My Genealogy Hound

COLONEL WILLIAM F. CLOUD, collector of internal revenue, and one of the most prominent men of southwest Missouri, was born in Champaign county, Ohio, March 23, 1825, and raised during his earlier life in Columbus, Ohio. His father, Robert, was a tiller of the soil, and died in Ohio in the year 1857. Colonel Cloud married Elizabeth Howard, in January, 1848, who was born in Belmont county, Ohio, in October, 1829. The children are Robert W., Henry H., Clara H., and an adopted daughter, Eva H. Sherman. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cloud were active members of the Methodist Church, he having acted as superintendent of Sunday-schools for a number of years. Colonel Cloud is also a member of the Odd Fellows’ and Masonic orders. In the year 1858 he went west and engaged in the clothing business in the city of Emporia, Kansas. The secession of the Southern States having occurred meanwhile, and war being declared, he, fired with all the loyalty and patriotism of the typical Buckeye, forthwith defended the Union in the Federal army, offering his services in April, 1861, as the organizer of the first company from Kansas, which was soon reorganized into the Second Kansas, Mr. Cloud being commissioned as major. After serving out three months he was promoted to the command of colonel of the Second, Tenth, and Fifteenth Kansas regiments, severally, and served a period of four years and six months. Among some of the important engagements in which he participated were Druggs Springs, Wilson Creek, Old Fort Wayne, Cane Hill, Prairie Grove, and Wine Creek, in Kansas. At one time he had charge of southwest Missouri and northern Kansas, succeeding to the command of General Brown, who was wounded. Colonel Cloud was relieved soon after by General McNeil. Immediately Colonel Cloud proceeded to Arkansas, capturing Ft. Smith, Dardanell, and being again relieved by General McNeil. Colonel Cloud was with the army which operated at Camden, Jenkins’ Ferry, in Arkansas. In 1865 he, after being discharged, was recommissioned as colonel of the Fifteenth Kansas, at Ft. Larned, to proceed against the Indians, but peace was soon made with them and he returned to Leavenworth, Kansas, to resume the quiet of a private citizen. In the year 1867 he came to Carthage, Missouri, to make this a permanent home, engaging immediately in the practice of law and sale of real estate. During the centennial year he went into the service of the government as collector of internal revenue, with headquarters at Sedalia, Missouri. Colonel Cloud was the regular nominee of the Republican party for Congress in 1882. Notwithstanding his defeat, Jasper county gave him a good majority over both other parties, an index of his popularity at home. He was chairman of the Republican county committee for years, and worked unceasingly, stumping the county for Republican principles, and was tendered a fine hunting case gold watch as a testimony of his valuable services and the high esteem in which he was held. He was called to mourn the untimely death of his wife September 3, 1879, who had gone to Colorado Springs for her health, together with his daughter, who died May 6, 1880, a young lady of fine musical acquirements, too devoted to its attainment. They are both buried in the Carthage cemetery. His home thus broken into by the stern hand of death leaves the father and husband with only their memory to console and cheer him. Few have attained greater success and distinction on their own merits in the Southwest, and fewer, at his age, possess such wonderful vigor, both of mind and body, as Colonel Cloud. He is still in the government internal revenue employ, and makes an efficient officer, a staunch, loyal citizen, and is withal a courteous, cultured gentleman.