My Genealogy Hound

M. L. Argenbright, farmer and stockman, was born in Augusta County, Va., December 9, 1840, and came with his parents, John and Catharine J. (Steele) Argenbright, to Saline County, Mo., in 1855, and the following year to Morgan County. He was one of six children, and made his home with his parents until the father’s death in 1860. In the spring of 1861 Mr. Argenbright enlisted in Capt. Geo. Butler’s company, under Col. Brown, in the Confederate army, Robt. M. McCulloch afterward commanding. This regiment was in Parsons’ Division, at that time Gov. Jackson commanding the army, Price having gone into Arkansas. His term of service was one filled with hardship, but he passed through without a murmur. He participated in the battles of Carthage, Springfield, Wilson’s Creek, Lexington and Drywood, besides numerous skirmishes, finally being discharged near Granby, Mo., in December, 1861, after which he returned home. A detailed account of the career in which he had a part is given elsewhere in this volume. Mr. Argenbright remained at home until June, 1863, but finding everything so disturbed he enlisted at Jefferson City, under Col. Catherwood, in the Sixth Missouri State Militia, and served until Lincoln’s call for veterans, when he re-enlisted in the Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry, under the same Colonel, in the spring of 1864, and remained in service until one year after peace was declared. While a member of the militia he was in the skirmish at Jefferson City, but was mostly engaged in fighting guerrillas, and at one time, for about fifteen days, had only one hour’s rest out of the twenty-four. While in the veteran service he was after Price on his last raid from Jefferson City to Tipton, and was then sent to St. Louis with rebel prisoners. From there he was ordered to Rolla, and went into winter quarters there. In the spring of 1865 he escorted Gen. Upton across the plains, and was afterwards in many towns in Kansas, and while at Pawnee River saw the famous Kit Carson. He then went to Colorado, and went into winter quarters at Camp Wardrell. April 11, 1866, he started for Leavenworth, Kas., which place he reached on the 5th of May, and remained there until mustered out of service, on the 21st of May. He returned home, and January 27, 1867, was married to Miss Mary E. Wilson, by whom he has two children: Anna Leroy, who was born November 9, 1867, and is the wife of Sherman Anderson, and Charles Burton, born January 24, 1871. Mr. Argenbright owns about 125 acres of land in the home farm, and has a one-third interest in twenty-seven acres of lead land. His buildings are all in excellent condition, and he is quite well fixed financially. He is a Democrat in politics, and in his religious views is a Methodist.