My Genealogy Hound

J. W. STINSON is one of Franklin county’s earliest settlers and most prosperous farmers. He was born in Wayne county, near Richmond, Ind., September 8, 1829. His parents dying when he was a mere youth, leaving him to his own resources, he went to Ohio at the age of sixteen years, and served an apprenticeship at the blacksmith trade, which he followed three years, moving then to Butler county, Ohio, where he resided until 1851. In March, 1852, he moved to and located on a farm in Brown county, Ill., where he resided until the breaking out of the war. He enlisted August 6, 1861, in the Third Illinois cavalry, and participated in a great many skirmishes, and was severely wounded at the battle of Pea Ridge. His right hand was badly injured, and his hearing badly affected by the firing of the artillery, so that he was incapacitated for duty and was placed in the invalid corps, where he remained from July 3, 1863, to January 15, 1864, when he was discharged from the regular service, and went into the quartermaster’s department, where he acted as steward until the close of the war, in June, 1865. In December, 1865, he moved to Shelby county, Mo., where he farmed until 1872, and then, in May, he came to Franklin county, Nebr., being one of the first settlers of the county. He homesteaded a claim, on which he constructed a dugout 22 by 28 feet. There were plenty of deer, antelope and some buffalo, he having killed some of all kinds. He brought fourteen head of cattle and fourteen head of horses and mules from Missouri and raised enough corn the first year to winter them all. In 1873 he raised twenty-five hundred bushels of corn, twelve hundred bushels of oats and about one hundred tons of hay, and made eighteen hundred rails, all of which were destroyed on October 12 of that year by fire started by the Pawnee Indians across the line in Kansas.

Mr. Stinson now has a fine farm of four hundred and eighty acres, two hundred and forty of which are now under cultivation. He has extensive improvements on his place; also a stone quarry, with stone from six to ten inches thick and of fine building quality. Mr. Stinson had held various public offices before coming to Nebraska, and, since coming, has served as deputy sheriff under D. K. Calkins, who was one of the first sheriffs of Franklin county. He has been justice of the peace for eight years, and has held other minor offices. He is republican in politics, and has been a member of the United Brethren church since 1854.

Mr. Stinson was married, January 26, 1851, to Miss Martha J. Ray, a native of Ohio. Their union has resulted in the birth of seven children, namely — William W., Martha H., Frank, Fred D., Laura J., Gilbert A., and Lydia (deceased).