Johnson County KS Archives Biographies.....Zimmerman, W. H. 1838 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 8, 2008, 4:19 pm Author: Ed Blair Capt. W. H. Zimmerman, of Olathe, has been a resident of Johnson county for forty-five years, and is one of the successful men of the community. Captain Zimmerman was born in Harrison county, Indiana, December 22, 1838, and is a son of John and Abeline (Conrad) Zimmerman. The father was a native of Maryland and came to Indiana with his parents at a very early day in the history of that State. The mother was a native of Indiana, her parents being pioneers of that State. John and Abeline (Conrad) Zimmerman spent their lives in Indiana. The father died in 1883, at the age of sixty-nine, and the mother died in 1861. They were the parents of eight children and three of the boys served in the Civil war. Captain Zimmerman was educated in the public schools and the Corydon Seminary, and when eighteen years old began teaching school and was engaged in teaching when the Civil war broke out, and he enlisted in April, 1861, at the first call for troops by President Lincoln. Before he reached Indianapolis, however, the quota was filled, and he returned and finished his term of school. In August, 1862, he enlisted again at New Albany. Ind., in Company F, Eighty-first regiment, Indiana infantry, and was mustered in as first sergeant of the company. He was in the following engagements: Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, New Hope Church, Peach Tree and the series of engagements involved in the capture of Atlanta. He was in the campaign following Hood and was at the battles of Franklin and Nashville, then he went to Huntsville into winter quarters' and from there to Knoxville, Tenn., and was at the latter place when the war ended and he was mustered out of service at Indianapolis, Ind., June 26, 1865. Captain Zimmerman was a good soldier and always did his duty well. He possessed courage and the rare combination of coolness, coupled with quick judgment and his ability was readily recognized by his superior officers. He was made second lieutenant the following May after his enlistment and shortly afterward was made first lieutenant, and before the war closed was promoted to captain. During his term of service he was in many hard-fought battles and several tight places, but he always managed to get by. He had many narrow escapes and on only one occasion did he fail to escape and that was at the battle of Chickamauga when he was struck by a piece of a shell and severely wounded. At the close of the war he returned to Harrison county, followed farming until 1870 when he came to Kansas, as many of the soldier boys did after the war. He located on a place six miles east of Olathe where he bought 160 acres and now owns 230 acres in Johnson county and a good farm in Oklahoma. In 1898, he removed to Olathe where he has since resided. He was married September 19, 1861, to Miss Sarah J. Shreck, a native of Indiana, and the following children were born to this union : W. E. hardware merchant, Olathe; Clara D., married W. S. McIntyre, Victoria, Texas; Emma, died in childhood; Rebecca, teacher in the public schools of Johnson county; Charles E., farmer in Oklahoma; George S. and John, twins. George is operating his father's farm east of Olathe and John is deceased; Hattie, married Joel H. Tullis, employed in the mail service at Kansas City, Mo., and Oscar A., civil engineer, Leavenworth, Kan. Captain Zimmerman is independent in politics and puts good citizenship above any petty political creed. He has served as township trustee, is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Franklin Post No. 68 and the Masonic lodge. He belongs to the Patrons of Husbandry and was one of the organizers of the Johnson county Cooperative Association of which he was a director for thirty years. He also helped to organize the Patrons Bank of Olathe, and is a stockholder in both of these institutions. Captain Zimmerman has a record both military and civil of which any man might be justly proud. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF Johnson County Kansas BY ED BLAIR AUTHOR OF Kansas Zephyrs, Sunflower Sittings and Other Poems and Sketches IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY LAWRENCE, KANSAS 1915 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/johnson/bios/zimmerma192nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb