Biographical Sketches
ALLISON M. WARE
Down from the earliest ages, in story and song, have come the tales of warfare, of heroism and of valor. Neither can too much be said in praise of the man who risks his life in the defense of a principle or a cause in which he honestly believes. From the memorable year of 1887 the children have been told again and again the stories of patriotism and bravery of our Revolutionary forefathers. Side by side with these - their equals in all that was true and noble and courageous - stand the heroes of the civil war, who fought to preserve the union that had not then passed the first century of its existence. Among the “brave boys in blue” was numbered Mr. Ware, and had he accomplished nothing else in is life the record would be worthy of perpetuation. He is, however, a valued citizen of Jackson county, an enterprising agriculturist, a faithful worker in the interests of Christianity, and it is with pleasure that we present to our readers a sketch of his career.
A native of Ohio, Mr. Ware was born in Frankfort, August 5, 1839, and is a son of Jacob and Eliza (McDonald) Ware. The father was born in Virginia in 1806. The mother is a native of Ohio and a daughter of Thomas McDonald, who served as a spy under General Wayne in the war for independence. He removed to Ohio when it was an almost unbroken wilderness, aided in surveying a considerable portion of the state,and built the first cabin at Chillicothe. He afterward made a settlement in Fayette county, where his wife recently died, at the very advanced age of 97 years. The parents of our subject were married and located in Ross county, Ohio, near Frankfort, where the father followed his trade of cabine-making. They afterward went to Fayette county, where his death occurred in 1860, but Mrs. Ware is still living at the age of 90. Both were members of the Methodist church. They were parents of the following named: John (deceased), Thomas, Mrs. Alice Reid, Ananias, Allison M., William, Mrs. Mary Yocum and J. Edwin. Five sons of the family went to the defense of the old flag and the cause it represented during the war of the Rebellion. William, who was sergeant of the 12th United States regulars, was captured at the Battle of the Wilderness, and for 14 months was incarcerated in Andersonville prison.
Mr. Ware, of this review, spent the first 10 years of his life in his native county, and was then reared on the family farm in Fayette county. He attended the district school and continued at home until 22 years of age. Hardly had the smoke from Fort Sumter's guns cleared away, however, before he joined Captain Johnson's company at Washington Court House for 3 months. The regiment was stationed at Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio, but was never called to the field. A service of this kind, however, did not content the patriotic Ohioan of this review, and on the 2nd of August, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, 114th Ohio infantry, of which he was made sergeant. The regiment proceeded to Memphis, and wa there attached to the 2nd division of the 13th army corps, under General P. J. Ousterhaus. Mr. Ware participated in the battles of Chickasaw Bluff and Arkansas Post, and then with the regiment encamped through the following winter at Young's Point, near Vicksburg, where he aided in digging the canal. He went through the siege of Vicksburg, was sent to New Orleans, and participated in the battles of Mobile and Fort Blakely. In the meantime the regiment had been consolidated with the 120th Ohio, and was known as the 114th, Mr. Ware being connected with company B, of the new organization, and acting as orderly sergeant. He was then sent to Selma, Alabama, and on to Galveston, Texas, where he was discharged, August 2, 1865. He was never wounded or captured, was never in a hospital, and at his post of duty was always found, a most faithful and loyal defender of the union cause.
When the war was over, Mr. Ware returned to Ohio, but in October, 1865, came to Missouri, and located in Prairie township, Jackson county. A short time afterward, however, he removed to a farm 8 miles South of Independence and began its development, for it was then in a wild and unimproved state. He now owns 175 acres of rich land, and all of the improvements upon the place were secured through his efforts. He is now successfully engaged in general farming, and through enterprise and good management has attained prosperity.
In 1866 Mr. Ware was united in marriage with Frances J. Clark, a native of Ross county, Ohio, born November 24, 1843. She is a daughter of John and Fannie (Coyner) Clark, pioneers of Ohio. Their family numbered 7 children, namely: Milton; Mary, deceased; Mrs. Ware; William, George, John and Marcus. William served in the civil war with the rank of 1st lieutenant. Mr. and Mrs. Ware have a family of 6 children: Fannie, now the wife of William Smith, of Prairie township, by whom she has 5 children; Minnie; Alice, wife of Clifford Hook, of Prairie township, by whom she has 2 childre; Homer, Grace and Pearl.
Mr. and Mrs. Ware are prominent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Ware is now serving as class leader. Both are interested in Sunday school work, and Mr. Ware is serving as assistant superintendent, while his wife is one of the teachers of the school. He takes considerable interest in politics, supporting the republican party, and is a member of the local school board. Socially he is connected with the Grand Army of the Republic.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.