Biographical Sketch of Columbus H. Roundtree, Crawford Township, 
Buchanan County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
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Columbus H. Roundtree, farmer, section 18, postoffice Wallace, was born
in Kentucky, March 10, 1826.  His father emigrated to Missouri in 1828
locating in Boone County, where he resided until 1837 at which time the
family moved to Buchanan County, where the subject of this sketch re-
mained ever since, with the exception of a period of five years, spent
in Oregon and the Far West.  He was under General Gillum six months
fighting the Indians, and was with the General when he was killed, 
during the missionary massacre.  There were one thousand soldiers en-
gaged in the fight, and he has seen only one that has returned.  His 
name is Vardeman Blevins, now a resident of Atchison.  He was granted
his discharge by Governor Abernathy, after which he was one of a party
of four that explored the head waters of Sacramento River, in quest of
gold.  They traveled by night, and laid up by day.  Arriving at their
destination, one would guard the horses while the three others would
dig gold.  They made about fifteen hundred dollars, of which they did
not seem to know the value.  They went to Suter's Fort, and gave most
of it for flour, etc.  Flour was five dollars per pound, gold dust was
three dollars an ounce.  They did not weigh, but guessed it off.  In 
the winter Mr. Roundtree walked fifty miles through the snow, met an
old man on an old horse, paid him five hundred dollars for his horse,
and returned to the Mountains.  He once gave fifty dollars for supper,
consisting of a cup of coffee and fried cakes.  While in Central Amer-
ica, making his way to the Island of Cuba, he purchased a ticket for
New York, paying $250.  In a few minutes met a man, who enquired what
he would take for his ticket.  He replied, $500.  Without hesitation,
he counted out the gold.  Next evening, a vessel came in.  He embarked
for the Isle of Cuba, but on account of fifty men having been shot, the
day before the arrival of the vessel, no one was allowed to land with-
out a passport.  In a few days, they got on a boat from South America
and went to New Orleans.  Mr. Roundtree returned home, and married on
May 30, 1852, Miss Isabella Connett, a native of Lexington, Kentucky.
She was born December 15, 1823.  By this marriage he had five children:
William R., born November 5, 1854; Matilda A., born November 19, 1856;
Virginia A., born March 23, 1860; Joanna, born August 30, 1853 and died
February 1, 1854; and one child, not named, who died in infancy.  By 
his own industry he has accumulated 600 acres of land, all of which is
under fence, and in good state of cultivation, with good house and fair
stabling.  On April 17, 1879, his fine barn, two good horses, 850 
bushels of wheat, hay and oats, were swept away by lightning.  He gave
his son, William R., 175 acres of land for being a good, industrious
boy.  He has helped all religious denominations to build churches, and 
has been charitable to widows and orphans.  He is a Mason, and a pop-
ular citizen.

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