Masoner, Napoleon Bonaparte – Co E 2nd Battalion MSM Cavalry; Co F, 14th Kansas Cavalry

Napoleon Bonaparte Masoner was born Feb 22, 1844 in Platte Co, Missouri, the second son of Hiram and Margaret Masoner. Hiram Masoner had left his home in Green Co, Tennessee, for the newly opened Platte Purchase territory in Missouri around the year 1840.  Soon after his arrival, Hiram married Margaret McCOY on Aug 19, 1841, and to this union, 8 children were born in Platte Co. between the years 1843 to 1853.

In 1854, when Kansas opened up for settlement, Hiram and Margaret Gma-Gpa_masoner_NBM-MESM_PStapelmoved their growing family to Stanton Township, Lykins (Miami) Co, Kansas. They moved into the heart of “Bleeding Kansas,” right into where John Brown held abolitionist meetings and where William Quantrill taught school.

After moving to Miami Co, Hiram and Margaret had 6 more children who were born between 1854 and 1865.   Hiram and Margaret are buried in Miami County Kansas in the old Hillsdale Cemetery. They had four sons who were old enough to fight during the Civil War and all fought for the Union. Three of the sons went back to Missouri and joined the Union forces, and the fourth joined the Kansas Cavalry.

The oldest son, Teter Masoner, was a private in Co F, 18th Missouri Volunteer Infantry. He had the dubious distinction of being the last soldier to die of his wounds from the Battle of Shiloh.

The third son, George G. Masoner was a Private in Co E 2nd Battalion MSM Cavalry, and he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Independence on Aug. 11, 1862.

The fourth son, Adam Cook Masoner was a private in Co A, 16th Regiment Kansas Cavalry. In the fall of 1865, he also took part in the Powder River Expedition against the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Indians.

Their second son, Napoleon B. Masoner, is the ancestor of a member of Laura Belle Stoddard Tent 22.  He fought in the same unit as his brother George, the Co E 2nd Battalion MSM Cavalry from Apr 29, 1862 until March 1863. On 11 Aug 1862 during the first battle of Independence<http://mocivilwar150.com/history/battle/170>, the enemy captured Napoleon’s horse and equipment, which he’d furnished for himself at enlistment. Napoleon tried for many years after the war to receive compensation from the State of Missouri for his loss, but was unsuccessful.

Napoleon then joined Co F, 14th Kansas Cavalry at Paola, Kansas, from Aug 26, 1863 until June 25, 1865.  While in service at Haw Prairie, Arkansas on 20 January 1864, Napoleon lost the sight in his left eye when struck by brush during a skirmish. This wound would affect him all his life. An interesting note from his grandchildren was that Grandpa would send them out to the chicken yard to gather the white cap (uric acid) off chicken manure, which he would use as a powder in treating his eye.

Napoleon married Margaret Elizabeth SALLEE on Sept. 2, 1873 at Paola, Kansas. Elizabeth Sallee was born Feb 5, 1850 in Madison County, Kentucky. Napoleon’s occupation was a stonemason. They lived in Miami County for most of their lives, and both are buried in the Fontana Cemetery, Fontana, Kansas.  Napoleon died in the Old Soldiers Home at Fort Dodge, Kansas.  http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=masoner&GSfn=Napoleon+&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=35326240&df=all&

Napoleon and Elisabeth had 7 children, of whom two died in childhood. Their surviving children were Wm H. Masoner; Alfred Masoner; Ancil McCoy Masoner; Louella Masoner, who married Eli Feighner; and Mary Etta Masoner, who married Jordan Monroe Cawby.

Etta and Jordan were the parents of three children: Margaret Cawby Neal, John Monroe Cawby, and Eurilda Cawby Copp, and from the first daughter descends the member of Laura Belle Stoddard Tent 22, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865.

rc/Dec 2014

 

 

Submitted by Phyllis Stapel

 

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