My Genealogy Hound

RICHARD OATES, although an Englishman by birth and education, having come to this country from Yorkshire in 1851, was among the first to enlist to serve his adopted country when the dread pall of war darkened her sky. Becoming a member of the Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry in 1861, he served continuously until 1865, during that time seeing much hard service and taking part in many hard-fought battles. Among them were: Lewisburg, W.Va.; Dutton Hill, Ky.; the siege of Knoxville; Winchester, Fisher’s Hill and Cedar Creek, Va. The regiment had been mounted for service in the Shenandoah Valley, and in addition to the severer contests mentioned had many minor fights and skirmishes with the rebels. In his war record Mr. Oates carried out to the full the principle embodied by the grand English admiral, Nelson, in his saying, “England expects every man to do his duty,” although it was another country to which he was devoting himself.

In July, 1865, Mr. Oates was mustered out of the service, and returned to his family in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, where he had been married in 1853 to Miss Emily Nason. His wife is a daughter of George L. Nason, who was born in Duxbury, Vt., July 30, 1809, and came to Ohio with his parents, Daniel and Mercy (Roberts) Nason, in 1811. The latter settled near Springfield, which was then a hamlet of but a few log houses, and in which he attended Sunday-school when a boy. He has lived in the neighborhood all his life except about two years preceding the war, when he removed to Missouri, where he found he could not express his sentiments, and he therefore returned to Ohio. He is now one of the oldest settlers living in this vicinity, is in his eighty-first year, and quite hale for one of his advanced age. He was married in 1831 to Miss Hannah Hawkins, a daughter of James Hawkins, of Yorkshire, England. His family comprised four children, Emily, now Mrs. Oates, being the second.

In addition to the service rendered his adopted country upon the tented field, Mr. Oates has set the example of a hard working and reliable citizen, who cheerfully discharges the duties which lie before him, and gains the reputation of an honorable and worthy man. He has reared a family of ten bright children, besides taking care of his aged father-in-law, and his many charges have kept him from accumulating much of this world’s goods. Until quite recently he has always rented a farm in Springfield Township, but a few years ago he purchased twenty-five acres of the Buffenberger place, four miles west of South Charleston, in Madison Township, Clark County, where he now resides with his family. His children are: Florence, Eliza, Annie, Mathew, George, Luther, Inez, Harley, Carrie and Lottie A., the last named being a lass of ten years. True to the principles for which he fought for nearly five years, Mr. Oates votes the Republican ticket.