Biographical Sketch of James J. Terrell, Holden, Johnson County, Missouri >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** James J. Terrell, retired pioneer farmer and Civil War veteran of the Union army is one of the few remaining members of the "Old Guard" who gave the best years of their lives in order that the Union might be preserved. In his serene old age after a long and useful life of en- deavor spent in creating a fine homestead in the vicinity of Holden, he is spending the declining years of his life in quiet and well earned retirement in Holden. Mr. Terrell was born in St. Clair county, Illi- nois, July 6, 1844, and has lived in Johnson county for nearly fifty eight years. During this time he has witnessed the many wonderful changes which have taken place. He has seen towns and cities take the place of forests and trackless plains which was the condition of the country when he came here with his father in 1860. J. J. Terrell is a son of Edward D. and Hannah (Allen) Terrell, the former of whom was born and reared in Millersburg, Bourbon county, Kentucky and the latter was born in Maine. Edward D. Terrell the father of J. J. Terrell, was born in 1815 and lived in his native town in Kentucky until 1829, when he went to Illinois, where he was reared to manhood. When his son, J. J. Terrell, was a youth, the elder Terrell set out for the gold fields of California in company with five other adventurers, who took six mule teams with them in the long journey across the continent, in 1849. Three years prior to this, Hannah (Allen) Terrell died in April, 1846. After spending three years in the far West he returned home. The father and children resided in Illinois until 1860 and then came to Missouri and settled on a pioneer farm three miles east of Holden in Johnson county. The mother of J. J. Terrell died in 1846, when he was two years of age, leaving three children: J. J., the subject of this review; Martha, deceased wife of D. K. Carmichael, died in 1907; and Mary E., a maiden lady, who makes her home with Mr. Terrell, and spends her winters in California. Edward D. Terrell sold the home place dur- ing his later years and spent his last days in Holden, where he died at the advanced age of 89 years. Shortly after the Terrell family came to Missouri, the Civil War began. The Terrells, both father and son, were taken prisoners by Confederate soldiers and the father was held in durance at Lexington until the city was captured by Union forces and his freedome was attained, the son having been given his freedom not long after having been taken prisoner. He decided to cast his lot with the Union forces and accordingly, on August 10, 1862, he enlisted at Warrensburg, as a member of Company A, 3rd Missouri Infantry. His com- mand was first stationed at Sedalia and from there went to Benton Barracks, thence going on through Missouri and down the Missouri river. They saw much active service in Missouri and Arkansas, fought against the army of General Price and took part in the Red river expedition. His command fought the army of General Marmaduke near Lake village and were in the thick of the battle at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. Mr. Terr- ell took part in many warm skirmishes in which his regiment participat- ed. After the Red river expedition, they came to Memphis and for a time were engaged in the campaign against the army of General Forrest. Mr. Terrell's regiment was a part of the Sixteenth army corps. This command followed Price to Tipton and thence to Alabama where his regi- ment took an active part in subduing Spanish Fort. From Spanish Fort they went to Montgomery, Alabama, and from there to Selma, Alabama, where they were on duty as provost guards for several months. From this point they went west to Demopolis, Alabama, and on to Mississippi and home. Mr. Terrell was honorably discharged from the service and mustered out at Benton Barracks, August 12, 1865. After the close of his war service, Mr. Terrell returned to Holden and until his retire- ment to a home in Holden in 1905, he was actively engaged in farming and stock raising. He was extensively engaged in wheat growing and harvested good crops of small grains each year on his farm of 500 acres near Holden. He has since sold part of his land and now owns 280 acres. Mr. Terrell was married October 29, 1873 to Maria Elizabeth Ennis, a native of Illinois in which state they were united in marriage. To this union have been born three children, as follow: W. E., a shoe merchant of Holden; A. D., general manager of the western department of the New Jersey Zinc Company with officies in Chicago, and who resides at Evans- ton, a suburb of the western metropolis; J. E., who is operating the home farm. Mrs. Terrell was born March 6, 1848, in Jacksonville, Ill., a daughter of Henry M., a native of Kentucky, and Rebecca (Adams) Ennis, a native of Illinois, who lived and died at Jacksonville, Illinois. Politically, J. J. Terrell is a Democrat, but he is inclined to vote independently, as his conscience dictates. Mr. Terrell prefers to do his own thinking about men and measurers, when it comes to elections, and usually votes right. Personally, he is a fine old pioneer who has done well his part in the development of Johnson county. He has accum- ulated a sufficiency of this world's goods to keep him and his faithful wife in comfort the remainder of their days. The many changes for the better which he has witnessed during his long and eventful life have been a source of gratification to him and he often thinks over the days gone by and wishes that he could again shoulder a musket in defense of the flag for which he fought so well and sturdily during the dark days of the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Terrell are good people, who are highly regarded and greatly esteemed for their many excellent qualities by those who know them best. ==================================================================== 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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