My Genealogy Hound

ANDREW RALSTON, farmer; P. O. Fletcher; born in Miami Co. Jan. 26, 1839; is son of Barnabas and Melinda (Welchhans) Ralston. He was born in this county Aug 9, 1807, being probably one of the oldest men now living who was born in Miami Co. His wife, Melinda, was born in Warren Co., Ohio. The grandfather, Allen Ralston, was born in Scotland, and came to this country with his parents when only 3 years of age, arriving in the last ship which was permitted to come over prior to the Revolutionary war. The mother of Barnabas was a daughter of Barnabas Blue, of pioneer history in the early settlement of this county. Barnabas and Melinda were the parents of five children, viz., Jacob, David, Catharine, deceased; Mary, deceased, and Andrew. Barnabas, the father, has always from his birth lived upon the same section of land, Sec. 22, and after his marriage he settled, cleared and cultivated the farm from its native woods. Mr. Ralston, our subject, has lived with his father most of his life, being unmarried, and having taken charge of and carried on the farm for several years. Politically, he is a Democrat. In August, 1862, during the war of the rebellion, he enlisted in the 110th O. V. I., and served till the close of the war; he was in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and several engagements under Gen. Sheridan in his Shenandoah Valley campaigns of 1864; he was sent back to the Potomac army, with which he remained, taking part in the many engagements that occurred up to the close of the war; in the final engagement at Petersburg it was their 6th Corps, as declared in a speech of Gen. Mead, that broke the rebel lines and caused the evacuation of Petersburg, and, consequently, of Richmond; then followed the surrender of Gen. Lee, which glorious sight was gladly and fully witnessed by Mr. Ralston.