Samuel L. Roberts' Civil War Discharged Record, January 31, 1864
The Civil War discharge records reveal a treasure of personal information about age, birthplace, appearance, and conduct of the soldier. Samuel L. Roberts was discharged twice, first in 1964 in Vicksburg, Mississippi to reenlist into the 15th Iowa Infantry Veteran Regiment, and then fully discharged in July 1865. Born in Ohio, but living in Indianola, Iowa in 1861, Roberts was only 18 when he enlisted. The 15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment where he served was mustered in 1862, and was engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, and the Second Battle of Corinth, where the Confederate army captured Roberts and later exchanged him in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Despite the pledge upon parole "not to take arms again" he probably never quit the service and in 1864 participated in the Atlanta Campaign with the 15th Iowa. The document now belongs to Roberts' granddaughters Grace Emmett and Mary Ann Hessenflow. For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Grace Emmett and Mary Ann Hessenflow, Nebraska City History Harvest, 2010
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Major General William T. Sherman's Farewell Address to His Army
Printed on May 30, 1865 in Washington D. C. General Sherman gave out Special Field Orders, No 76 to all the men in his army as a commemoration of their wartime record. The document bears the badges of the Union Army Corps XII, XIV, XV, XVII, and XX. Sherman recalled all the great battles of the war, the courage of his army and urged the men not to yield to the temptation to "seek new adventures abroad … for it will lead only to death and disappointments." Samuel L. Roberts from 15th Iowa Infantry kept this address, as a memory of the five years in the army. Born in Ohio, but living in Indianola, Iowa in 1861, Roberts was only 18 when he enlisted. The 15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment where he served was mustered in 1862, and was engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, and the Second Battle of Corinth, where the Confederate army captured Roberts and later exchanged him in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Despite the pledge upon parole "not to take arms again" he probably never quit the service and in 1864 participated in the Atlanta Campaign with the 15th Iowa. The document now belongs to Roberts' granddaughters Grace Emmett and Mary Ann Hessenflow. For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Samuel L. Roberts' Proof of Service Record
Obtained from a state adjutant-general's office, proof of service record was a major document that gave a soldier a right to claim pension. If preserved, the document gives information about the soldiers name, age, place of birth, and his history in the army. Born in Ohio, but living in Indianola, Iowa in 1861, Roberts was only 18 when he enlisted. The 15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment where he served was mustered in 1862, and was engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, and the Second Battle of Corinth, where the Confederate army captured Roberts and later exchanged him in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Despite the pledge upon parole "not to take arms again" he probably never quit the service and in 1864 participated in the Atlanta Campaign with the 15th Iowa. Samuel L. Robert's proof of service helps us find out he was wounded twice, first in the Second Battle of Corinth, in October 1862, and than in the Battle of Atlanta, on July 28, 1864. The document now belongs to Roberts' granddaughters Grace Emmett and Mary Ann Hessenflow. For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Samuel L. Roberts or his wife kept this spare Oath of Identity blank form with other documents attesting to Roberts's record in the Civil War to have it on hand in the process for applying for pension. When filled the document would testify that the person appearing before the notary is the same person whose war record would be provided. The form belongs to the collection of Roberts' granddaughters Grace Emmett and Mary Ann Hessenflow. For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Samuel L. Roberts' Civil War Discharged Record, July 24, 1865
Tuskeegee Airmen Congressional Gold Medal
This Congressional Gold Medal was presented to Ralph Orduna’s family by Congressman Lee Terry in 2006. The medals were awarded to all members of the Tuskeegee Airmen by the United States Congress, and issued by the United States Mint. The medallion shows three airmen: an officer, a mechanic, and a pilot. On the back are three planes: a P-40, P-51, and B-25, all planes flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen. For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Ralph Orduna of the Tuskeegee Airmen, North Omaha History Harvest, 2011
Joseph Littlefield, Aurora, Nebraska 1906
