My Genealogy Hound

JOHN CLARK JAMISON, real-estate dealer, of the firm of Jamison & Dickie, Pittsburgh, was born in Conemaugh township, Indiana county, Pa., Jan. 9, 1840. Samuel Shryock Jamison, his father, was born in Martinsburg (now West Virginia), in September, 1797, and was a son of John Jamison, who came from Ireland in 1771. His mother was a daughter of John Shryock, of German parentage. When six weeks old S. S. Jamison was carried on horseback across the mountains to Greensburg. He was reared in Conemaugh, and became a prominent citizen of Indiana county. In 1853 he was elected to the state senate, and served with distinction. For six years he was brigade inspector of militia, with rank of major. He built a portion of the Pennsylvania canal, and was nine years supervisor of the western division. July 1, 1823, he married Sarah Ann Bell, also a native of Indiana county, Pa. John C., their son, was educated at Saltsburg Academy, and graduated at Duff’s Commercial College in 1859. In the latter year he went to Des Moines, Iowa, where he engaged in teaching till the outbreak of the civil war. On the 4th of July, 1861, he joined the 4th Iowa Infantry, and served in southwestern Missouri under Fremont, Curtis and Siegel. For two years he was in the 15th corps, under Sherman, and took part in the battle of Pea Ridge, siege of Vicksburg and Sherman’s march to the sea. His right arm was disabled by a gunshot, and he left the service at the expiration of his three years’ enlistment. The following testimonial, signed by all the officers of the regiment and indorsed by Gen. Sherman, tells the story of his military service:

Camp 4th Iowa Infantry, Black River Bridge, near Vicksburg, Aug. 6, 1763. To his excellency Samuel J. Kirkwood, Governor of Iowa: The undersigned, commissioned officers of the 4th Iowa Infantry, beg leave, respectfully, to recommend to the notice of your excellency, with a view to promotion, Private John C. Jamison, of Co. E, of said regiment. During a term of service dating with the organization of the regiment, over two years ago, he has upon all occasions proved himself a true and faithful soldier. A business ability of the first order, by causing his employment in the various offices of the regiment, where this quality was indispensable, has operated to retard him in the ordinary line of promotion in his company. It has never prevented him, however, from shouldering his musket whenever the regiment has been called to meet the enemy. He has thus repeatedly proved himself to possess the requisites of a good officer—ability, coolness, courage and energy. The undersigned know of no instance in which, by the force of circumstances, merit has been so signally neglected. They earnestly hope that, if practicable, your excellency, by promoting Mr. Jamison to some position in a new regiment, may make him a just amend.

Since leaving the service Mr. Jamison has been nearly all the time in the real-estate business in Pittsburgh. He spent a winter on the island of San Domingo, where he took an active part in resenting the insult to the American flag at the consular office, Samana, which subsequently received the attention of the government and was apologized for. He also helped verify the location of the remains of Christopher Columbus at San Domingo City instead of at Havana, Cuba, as history gives it. Mr. Jamison is president of the board of trustees of the Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, and an active member of the G. A. R. and U. V. C. He is the only republican in his father’s family. In 1867 he married Mary C. Houghton, of early New England ancestry, who died in 1880, leaving five children. He afterward married Sarah Ida Allen, a native of Rochester, N. Y. Following are the names of Mr. Jamison’s offspring, in order of age: Hattie C., Sallie B., Wilson B., Mary C., Edgar, Pauline and Olive Elizabeth.