Biographical Sketch of James M. Rollins, Pulaski County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
 Pulaski, Phelps & Dent Counties, Missouri, Published 1889, Goodspeed
 Publishing Company.

Transcribed by: Penny Harrell (Incog3678@aol.com)

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James M. Rollins, a farmer and stock raiser of Liberty Township,
is a son of Harrison and Elizabeth (Hobbs) Rollins, and was born
in Russell County, W. VA., in 1830.  The parents were natives of
Virginia, the father born in 1790, and the mother in 1799, and 
they spent their entire lives in their native State.  Harrison
Rollins, who was a farmer, was of French descent; he died in 1856,
and his wife about twelve years later.  James M. Rollins was the
second in a family of eleven children, six of whom grew to matur-
ity.  He received his education in the common schools, and in 1851
he married Sarah J. Martin, daughter of Rev. Elisha and Emily 
Martin, natives, respectively, of Virginia and North Carolina, who
afterward settled in Virginia, where Mrs. Rollins was born and 
reared.  The parents subsequently removed to Tennessee, which was
their home until their death; the father was a Baptist minister 
for many years.  Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Rollins,
six sons and two daughters are now living, all in Pulaski County.
After his marriage Mr. Rollins lived about two and a half years in
Tennessee, when he returned to Virginia, where he lived until 1859;
he then went to Pulaski County, and for two years rented a farm, on
which he improved 100 acres.  In 1861 he settled on his present 
farm, which was then nearly all forest; he owns in all 540 acres,
and has 200 acres cleared and well improved.  In August, 1862, he
enlisted in Company M, Third Iowa Cavalry, and operated principally
in Missouri and Arkansas; he was present at the battle of Little
Rock, where his regiment was the first to raise the Union flag on
the State House, and also at the battle of Saline.  He was captured
in Arkansas, May 4, 1864, taken to Camp Ford, Tex., and afterward
to Camp Gross, and was discharged at New Orleans, after an imprison-
ment of seven months and ten days.  He joined his command at Louis-
ville, KY., went to Tennessee, and after a visit home on furlough
again joined his command at Atlanta, GA.; at the close of the war
he received an honorable discharge at Nashville, Tenn., and returned
home.  In 1868 he was elected sheriff and collector of Pulaski County,
and was re-elected in 1870; he served as justice of the peace a short
time after the war, and has been postmaster of Bellefonte since about
1875.  In 1873 he established a store on his farm, which he success-
fully conducted until 1877.  He is a Democrat in politics, and is a
member of the Baptist Church, of which church Mrs. Rollins is also a
member.

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