John Henry Usher

The profile picture is of John Henry & his 2nd wife Susan (Massey) Usher.

(http://www.ilsos.gov/isaveterans/blackHawkSearch.do) - Researcher Gene Stephens states: "Family records indicate that John Henry Usher was born in 1839, but he told his muster officer that his age was 26 in 1861 and the 1850 Franklin county census (age 15), strongly indicate 1835 as his birth year. Coupled with his sisters age of 12 in 1850, 1835 as a birth date seems more plausible."

John Henry Usher is the 2nd great-grandfather of Georgia Collette (georgiac2@juno.com), and the great-grandfather of Peggy Hankins (amethyst@fidnet.com). Peggy provided me with much information on John Henry and his family.

John Henry & Sarah Elizabeth (Cofer) Usher were married September 18, 1857 in Franklin Co., MO, by Robert Patton, JP. Franklin Co., MO Marriage Book, Vol. B, 1847-1865, pg. 352 (http://vienici.com/mofran/vB/p351375.html).

The 1860 census shows the family living near Stanton in Merimac township, with John's occupation being blacksmith. (The profile picture is of John Henry Usher & his second wife Susan Massey. After Elizabeth's death, John remarried in 1868 in Stanton, Franklin Co., MO; the marriage was performed by the Rev. Frederic Speck, M.G. Their family was later living in Cook Station, Crawford Co., MO).

When hositlities broke out, John was living & farming in Franklin County and was waiting to see what would develop. In August, 1861 he joined with other Franklin Co. men to form a company led by local businessman Benjamin D. Dean. John Henry formally enlisted on October 2, 1861 at age 26. The regiment was sent to Camp Herron, near Pacific, Franklin Co., MO, to begin their military training. The living conditions in this camp were poor, and many described it as "Hell's Half Acre". Malaria gripped many in the camp at one point, but John Henry managed to survive, although he did have to be hospitalized due to measles. He recovered and was finally mustered in for 3 years of service at Pacific, MO on December 17, 1862. He served in the 26th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Co. F, commanded by Col. George Boardman Boomer, with Benjamin Dean officially commissioned as their captain. In February of 1862 the company embarked on the steamer "John Warner" and joined General Ulysses S. Grant's forces attacking Fort Donelson, at which the 26th was soundly defeated. By the summer of 1862 John Henry's health had become a problem for him, as his legs & feet began swelling and he experienced other problems related to "dropsy". He was eventually hospitalized and examined at a hospital in St. Louis, where he was determined unfit for further duty.

When he formally enlisted on October 2, 1861, at the age of 26, John was described as being 5'8 1/2" tall, with black hair, blue eyes, and a light complexion.

John Henry Usher was discharged from the service on December 27, 1862 due to various health problems which included "dropsy" (edema or swelling due to cardiac problems), and "hydrathorax" (congestive heart failure). He continued to suffer from cardiac problems the rest of his life and was treated by Dr. A. H. Converse. Dr. Converse attended at John's death also.

Find A Grave Memorial # 50185744.