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Leroy Hallowell

Leroy Hallowell, a farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 17, Banks Township, forsook the way of his father and brothers to engage in agricultural pursuits. The Hallowells were a family of sailors and the father was for many years captain of a vessel. Their ancestors established the family in America during Colonial days and the great-great-grandfather of our subject served in the Revolutionary War. His parents were Ruel and Emily (Linn) Hallowell, natives of Maine, the father born May 11, 1816, and the mother on the 24th of September of the same year. They were married in their native State and their union was blessed with nine children, Leroy of this sketch being the eldest.

Our subject was born in Kennebec County, Me., March 23, 1840, and since a lad of seventeen years he has made his home in Iowa. His early education was acquired in the schools of the Pine Tree State and completed in Lee County, Ill., where his uncle was located in 1855. Four years later our subject came to his present farm where he has now made his home for a third of a century. He was married June 19, 1867, to Miss Annie D. Fox, daughter of Oliver T. and Sarah Fox of this county. By their union six children were born, five of whom are now living; Cora A., born February 17, 1873; Walter L., born December 19, 1874; Susan, born March 24, 1876; John, born June 4, 1877; Emily, born November 3, 1878; Otto, born April 2, 1880, was the youngest of the family and died January 24, 1889.

As before stated a seafaring life did not furnish any special attraction to Mr. Hallowell and he resolved to give his attention to farming, to which occupation he devoted his energies until the breaking out of the late war when, among the first to respond to the country's call for troops, he enlisted at Dixon, Ill., on the 24th of May, 1861, becoming a member of Company A, Thirteenth Illinois Infantry. Her served under Gens. Lyon, Fremont and Curtis, and finally in the Fifteenth Army Corps under the command of the lamented Gen. Logan. He participated in the battles in the charge under Gen. Sherman at Chickasaw Bayou. In the first day's fight at that place his colonel fell, mortally wounded, and our subject helped carry him off the field. Also in the battle of Arkansas Post, the siege of Vicksburg, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, and Madison Station, Ala., where three hundred of the regiment were surrounded by fifteen hundred of Roddy's Brigade but cut their way out, losing heavily in killed and wounded. Mr. Hallowell was with Gen. Curtis on the march from Pea Ridge to Helena, where they were cut off from all communication, having to subsist on the country. He followed Sherman throughout the Atlanta campaign and then returned to Madison Station where the regiment was mustered out on the 18th of June, 1864. He had served for three long years, was always found at his post of duty and participated in many of the most important battles of the war yet received not a single scratch.

When peace was once more restored Mr. Hallowell returned to his farm in Banks Township and on the old homestead has since spent his entire life. He is very comfortably situated, having acquired a competence which enables him to possess all the necessaries and many of the luxuries of life. The farm on which he resides comprises a quarter-section, and he also owns a farm of two hundred acres on section 7, Banks Township. In politics he is a stanch Republican and a warm supporter of party principles. In his religious views he is liberal, having identified himself with no church organization, yet he is known throughout the community as an upright, honorable man.