Joseph Littlefield, pictured here next to his pharmacy on wheels near his house in Aurora, Nebraska in 1906, lived a long and eventful life. Born in Peoria County, Illinois in 1840, Littlefield served almost three years in the Civil War as a private in company C of 102nd Illinois volunteer regiment. After the war he returned to Illinois and married Hellen Crandle. In 1879 Joseph Littlefield and his family that included his mother Joanna, who was 71 at the time, came to Nebraska Clear Creek area, Sherman County to homestead. Hellen died in 1881 and six years later Joseph, now 47, married 24 year-old Lotta (Charlotte) Roberts, and had 7 more children with her, of whom only 5 survived. Littlefield moved to Aurora, Nebraska in 1904 and died there in 1911. Aged 63 in 1904, Joseph Littlefield could not farm any more to support his family, so he had to become a travelling salesman selling medicines. The photograph comes from the collection of Terri and Dave Mabon. Dave Mabon is Joseph Littlefield's great-grandson. For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Terri and Dave Mabon, Nebraska City History Harvest, 2010
Joseph Littlefield, pictured here next to his pharmacy on wheels near his house in Aurora, Nebraska in 1906, lived a long and eventful life.Born in Peoria County, Illinois in 1840, Littlefield served almost three years in the Civil War as a private in company C of 102nd Illinois volunteer regiment. After the war he returned to Illinois and married Hellen Crandle. In 1879 Joseph Littlefield and his family that included his mother Joanna, who was 71 at the time, came to Nebraska Clear Creek area, Sherman County to homestead. Hellen died in 1881 and six years later Joseph, now 47, married 24 year-old Lotta (Charlotte) Roberts, and had 7 more children with her, of whom only 5 survived. Littlefield moved to Aurora, Nebraska in 1904 and died there in 1911. Aged 63 in 1904, Joseph Littlefield could not farm any more to support his family, so he had to become a travelling salesman selling Baker's medicines, flavoring extracts and spices. This photograph might have been used as a business card that Littlefield gave to regular customers. The photograph comes from the collection of Terri and Dave Mabon. Dave Mabon is Joseph Littlefield's great-grandson. Sources: Jay Small Postcard Collection, "Baker's Medicines, James Quilliam Salesman, Montgomery, Indiana" in Indiana Historical Society http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/P0391&CISOPTR=1063&CISOBOX=1&REC=1 (accessed May 7, 2012).
Joseph Littlefield, pictured here in a jacket, a bow tie, and wearing a GAR badge, lived a long and eventful life. Born in Peoria County, Illinois in 1840, Littlefield served almost three years in the Civil War as a private in company C of 102nd Illinois volunteer regiment. After the war he returned to Illinois and married Hellen Crandle. In 1879 Joseph Littlefield and his family that included his mother Joanna, who was 71 at the time, came to Nebraska Clear Creek area, Sherman County to homestead. Hellen died in 1881 and six years later Joseph, now 47, married 24 year-old Lotta (Charlotte) Roberts, and had 7 more children with her, of whom only 5 survived. Littlefield moved to Aurora, Nebraska in 1904 and died there in 1911. After the war Littlefield was very active in the local Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) chapters, always travelling to the veterans' meetings wherever he was. In this photograph he is wearing his GAR badge, a five-point star made of bronze of cannons captured in the Civil War battles and connected with the clasp by the American flag. The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization of the Union Civil War veterans founded in 1866 in Decatur Illinois and dissolved in 1956 when the last GAR member died. The photograph, probably dating back to the 1870s, comes from the collection of Terri and Dave Mabon. Dave Mabon is Joseph Littlefield's great-grandson. For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.
Joseph Littlefield, pictured here in a jacket, a bow tie, and wearing a GAR badge, lived a long and eventful life.Born in Peoria County, Illinois in 1840, Littlefield served almost three years in the Civil War as a private in company C of 102nd Illinois volunteer regiment. After the war he returned to Illinois and married Hellen Crandle. In 1879 Joseph Littlefield and his family that included his mother Joanna, who was 71 at the time, came to Nebraska Clear Creek area, Sherman County to homestead. Hellen died in 1881 and six years later Joseph, now 47, married 24 year-old Lotta (Charlotte) Roberts, and had 7 more children with her, of whom only 5 survived. Littlefield moved to Aurora, Nebraska in 1904 and died there in 1911. After the war Littlefield was very active in the local Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) chapters, always travelling to the veterans' meetings wherever he was. In this photograph he is wearing his GAR badge, a five-point star made of bronze of cannons captured in the Civil War battles and connected with the clasp by the American flag. The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization of the Union Civil War veterans founded in 1866 in Decatur Illinois and dissolved in 1956 when the last GAR member died. The photograph, probably dating back to the 1870s, comes from the collection of Terri and Dave Mabon. Dave Mabon is Joseph Littlefield's great-grandson. For interviews and oral histories of this and other items please visit the History Harvest YouTube Channel.