Shelby  County,  Indiana
Historical  Articles

Military  History


~ ~ ~ ~ ~

World  War  II




I remember this day so very well.  My favorite uncle at that time was returning from World War II’s European Theatre at Camp Atterbury, near Edinburgh, Indiana.  I was allowed to miss school that day and accompany Uncle Bill Palmer  and Grandmother to meet Uncle Gayle.  We didn’t learn until much later all the action he had seen – some we learned after his death.  Gayle married while overseas and they had a son  Alistair, born April 14, 1945.
Obituary
Carleene Hubbard





This is Robert Carlton Milburn, 1 of 20 selectees from Shelby County 
going to Ft. Harrison July 8, 1941 (Tuesday).

Contributed by Bob Gordon


~ ~ ~ ~ ~

World  War  I



The  Shelbyville  Democrat
Tuesday, June 1, 1915
Page 1
----------
MEMORIAL  ADDRESS
ON  SUNDAY,  JUNE  6
----------
Soldiers  of  Fairland  Community
To  Be  Honored  in  Special  Services
----------
REV.  JOHN  SKEEN  TO  SPEAK
----------
Meeting  Will  Be  Held  at  Baptist  Church ---
All  Soldiers  and  Friends  Invited ---
News  of  a  Week  from  Saints'  Rest.
----------
          Rev. John Skeen,  of Franklin, pastor of the Baptist church here, has very kindly volunteered his services to deliver the regular memorial address that usually precedes Decoration Day, but was not delivered as has been the former custom.  He will address the ex-soldiers and the general pubic at the Baptist church here on Sunday, June 6, at 10:30 a.m.  All are cordially invited to hear this eloquent divine and soldiers' friend on this occasion.  A general turnout of the ex-soldier element and sons of the veterans is especially requested.
           J. M. Ensminger  will accept the thanks of the writer for recent favors.  "Mack's" friendship for a friend is a marked feature of the jolly farmer and stockman.
          Miss Lucile Carey,  who is attending the Indianapolis Teachers' College, returned Saturday to visit her parents, and returned Monday to resume her studies.
          Young man, you will discover that the large part of the fighting equipment of life is grit -- "sand,"  if please.  Find the grindstone and hold yourself against it until you have developed an edge that will cut something.
          Carey & Ensminger  arrived from the west with a load of horses and mares for the local trade and have other consignments in contemplation in the near future.
          The Big Four railway has resumed the work of laying new steel rails thru town and on east.
          Mrs. Mary F. West, of Cincinnati, is the guest of relatives here.
          Tombstones have been ordered for the following:  ex-soldiers:  Harvey Lamb, Co. L, 18th U.S. Inf.;  John A. Lamb, Co. F, 19th Ind. Inf.;  Ira Snider, Co. L, 18th U.S. Reg.  The government tombstones will be shipped to Fountaintown and consigned to  R. L. Nave,  applicant.
          Mrs. Lou Rommel  and son,  Carey,  will leave her home in Benton county, June 1, for a visit to  Dr. and Mrs. C. C. Cook,  of Memphis, Tenn.
          Dr. Wells  has completed the establishment of his steam heating plant in his home, and is now invulnerable to a siege of Gen. Jack Frost.
          John J. Totten,  the stock king, went to Cincinnati Sunday to make a sale of a large consignment of cattle to the Buckeye dealers of the Queen City on the beautiful Ohio.
          The decoration of the graves of the nation's heroes in Fairland cemetery was tenderly observed by their friends Sunday, despite the weather, where they peacefully sleep unmindful of the twilight or the dawn.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming



~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The  Mexican  War



          War has ever been the way of settling great tribal and national differences, even from the first advent of men on this globe.  With all that advanced thinkers, philosophers, theorists and non-combatants may have to offer against war, thus far no great progress has been achieved among the people of uncivilized and civilized, yes and Christian nations, save by the use of the sword and gun.  That the day may come when all swords shall be beaten into plow shares or pruning hooks, is to be hoped.  The idea of settling difficulties beftween contending forces, states and nations, by means of cool, deliberate arbitration, has come now-a-days to assume a hopeful outlook, and will no doubt, sooner or later, obtain in the minds of the great nations existing on this earth.
          The first of the great conflicts in this country after the organization of Shelby county, was that known in history as the Mexican war, from 1846-48.  Shelby county proved her loyalty in that short but decisive struggle.  Two companies were raised and mustered into United States service for that war from Shelby county.  The first of such companies left for the front in June, 1846.  This was Company H, of the Third Indiana Regiment of Volunteers.  Its officers were  Voorhis Conover, captain;  Samuel McKinsey, first lieutenant;  William Aldridge, second lieutenant, and  Jonathan Keith, third lieutenant.  It was a full company and served one year.  It was in no large engagements, save the battle of Buena Vista.  It returned home in July, 1847.  Another company was at once organized by Lieutenant McKinsey, who was chosen captain.  But little, at this late date, can be learned of the movements of this company, as the war soon ended after they reached Mexico.
          At the date of April 8, 1909, there were at least three Mexican soldiers still surviving and living in Shelby county --- William Elliott, of Shelbyville;  Henry M. Ensley,  of Fairlaind,  and  Benjamin Boon,  of Fairland.  All are over eighty years of age.
History of Shelby County, Indiana,  Edward Chadwick, 1909, page 98.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

Civil War       History Index       Main Page