Biographical Sketch of George S. Rathbun, Lafayette County, Missouri

>From "History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled
from the most authentic official and private sources" St. Louis, Mo.
Historical Company, 1881.
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Col. George Solon Rathbun.  The subject of this sketch was born at New-
bugh, Ohio, on the 27th day of February, 1829.  His parents' names were
George Steward Rathbun and Harriet (Warren) Rathbun.  His mother died 
when he was thirteen years of age.  His father, a farmer, still lives
near East Cleveland.  After having received a fair academical education
and graduating at Bacon's commercial college, at Cincinnati, he entered
upon the study of law in the office of Bishop & Baccus, attorneys at
Cleveland, Ohio.  Previous to completing his studies at the age of nine-
teen, he removed to the state of Missouri residing for several years in
St. Louis county, when he removed to the county of Lafayette, and for a
time engaged in teaching, having charge of the Wellington academy.  On
the 25th of May, 1857 was duly licensed by Judge Russell Hicks, of the
sixth judicial circuit, as a practicing attorney and enrolled as a member
of the Lexington bar.  At the November election, 1860, as a candidate of
the Whig party upon the Bell and Everett ticket, he was elected to repre-
sent his county in the state legislature.  Col. Rathbun received his
commission from Gov. Jackson as lieutenant colonel and judge advocate of
the eighth military district, including the border counties south of the
Missouri river, and immediately repaired to Lexington to organize forces
for the coming struggle.  He actively participated in the siege and 
battle of Lexington, and rendered efficient service in the reorganization
of the army at Boston Mountains, and in the advance to Pea Ridge and at
Elkhorn Tavern was present upon the field and participated with the
Missouri troops in all the vicissitudes of that memorable engagement.  He
commanded the advance at the battle of Prairie Grove; was present at Lone
Jack.  He participated in the fight at Granby and Newtonia, and also upon
the expedition to Cape Girardeau, commanding the rear from Bloomfield to
the crossing of the St. Francis river, repulsing repeated attacks made 
upon it; participated in the unfortunate and ill-timed expedition to
Helena.  In August, 1864, it having been determined to invade Missouri,
a company of officers and men, numbering about one hundred, were sent 
into the state in advance of Price's command to penetrate to the western
border and concentrate all the irregular troops and volunteers to join
the regular forcees upon their arrival.  Of this company, Col. Rathbun
was chosen commander, and starting out upon the march from Batesville,
Arkansas, entered the state near West Plains, and passing through Texas
county entered Laclede.  Passing on, without interruption, through Henry
and Johnson counties, Lafayette county was reached, Lexington menaced,
the Federal forces there stationed crossed the river, and the city form-
ally surrendered and was occupied by the confederates some three weeks
before Price's arrival.  Then followed the battle of Westport and the
retreat southward which after leaving Missouri, became the march of a 
disorganized rabble, without order, without commissary stores and without
any fixed purpose, except to get through the wild Indian country, if
possible, into southern Arkansas and Texas.  He remained at Arkadelphia
until the year following the close of the war, when he returned with his
family (bringing with him a young Arkansian) to Lexington and, as soon as
permittd by the iron-clad oath, resumed his profession of the law.  As
attorney and director of the Lexington & St. Louis railroad company he
aided materially in the successful completion of that road, and secured 
its first lease in the Missouri Pacific.  He is an Odd Fellow in good
standing and a member of the Christian church.  He was married July 4,
1858, to Miss Dicie Jennie Dean, daughter of Jesse Dean, of Lafayette
county, formerly of Carrollton, Ky., by whom he has had six children, all
living; the four oldest being sons and the two others little girls, six 
and nine, respectively, all born in Lafayette, except one son, Willie, in
Arkansas.

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