Scottish pirate, and in an encounter with broad-swords killed and beheaded him, and gained a large reward. He was a man of fearless courage, and this trait of character has descended in the family for generations. He was a native of England, and settled in Vermont. His son George was a farmer of Rutland County, Vermont, and his farm was on the site of the now famous marble quarries; he was a tailor by trade. He married Mary ORMSBY, and they were the parents of thirteen children, viz.: James, who was a captain in the war of 1812, and was killed by the Indians; Daniel, Ezra, Gideon and Ransom, are all that are known. The father lived to be ninety-seven years of age. Ransom, the father of our subject, was born in Rutland County, Vermont, and learned farming in early life. He went to New York State, and was married at French Mills village to Florella McMILLEN, daughter of Arthur McMILLEN, a millwright by trade, and of Scotch descent. He was in the war of 1812 and helped to burn the fleet of vessels at French Mills village to prevent the British from capturing them. He was the father of five children: James, Alexander, Duncan, Margaret and Floretta. The father lived to the age of eighty-two years, and was killed by the falling of a tree at Elgin, Illinois. He was one of the pioneer settlers of that State. Ransom OLDS was a soldier in the war of 1812, and the father of thirteen children: Ransom, born December 19, 1800; Florilla H., February 29, 1807; George, November 14, 1828; John, August 28, 1830; Mary Florilia, February 2, 1832; Arthur Ransom, October 24, 1834; Duncan M., January 26, 1837; Lucy J., February 14, 1839; James, January 24, 1841; Gideon, September 8, 1842; Daniel, September 14, 1844; Margaret, November 12, 1845; and Laverna, October 10, 1848. The father moved in an early day to La Porte County, Indiana, and settled on a farm at Door Village, but after a few years removed to Elgin, and passed through Chicago, which was then a small trading post. Mr. OLDS was the first settler of Elgin, and took up Government land, hauling his produce to Chicago. He finally moved twelve miles west of Elgin, where he remained several years; then moved to a farm in Kankakee County, Illinois, where he died. He was a typical American Pioneer, and was one of the men who helped to subdue the wilderness of Illinois. His two brothers, James and Daniel, were soldiers in the war of 1812.
James OLDS, our subject, enlisted in Company B, Forty-second Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at the age of twenty years, and served three years and ten days. He was in the battle of Stone River, and Chickamaugua, where he was wounded in the left fore-arm, and he still carries the ball. He was in the hospital, and after recovering did hospital duty, part of the time on the United States hospital steamer R. C. Wood, as second steward. He was mustered out and honorably discharged September 10, 1864, at Lexington, Kentucky. Mr. OLDS had one brother, Arthur R., who was in Company I, Sixty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served nine months, and was captured at Harper's Ferry, paroled and exchanged, and mustered out.
After ther war our subject engaged in farming in Kankakee County, Illinois, and in 1871 went to Fillmore County, Nebraska, where he took up wild land and remained three years. In 1874 he came to his present farm in Lincoln Township. He descends from men who fought as soldiers in their struggle for liberty, and as pioneers helped to rebuild the wilderness. Both himself, brother and wife's brother fought for the preservation of the Union, and the children should take an honest pride in the sterling ancestry from which they sprang. Mr. OLDS was married in Momence, Kankakee County, Illinois, to Emily BURNS, who was born in the same county, October 17, 1849, the daughter of James H. and Charlotte (FORCE) BURNS. The father was of Scotch descent, and moved from Vermont to Kankakee County in an early day. He was the father of six children, viz.: Regiah, Amaziah, Amasa S., Lovina, Mary A. and Emily. Amaziah and Amasa were soldiers in the civil war; the former was in Company K, One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and the latter served four years and nine months in Company D, Forty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was in all the battles of his regiment. Mr. BURNS lived to the age of fifty years. To Mr. and Mrs. OLDS have been born six children, four of whom are now living: Amasa, born September 17, 1866; Nettie W., December 25, 1868; Willie, May 22, 1871, deceased; Frank, July 19, 1872; Emma, January 24, 1874, deceased; and Lovina, February 10, 1877.