Thanks. Thought you might be interested in this.

Information:

1850 Census Limecreek Twp., Washington Co,. IA.
#102 Longwell, James     35   125   N.Y.
Margaret  35          "
Phebe J.  13          O
John W.   11          "
Langdon B. 4          "
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From:   BoatKitten@aol.com - Valerie Collins

http://www.my-ged.com/db/page/ward/11613 (not correct after updates) by Melissa Ward -   sarafina@phoenixat.com

Langdon Ben LONGWELL
MARRIED: Lorinda BARBER

CHILDREN:

1.  Jennie LONGWELL
     BORN: 1870,
 
    MARRIED: Edwin F. INGERSOLL, 28 Nov 1888, St. Louis, Gratiot Co., Michigan

CHILDREN:
 
   1.  Bessie INGERSOLL
   2.  Viva INGERSOLL
   3.  Pearl Marie INGERSOLL
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Because Memorial Day is the one day of the year set aside to remember those who fought or gave their lives in American wars it is fitting that we pause at this time to pay tribute to the fast depleting ranks of Civil War veterans in Gratiot county.  With only thirty-one veterans left in the county it will
be but a few short years before all members of the G.A.R. will have passed to
the Great Beyond.
According to the individual histories given below eight of the remaining soldiers were wounded in action.  One relates his experiences encountered while he was serving as a prisoner. Others tell with enthusiasm how they talked with President Lincoln and one relates how he was guarding the
theatre the night that Lincoln was shot and joined in the search for Booth.  Below are individual sketches of each veteran together with their pictures which are arranged in alphabetical order.
 

L. B. LONGWELL - St. Louis
     Langdon B. Longwell was born Dec 30, 1845, in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. At the age of 16 he enlisted as a drummer boy with his father in Battery I, 1st Ill. Light Artillery and was in that service 6 months.  After a year he again enlisted in the 12th Ohio Cavalry under Captain A.F. Dubois, and
served in the cause of national unity 26 months.  His first fight was at Shiloh, Tenn., and lasted 2 days; then the siege of Current which lasted 52 days. He was under fire 100 days in a
number of small fights.  He returned from the war without a scratch.  The nearest he came to being wounded was during the fight at Saltville, Virginia, when the soldiers destroyed the salt wells.  He heard a cannon ball crashing through the brush.  He dropped to the ground or to use a soldiers term "grabbed a root and the ball passed about 3 feet above him.  Thus he escaped and was
honorably discharged in 1864 at Memphis, Tenn.  He returned to Ohio and obtained employment in the railroad company's machine shops at Crestline. A few months later he got a job as carpenter and followed that vocation for 16 years.  Coming to Gratiot county in Nov., 1869, he bought a small farm and made a specialty of fruit and beautiful flowers.  He was married Jan. 29, 1867, to Miss Lorinda Barber of Bucyrus, Ohio.  To this union was born 6 children, 4 of whom are living:  Mrs. Jennie Ingersoll, Mrs. Elizabeth Pepple and Mrs. Lulu Atwater of St. Louis and Charles Longwell of Chicago. Mr. Longwell has been a faithful member of the Christian church for 40 years.  He is also a member of the I.O.O.F. and the G.A.R. He tells a little war incident that happened in Lexington, Kentucky.  He was an orderly at headquarters when the Brigadier Adjutant General, R.B. Smith, came to him and said, the telegraph line has been clipped between here and Richmond, and a dispatch must go through.  Will you take it?  He said he would and another orderly, Billy Bowen, was told to go with him.  Each were armed with two navy revolvers and started out on horse back
in the pouring rain making what headway they could between flashes of lightning.
They reached Richmond, a distance of 32 miles, in safety and delivered their message to the regiment who were guarding the towns against the bushwackers.
They were expecting a raid from Tom Morgan and wanted to get their regiment all together.  Mr. Longwell's company of 40 soldiers were ordered to scout Winchester Pike. They had gone about 9 miles when they came across the picket post of 600 men.  They charged on them, going right through their line and didn't give them a chance to fire a shot.  After reporting to Captain
Dubois, they returned to within 6 miles of Lexington and placed a picket post then they crossed to the Richmond Pike.  After crossing they heard Morgan charge on the picket post and capture them.  Mr. Longwell's company was ordered back to the city and as they go into the city they met Morgan with 3000 men and there ad a skirmish and then fell back to the Fort.  Morgan passed through the
city and went to Cynthiana, Ky., where the brigade, led by General Bobman drove
Morgan and his men out of Kentucky.  [handwritten note:  Died Oct. 11, 1932, age 89 yrs, 9 mo., 11 days]
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