JOHN H.
ACHAMIRE of section 35, Salt Pond Township, half a mile north
of Sweet Springs, Saline County, is another enterprising and
successful farmer, whose fine piece of property and pleasant home
may well excite the envy of people less comfortably situated.
He owns one hundred and eighty-six and a half acres of land, mostly
in Salt Pond Township. This land he has improved and brought
to a fine state of cultivation. He started here with about
$400, which he had saved from his salary as a soldier in the Civil
War, and with that nucleus has made for himself an independence.
Mr. Achamire was born in Holmes County, Ohio,
September 21, 1840. His father was Michael Achamire,
born in Harrisburg, Pa. in 1815, and his grandfather, John
Achamire, was also a native of Pennsylvania. The
great-grandfather emigrated from Germany, and settled in
Pennsylvania, where he followed the occupation of a miller. He
took part in the Revolutionary War. The grandfather was also a
miller, but subsequently became a farmer, emigrating to Holmes
County, Ohio, in early times, and taking a farm in its wild state,
clearing and improving it, and living upon it until his death at a
ripe old age.
The father of our subject was also a farmer, buying
heavily of timbered land in Holmes County, Ohio. After
clearing and improving it, he sold out and moved to Knox County,
Mo., in 1880, and bought there. He died in 1891, at the age of
seventy-six years. His wife was Miss Anna Bixler, of
Maryland, and her demise occurred in 1870. John H., is
the eldest of their family of eight children, four sons and four
daughters, four of whom are in Missouri, two in Ohio, and the
youngest sister is deceased. He was educated in the common
district schools, which were of the old-time style, - log
schoolhouses, with slab seats, etc.
Mr. Achamire remained at home until the day that
he was twenty-one, September 21, 1861, on which day he enlisted in
Company B, Sixteenth Ohio Infantry, under Col. DeCorse, for three
years' service in the Federal army. December 17, the regiment
went to Lexington, Ky., and June 18, 1862, took possession of
Cumberland Gap. August 6 occurred the battle of
Tazewell, Tenn., the first in which our subject was engaged, and
where he was captured, being held ten days. September 8, they
began a march from Manchester, Ky., reaching the Ohio River on the
3d of October, fighting their way through, and having little to eat
and almost nothing to wear. October 21, they started for
Charleston. In November, they returned to the Ohio River and
embarked to join Sherman's army at Memphis. In December, they
re-embarked for Vicksburg. December 27, 28, and 29, they
engaged in the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, where Mr. Achamire
was wounded in the thigh, necessitating a stay of three months in
the hospital. He rejoined his regiment just after the capture
of Vicksburg, joining in the pursuit of Johnston. At
Vicksburg, he was detailed by the Division Surgeon, and placed in
charge of about one hundred sick. He took them subsequently to
New Orleans and reported to headquarters. After this he did a
good deal of marching and suffered many hardships. In the
latter part of 1863, he was sent down to Texas, and later joined
Gen. Bank's army on the Red River expedition. He was one
of those who helped to construct the famous Red River dam at
Alexandria. May 13, 1864, he began the retreat from
Alexandria. The last fight was Morganizia Bend, from which
place the regiment was sent home. They were mustered out at
Camp Dennison, Ohio, October 31, 1864, making his term of service a
little over three years.
Mr. Achamire remained at home until February, 1865,
when he came to Missouri on a prospecting tour, returning home the
following summer. March 15, 1866, he married Miss Phoebe
Hall, of Holmes County, Ohio, daughter of George W. and
Elizabeth (Gilham) Hall, both of Ohio. The father was a
farmer in Tuscarawas and Holmes Counties. Both parents died
years ago. Mrs. Achamire's paternal grandfather was
from Kentucky, while her grandfather on the other side was from
Virginia.
Mr. Achamire was engaged in farming in Holmes County
for ten years coming to Saline county, this State, in March, 1875,
and settling on Salt Pond Township, where he had purchased land two
years before. At this time the county was largely unimproved,
and Mr. Achamire has done a great deal of work on his land to
bring it to its present flourishing condition; but he has
persevered, and now owns one of the good farms of the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Achamire have one child, Carlton
Edgar, born April 29, 1867. He received a good education,
standing at the head of his class at the Sweet Springs High School
at the time of his graduation, and subsequently attending an academy
for one year. He afterward became Cashier in a Kansas City
bank, and later head book-keeper in a large establishment. He
is now in the West.
Mr. Achamire is a Republican politically, but is
no office-seeker. He is a member of the Ancient Order of
United Workmen and of the Grand Army of the Republic. In Ohio,
both Mr. and Mrs. Achamire were English Lutherans, to which
church belonged also the parents of our subject. Mr.
Achamire owns, beside the land mentioned above, a farm in
section 34. He has reason to be well satisfied with what he
has done for himself and family, and with his home, which is graced
by the presence of a cultured and refined wife.
(Source: Portrait & Biographical Record of Lafayette & Saline
Counties, Missouri - Chicago: Chapman Bros.: 1893 - Page 428 |
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