ABERNETHY, Alonzo

ABERNETHY, EATON

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 1/29/2011 at 16:40:24

Alonzo Abernethy was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, April 14, 1836. His father was of Scotch-Irish descent, and his mother of Dutch ancestry. In 1854 the family moved to Fayette county, Iowa, and settled on a farm. The first winter Alonzo taught a country school at a salary of thirteen dollars a month. When he had saved sixty dollars of his own earnings he entered the collegiate institute at Burlington and studied there three and a half years. Then he went to the old University of Chicago.

He completed the junior year there when the Civil war broke out. He enlisted in the Ninth Iowa Infantry, and was mustered in as an orderly sergeant. His regiment saw much hard service and lost many officers and privates. He was wounded in the right ankle at the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. But he soon went back into active service and had part in the battles and campaigns around Vicksburg, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and Atlanta. He went with Sherman to the sea, then north to Washington. He was promoted from time to time, and was lieutenant colonel, in command of the regiment, at the grand parade. The regiment had lost so many men by that time that the authori­ties would not give them a colonel. At the close of the war he returned to Fayette county.

In 1866 he was elected to the legislature from that county and served with credit to himself and his county. He soon moved to Crawford county, and in1871 was elected superintendent of public instruction from that county. He held that position, with two reelections, until 1876, then resigned to accept the presidency of the University of Chicago. After a term of service there, he moved back to his farm in Crawford county. In 1881, following the death of Professor Bush, he was called to the principalship of Cedar Valley Seminary. He spent twenty-one years in that position, and did much to build up the semi­nary in attendance and scholarship. He led in the campaigns that secured to the seminary most of its present productive endowment funds.

In January, 1868, Colonel Abernethy was married to Miss Louise E. Eaton of Fayette county, and they lived happily together for forty-seven years. Four children were born to them, two of whom now survive: Herbert A. Abernethy of Thompson Falls, Montana; and Clara A. Abernethy, of Grinnell, Iowa.

Colonel Abernethy was a republican in politics. He joined the Baptist church in early life, and was a devoted and active member until his death. For many years he took great interest in the work of the Iowa Baptist convention. He was a man of much vigor and energy, a progressive citizen, always interested in every measure calculated to promote morality, temperance, education and religion. By nature and training he believed in good government and discipline. Whenever he was in authority, he insisted upon good order and obedience to all lawful rules and orders. However, if a soldier or student was guilty of disorder, but acknowledged his wrong and gave evidence of future obedience, he was sure of fair and kind treatment from the Colonel.

Mr. and Mrs. Abernethy were always kind and helpful to persons in trouble. They were quick to find instances of sorrow and want, and prompt to afford all possible relief. In 1909 the family moved from Osage to Des Moines, where they lived during the remainder of their lives, spending a part of their winters in Tampa, Florida.

Mrs. Abernethy survived her husband about one year. Their remains were interred in the Osage cemetery beside the remains of two of their children.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 360.