Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 8th ed., 1888,
Jefferson Co.

JOHN L. TREANOR was born in the County Tyrone, Ireland, on December 11,
1826, and is a son of James D. and Catherine (Slevin) Treanor, natives of
the above mentioned county; they immigrated to Philadelphia, Penn, when
the subject of this sketch was three months old.  His father an officer in
the Hibernia Greens, a company attached to the militia of the State; the
militia was called upon to suppress and insurrection at the capital of the
State--Harrisburg--by Governor Porter, sometime in the --30's; the
Hibernia Greens, with other companies from Philadelphia, responded to the
call; two boys went with the company dressed in full uniform as color
guides; our subject was one of these boys; there was no blood shed, but he
commenced his military training quite young, and in after years in two
wars, the war with Mexico and the rebellion of 1861, he made his mark as a
brave soldier in action and generous to a fallen foeman.  His father came
to Louisville, Ky., in the fall of 1840, remained there a short time, and
moved to Washington, Daviess County, Ind., purchased a farm, and went into
the general store business.  The subject of this sketch worked on the farm
until the winter of 1845-6 when he left home and went back to Philadelphia,
working his way on steamboats from Evansville, Ind., to Pittsburgh, Penn.,
from thence to Little York, Penn.; assisted in driving sheep and hogs, at
12 1/2 cents per diem and board; he managed to make the trip to
Philadelphia in one month; he procured a position in the queensware house
of Peter Wright & Sons, remained there until December, 1846; went to New
York City on a visit to some relatives, joined the First Regiment of New
York Volunteers, commanded by Col. Ward B. Burnett, as a private, was with
his regiment at the siege of Vera Cruz.  Gen. Shields, the commander of the
brigade--consisting of the New York Volunteers and the South Carolina
Volunteers--found him useful as a scout, and he and a young man named
Barnes, the son of an eminent divine, in Philadelphia, had several hair
breadth escapes together.  Barnes was killed by the Mexicans in one of
their scouting trips, about six miles from Vera Cruz--our subject managed
to escape by hiding in a prickly pear thicket until night, and made his
escape through the chaparral, and got back safely to his regiment. He was
in the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco, the storming of the
Castle of Chapultepec, and the fight at the Garita de Belen; was promoted
color sergeant of the regiment after the battle of Cerro Gordo for
meritorious conduct.  He was one of the ninety soldiers who followed up
the Mexican army under command of Gen. D. Twiggs, after Gen. Shields was
shot down at Cerro Gordo; this small band of soldiers were at least two
miles in the advance of the U.S. army, and the road was strewn for that
distance with wounded and dead horses and their Mexican riders; they were
called to a halt, when a couple of companies of U.S. dragons took up the
chase.  After the Mexican war, in 1848 he returned to Louisville, Ky.,
engaged in business with Col. Joseph Metcalfe, the brewer.  Married Miss
Delia Morgan, October 2, 1849.  They have four children--James L., Katie,
Mary Agnes, and Julia.  He belonged to the old volunteer fire department,
being a member of the Relief, No. 3; was made captain of the No. 3 steam
fire engine in 1859; appointed day policeman in 1860.  He was firm in his
duty as an officer of the peace.  In 1861, when Ft. Sumter was fired upon,
he and six other stanch Unionists organized the Union clubs in Louisville;
from this small beginning they soon numbered in the thousands. After they
knew their strength they procured arms and organized home guard companies.
Our subject was elected captain of the First Ward Home Guard, numbering
160 members.  He resigned his position in the home guards and raised a
company for the war for Gen. Lovell H. Rousseau's regiment, the Louisville
Legion.  They went into camp at Camp Joe Holt, Indiana, on the 1st day of
July, 1861.  The regiment was mustered into service 1050 strong, September
9, 1861; mustered out of the service September 14, 1864, with 297 men. His
regiment participated in all of the following battles: Shiloh,
Murfreesboro, Liberty Gap, Chickamauga, Brown's Ferry, Orchard Knob,
Missionary Ridge, at which place they claim their colors were first on the
ridge near Gen. Bragg's headquarters.  They also participated at the
battles of Dallas, Ga., Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and the siege
of Atlanta.  After the war he was appointed to a position in the Internal
Revenue service as Assistant Assessor and U.S. Gauger.  He was dismissed
from the service May 15, 1886, for being an offensive partisan.  He is
a stanch Republican.  He was mustered out at lieutenant-colonel of the
Louisville Legion. His superior officers speak of him as a brave
and valuable officer during the war.  Below find a few extracts from
testimonials in his possession, which were permitted to use in this sketch.

     Extract from Gen. Lovell H. Rousseau:
     "Col. Treanor joined my command in 1861, and served with me
     during the war.  No braver, truer, or more honest man lives.
                              "Lovell H. Rousseau,
                                   "Maj-Gen U.S.A."

     Extract from Gen. R. W. Johnson:
     "For a long time Col. Treanor was under my command, and I found
     him a brave and gallant soldier, a man of excellent habits,
     intelligent in the exercise of his duties, careful  in his
     attention to his men and their wants, and in fact a thorough
     soldier without a fault.  The loyal people of Kentucky owe him a
     debt of gratitude which it will be difficult for them to repay.
                              R. W. Johnson,
                                   "Bvt. Maj-Gen. U.S.A."

     Extract from Maj-Gen. John A. McClernand:
          Springfield, Ill., June 17, 1868.

     To whom it may concern:
     "Learning that an official position in the revenue service would
     be agreeable to John L. Treanor, Esq., late Lieut.-Col. of the 5th
     Kentucky Vol. Inft., I eagerly embrace the opportunity to hear my
     testimony to his high merit as a gentleman and a soldier.  His
     conduct on the great day at Shiloh marked him not only a brave
     and faithful officer but a hero in the loftiest sense of the term.
     There is nothing within my power I would not do for him.  A
     kindness rendered to him would be viewed by me as something more
     than a favor extended to myself; it is such men who deserve to be
     honored and encouraged for the good of their example. He is one of
     the men upon whom I would have no fear to stake my life and my
     honor.  I trust the ultimate recipient of this letter, whomsoever
     he may be, will respond in the same spirit inspiring it.  By so
     doing he will lastingly oblige its author.
                              John A. McClernand."

     Extract from Maj-Gen. A. Mc. D. McCook:
          December 28, '86.
     "I am always glad to hear from any of the old Second Division of
     the army of the Ohio and Cumberland, and especially from one of the
     Louisville Legion, for a more gallant set of officers and men were
     never mustered into any service.  It is still the more gratifying
     to hear from one of those officers who has such a gallant record
     as that possessed by you, and gained too upon may of the bloodiest
     battles fought during the rebellion  * * *  May God bless you in
     your old age, your children and children's children.  No better
     heritage could be left them than your glorious record of war.
                              "Sincerely your old comrade and commander,
                                   "A. Mc D. McCook
                                        "Bvt. Maj-Gen'l U.S. Army."

Treanor Slevin Metcalfe Morgan Barnes
=
Washington-Daviess-IN Philadelphia-Philadelphia-PA NY Ireland

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/treanor.jl.txt