Biographical Sketch of William Lazenby, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** William Lazenby, a retired farmer and Civil War veteran residing in Warrensburg, was born July 14, 1840 in Morgan County, Illinois. He is the son of John and Sarah (Green) Lazenby, natives of England. John Lazenby emigrated from England to America in 1829 and settled in Morgan county, Illinois on a farm near Jacksonville. John and Sarah (Green) Lazenby were the parents of the following children: Mary, who was born in England; John, Jr., who was born in Illinois and is now deceased; Jane, who died in Adams county, Illinois in 1857; William, the subject of this review; Charles, who died in February, 1916; and Isaac, Jacksonville, Illinois. William Lazenby enlisted in the 27th Illinois Infantry August 12, 1861, serving under Capt. A. J. Bozarth, whose widow now resides in Warrensburg. Mr. Lazenby's regiment was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, first serving under Commodore Foote and after the battle of Shiloh under General Grant. His com- pany took a prominent part in the battles of Belmont, Mo.; Union City, Tenn.; Corinth, Miss.; Stone River, Chattanooga, and Missionary Ridge, Tennessee. William Lazenby was in the very thick of the campaign for Chattanooga, which resulted in the restoration of all Tennessee to the Union, in a victorious army holding the key to Atlanta and the Georgia uplands. At the battle of Belmont, Missouri, Mr. Lazenby was shot through the right knee and for 30 days was confined in the hos- pital. In the important engagements fought Sept. 19th & 20th, 1863, at Chickamauga, Tenn., he was again wounded, on Sept. 19th being shot at this time through the hip. Mr. Lazenby was first wounded Nov. 7, 1861 and again on Sept. 19, 1863 and from the effects of these wounds he has been handicapped through all his later life. Mr. Lazenby him- self states that he has never been a sound man since Sept. 19, 1863. On account of the wound received at Chickamauga he was confined in the hospital 60 days. Mr. Lazenby was mustered out and honorably dis- charged September 20, 1864. After receiving his discharge, Mr. Lazen- by returned to Illinois. Within a short time he moved to Iowa, loca- ting in Van Buren county, where he remained five years. From Iowa he moved to Missouri, locating on a farm nine miles north of Knob Noster. William Lazenby resided on the farm near Knob Noster until 1902 when he moved to farm near Oak Grove in Simpson township. In 1907 he moved to Warrensburg and purchased the six build lots at 410 South Washington street, where in 1909 he built his present address. In 1902, William Lazenby was united in marriage with Mrs. Ida (Higgins) Winkler, the widow of Franklin Winkler. She is the daughter of Eugenie and Susan Higgins, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of New York. They settled in Iowa in the early fifties. Both father and mother now rest in the cemetery at Carthage, Missouri. One brother and one sister of Mrs. Lazenby are now living: Horance, Oron- ogo, Missouri; and Mrs. Susie Montague, Sedalia, Missouri. Franklin Winkler, the former husband of Mrs. Lazenby, was a native of North Carolina. He came from N. C. to Missouri in 1847 and located in Lafayette county. He was united in marriage with Ida Higgins in 1877 at Carthage, Mo., and to them were born two children: Mrs. Alice May Gladish, who is now residing in Johnson county, Kansas, near Merriam; and Belle M., who is employed as bookkeeper for the Long Construction Company, Kansas City, Mo. The Winkler family made their home north of Warrensburg until Mr. Winkler's death in 1895. His remains were in- terred in the cemetery at Oak Grove. By a former marriage with Mil- dred Lacy, William Lazenby was the father of nine children, five of whom are now living: Frizello, Dunksburg, Mo.; Harvey, Warrensburg; Mrs. Della Thornton, Sedalia, Mo.; Arthur, Knob Noster, Mo.; and Wesley, who resides in Howell county, Mo. Mrs. Clara Tyler died in January, 1917 and three children died in infancy. William Lazenby was justice of the peace in Simpson township for more than 20 years and the last two terms he served under a Democratic administration although he is Republican. In 1890 and 1900 Mr. Lazenby took the United States census in Simpson township. He is noted in the county for his splendid penmanship, and at the age of 77 years writes a better, plainer, stead- ier hand than the majority of the young people today. Mr. Lazenby acquired his skill in writing while serving in the army as orderly sergeant. Mrs. Lazenby has in her possession a priceless relic of the long ago. This is a Seth Thomas Clock, which is still in good working order after 75 years of service. The clock was purchased three-quarter of a century ago and brought to Lexington, Missouri by Charles Bradley, the former husband of the first wife of Franklin Winkler. Mr. and Mrs. Lazenby are highly esteemed and valued members of the Warrensburg Methodist Episcopal church. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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