Sumner County Biographies
"Portrait and Biographical Album of Sumner County"
Chapman Bros., Chicago, 1890
CALVIN L. READ. No more popular man
can be found in a "day's journey," nor one
more worthy of the regard in which he is
held, than he whose name stands at the head of this
biography, and whose portrait appears on the opposite page. He settled on his present location in
Dixon Township, in 1879, and during the decade
of his residence here has been actively and officially
interested in various social organizations, in political
and educational matters, and has always manifested an intelligent interest in every movement
which has for its object the welfare of the community.
His farm is now rented to a tenant, and comprises one hundred and sixty acres, eighty of which
are under the plow.
Truman Read, the father of our subject, was a
native of Windsor, Mass., and the son of Joshua
Read. He was a carpenter by trade as well as a
farmer, and during the War of 1812, served in the
American army. In the Empire State he married
Miss Sallie Brown, who was also a native of Windsor, Mass., and they made their permanent abode
in Yates County, N. Y., where Mrs. Read died in
1842. The father of our subject subsequently married Rebecca Hennebergh, who is still living on the
old homestead, her husband having departed this
life in 1877. The first marriage of Truman Read
was blessed by the birth of eight children, four of
whom are now living.
The subject of this sketch is the seventh in the
parental family, and was born February 3, 1834.
He received a good common-school education, and
remained at home, helping his father until he was
twenty-one years of age. He has always been engaged in farm pursuits, except during the Civil
War, and began life for himself by renting a farm
which he carried on until his patriotism was roused
to a pitch of enthusiasm by the efforts made to destroy the Union, and he abandoned his peaceful
calling to take his place in the ranks of his country's defenders. In 1862 he became a member of
Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth New
York Infantry, and until June, 1865, was far from
home and friends, undergoing the hazards of army
life.
About the 1st of September, 1862, Mr. Read was
sent with his comrades to Harper's Ferry, Va., and
on the 10th of the same month, they were taken
prisoners by Stonewall Jackson's army. After having been kept on parole at Chicago for two months,
they were exchanged and sent to Washington, and
placed upon picket duty at Bull Run until 1863.
They were then attached to the Second Army
Corps at Gum Spring, Va., and took part in the trying scenes of Gettysburg. Returning to Virginia,
they crossed the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers
to the banks of the Rappahannock, remained there
for a time, and then moved over to Culpeper on
the Rapidan River, Where they remained until Lee
undertook to flank the army, when they again returned to Bull Run. The command started South
again, went into the Mine Run expedition, and
then into winter quarters. In May, 1864, they
broke camp and entered upon the Petersburg
Campaign, and in April, 1865, they followed Gen.
Lee's army to the surrender at Appomattox Court
House. During these years Mr. Read had taken
part in the battles at Harper's Ferry, Gettysburg,
Auburn Run, Va., and Bristol Station.
Although this outline of the movements of the
command to which Mr. Read belonged, does not
include many of the most terrible and noted battle
fields, those who are acquainted with a soldier's life
know that it was not the less arduous or hazardous.
Indeed what are commonly called minor engagements, and the minor duties of campaigning, require perhaps more true courage than that called
for during a great battle, as in the latter there is
an excitement, and even an exhilaration of spirit
"when the fight is on," that leads men generally to
forget their personal danger, and the very number
engaged lessens the individual chances of injury.
It is therefore true that the greatest bravery is frequently displayed during the scenes which history
does not record, or passes over with but a slight
comment. Mr. Read was one of a special detail of
one hundred men to act as Gen. Hancock's Provost Guard, and was serving in that capacity at the
close of the war. He was on duty at Washington
during the Grand Review in 1865.
When mustered out of the service, Mr. Read returned to his home in New York, and soon after
settled in Oceana County, Mich., on a farm which
he operated for twelve years. He then removed
to Arkansas, and after sojourning in that State
about eighteen months, came to Kansas in 1879,
and took up his residence on the farm where he
still lives. In 1856 he became the husband of Maria Gerould of New York. They have one child,
Anson Revell Read, now living in New York, where
he owns and operates a vineyard.
Mr. Read takes an active interest in politics, and
always votes the Republican ticket. He is a member of the school board in District No. 160, and has
been Road Overseer. He has been Tyler in Argonia
Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of which he is a member;
is now Master of the Grange; is Commander of
Argonia Post, No. 342, G. A. R., in which he has
formerly held other offices; and is President of the
Farmers' Alliance.
Return to Sumner Co. KHHP
|
This website created Oct. 29, 2011 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2011 Kansas History and Heritage Project
|