My Genealogy Hound

DAVID INMAN, born November 5, 1836, is one of the first settlers of Buffalo county. He is the son of Powers and Mary (Durst) Inman, both natives of Pennsylvania. The former, a mechanic, was born in the year 1801, and departed this life in 1865; the latter was born January 5, 1805. There were born to them ten children — three boys and seven girls — our subject being the fourth child.

David Inman lived at home in Meigs county, Ohio, until he was eighteen years of age, during which time he served an apprenticeship and worked at the carpenter’s trade, which business he has followed at odd intervals through life. In 1859 he made a trip through Missouri and Kansas with a view of locating in the West, but finally returned home and settled down to his trade.

September 20, 1861, he responded to his country’s call for troops, enlisting in Company K, Eighteenth regiment Ohio volunteers, and served nearly four years. His regiment left Camp Dennison November 5, 1861, and proceeded to Cincinnati, Louisville, Elizabethtown, Bacon Creek, Bowling Green, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn., engaging in a number of skirmishes; from there on to Huntsville, Ala. He participated in battles at Huntsville, Decatur, Tuscumbia and Athens, Ala., after which he was confined for two months in the hospital at Shelbyville and Talahoma (Tenn.), on account of disabilities incurred in marching. He joined his regiment in August, 1862, and took part in the siege of Nashville, battle of Stone River and numerous minor battles, up to the taking of Stoneman’s Gap, soon after which he was taken with erysipelas and confined in hospital at Talahoma and Nashville, Tenn., until September, 1863, when he joined his regiment and took part in the battle of Chickamauga, the siege of Chattanooga, and the battle of Mission Ridge. He was discharged November 9, 1864, and returned to Meigs county, where he followed bridge-building until the spring of 1873, when he immigrated to Buffalo county, Nebr., and homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 28, township 10, range 16, where he still resides.

Mr. Inman was one of the first to settle in Divide township, and, on account of the severe droughts and the grasshoppers which prevailed at that time, was unable to raise much grain for the first four years. He worked at his trade in Kearney at odd times, and was thus able to provide for the family wants. Deer, elk and antelope were plentiful in those times, and furnished part of the family meat.

Mr. Inman was married April 12, 1865, to Martha Cowdery, a native of Meigs county, Ohio, who was born April 14, 1845. She is the daughter of George W. and Susan (Sayre) Cowdery, both natives of Meigs county, Ohio; the former a lawyer, was born January 15, 1820; the latter was born February 28, 1817. To Mr. and Mrs. David Inman there have been born nine children, as follows — Minerva A., born January 5, 1866; Robert P., born July 23, 1868; Harry, born July 7, 1871; Stella E., born December 5, 1873; Mary E., born April 13, 1876; Nora E., born March 14, 1879; George W., born March 7, 1881; Ruth A., born October 17, 1883, and David P., born August 22, 1885.