Eli W. McKinney is Van Buren Co. Veteran

MCKINNEY, BRIETENSTINE, NICHOLS, INGLES, MCCUTCHEON, LAGELL, KELSEY, DAHLBURG, STEWART, WALRAVEN, MOORE, HAZEL, BEUCH, ATKINS, WOODS, NELSON, TAYLOR, NEDROE, MONTGOMERY, JACKSON, YARNELL, GILL

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 10/27/2016 at 04:28:07

ELI W. McKinney IS VAN BUREN CO. VETERAN

Bellflower, Calif., Dec. 4, 1937.
Van Buren Record:

I read an article in your valuable paper concerning my old Civil War Veteran comrade, William Brietenstine of Farmington as being the only surviving veteran of Van Buren county. I claim to be one, and a son of a veteran too. My father enlisted in Co. I, 19th Inf., on the 13th day of August, 1862, and was killed at Prairie Grove, Ark., Dec. 8, 1862. I enlisted on the 16th day of May, 1864, in Co. K, 45th Inf. I joined Shriver Post No. 77, at Vernon, Iowa, which disbanded about 1916, and in the ledger that had the names of those belonging to the post were one hundred and eleven, and I am the only one of those living that I know of. Then I joined the W.C. Harper Post No. 79 at Keosauqua, and I am the only one living that belonged to that one. I now belong to the Post at Large, with headquarters in Philadelphia, and branch office in Des Moines.

I was born in Monroe county, Ohio, March 2nd, 1847. My parents and grandparents moved from there to Van Buren county, Iowa, in 1851, and located in a town called Columbus, a mile and a half above Bentonsport. We lived there nine years. There were about twenty-five families living there during that time, but when they finished the dam at Bentonsport the families bought lots and moved their homes down there. James A. Brown built his grist mill in 1854 and we were the last family to leave Columbus, in 1858.

I still own my home in Bentonsport that I have had for 32 years, and I have been a resident of Van Buren county for 86 years. I also claim to be the oldest member of Odd Fellowship. I was initiated into the Des Moines Valley Lodge Feb. 13, 1875, and still belong to that lodge, 62 1/2 years. And it is between me and Comrade Brietenstein which will be the last Civil War Veteran to check out of Van Buren County.

Here are the names of those who lived in Columbus during the eight years I lived there, 78 years ago.

Presley Nichols - David Atkins
Wesley Ingles - Isaac Woods
James McCutcheon - Wesley Nelson
James Lagell - ?? Taylor
Ira Kelsey - ?? Nedroe
Robt. Dahlburg - John Montgomery
William Stewart - Lee Jackson
Wm. Walraven - Eli Yarnell
Henry Moore - George McKinney
Fred Hazel - Tommy Gill
William Beuch

Sincerely yours,
ELI W. McKinney.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book H, Page 15, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA