Fountain County IN Archives Biographies.....Slusser, William D. 1834 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 16, 2006, 7:06 am

Author: H. W. Beckwith (1881)

   William D. Slusser, farmer, Newtown, was born in Miami county, Ohio, October
11, 1834. He was the fourth child and eldest son of Henry and Polly (Jackson)
Slusser, who moved to Fountain county in January 1850. He arrived the following
August. In June, 1861, he enlisted in Co. D, 20th Ind. Vols., and was the first
three-years volunteer from Richland township. His service was in the Army of the
Potomac. He participated in all the operations of his regiment except when
absent on the occasions to be noticed. Therefore, to save repetition, reference
is made to the account of the marches, skirmishes and battles of this command
given in the biography of Azariah T. Leath, of Logan township. These two men
were comrades in the same company. While on the Peninsula campaign Mr. Slusser
was taken prisoner, which occurred June 29, 1862. His capture was due to the
bursting of a shell, which killed a comrade by his side; the concussion knocking
him down, he was left for dead by his regiment, which was the rear guard
covering the retreat. This casualty has rendered him since totally deaf in the
left ear. He was confined fifteen days in a tobacco warehouse at No. 19 Carey
street, Richmond, and then removed to Belle Isle, where he was kept forty-five
days longer, after which he was paroled. During this imprisonment he suffered
from the only considerable sickness he had while in the army. In this condition
he was Masonically recognized by a rebel surgeon, who treated him with so great
kindness and humanity that he recalls this episode, and holds in memory this
"friend in need" with grateful pleasure. After his liberation he was with his
regiment until May 19, 1864, when in a skirmish he received a wound in his left
foot from which he did not recover before the expiration of his term. He was
discharged at Indianapolis August 1, 1864, having been subject to military duty
three years. In 1867 he moved to Illinois, near Wilmington, Will county, and
there bought a farm and lived until 1874. At that date he returned to Fountain
county, and in 1877 sold his Illinois property. He now owns 125 acres in
Richland township and 156 in Minnesota. He has been a Mason since the spring of
1857, and is a democrat in politics. Mr. Slusser was married January 18, 1877,
to Miss Mary C. Meek, who was born July 10, 1859. Their only child, Almeda, was
born September 24, 1878. Their marriage took place at the Union Cemetery church,
the Rev. Warbington officiating. Next evening this couple united with the same
church, Mrs. Slusser by letter. In 1859 Mr. Slusser traveled somewhat on the
frontier, and since in the southwest and northwest.

Additional Comments:
Richland Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY,

TOGETHER WITH
HISTORIC NOTES ON THE WABASH VALLEY,

GLEANED FROM EARLY AUTHORS, OLD MAPS AND MANUSCRIPTS
PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC, THOUGH, FOR THE MOST
PART, OUT-OF-THE-WAY SOURCES.

BY H. W. BECKWITH,
OF THE DANVILLE BAR; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF
WISCONSIN AND CHICAGO.

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

CHICAGO: H. H. HILL AND N. IDDINGS, PUBLISHERS.
1881.

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