Bailey, Eben Jr.

BAILEY, BENJAMIN, JACKSON, NICHOLSON

Posted By: Linda Linn (email)
Date: 11/16/2011 at 09:42:11

Eben Bailey Jr., son of Ebenezer and Sarah (Benjamin) Bailey, was born in Berlin, Washington County, Vermont, on August 23, 1837.
At the age of 19, he moved to Mt. Holly, and two years later, on October 17, 1859, in Williamstown, he married Mary Jane Jackson, daughter of William Jackson. Their union was blessed with the birth of their first son, Bertie R., on November 7, 1860.
Eben enlisted in the Union army, credited to Mt. Holly, on September 10, 1862, and mustered in as a private in Company H, 14th Vermont Infantry, on October 21, 1862. Tragically, their son Bertie, died at the age of 2 years, 3 months, while Eben was still in the service. Despite the family tragedy, Eben was a lucky man; 2 of his comrades in Company H were mortally wounded at Gettysburg, 1 was captured and sent to Andersonville, where he died 10 months later, and 7 were wounded. In addition, 5 had died of disease, and 4 had been discharged for disability before Gettysburg.
Eben was discharged on July 30, 1863 with the rest of his regiment, and returned to Vermont, where, on April 23, 1866, their second son, Percy M., was born. In the fall of 1869, Eben went to Ft. Dodge, Iowa by train, then walked the 90-100 miles to Clay County for the purpose of selecting and filing for an 80 acre tract of land under the Homestead Act of 1862. The following spring he and his brother William brought their families from Vermont to Iowa by wagons and yokes of oxen.
On Feb 7, 1873, Percy died at 6 years, 9 months. Their 3rd child, daugther Vinnie D., was born April 3, 1874. On March 10, 1875, Eben received a patent for his land which was signed by President U. S. Grant.
Eben's wife died April 9, 1888 and less than a month later, May 5, 1888, Eben's only surviving daughter, Vinnie, died, leaving him with no family. In the winter of 1888, Eben became severely ill with pneumonia. Since he was alone, neighbors cared for him and nursed him back to health, one of which was friend and neighbor Hattie Marie Nicholson. On June 28, 1890, Eben, then nearly 53, and Hattie, age 27, were married in Royal, Clay County, Iowa. They proceeded to have a family of eight children, the last when Eben was 69 years old. On April 15, 1910, Eben, Hattie and their children Nina (age 18), Marshall (17), Lloyd (16), Grace (14), Esther (12), Dwight (10), Morris (8) and Maynard W. (3), were living on their farm in Clay township, Clay County, Iowa.
Eben died of chronic bronchitis on February 20, 1921, at age 83 years, 6 months.
Source: http://vermontcivilwar.org/units/14/bailey-eben.ph
Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Spencer, Clay County, IA