THE FUNERAL CARD

- February 12, 2014

My First Cousin 5X Removed

James Monroe Ashburn was born in McLean or Tazewell County, Illinois.

He fought in the battles of Chickasaw Bayou; Arkansas Post; First and Second battles of Jackson, Mississippi; Champion Hill; Siege of Vicksburg; Brandon, Mississippi; Chattanooga; Mission Ridge; In the Atlanta Campaign and in the battles of Jonesboro and Savannah. He was wounded by a piece of shell at Chickasaw Bayou and was shot through the clothing at Vicksburg. He was Honorably Discharged at Davenport, Iowa August 6, 1865. He married Ruth Elizabeth Mercer on May 9, 1867 at Vandalia, Fayette County, Illinois. They had 12 children in 21 years. Around 1869 he resided on his farm and was engaged in raising, feeding, buying and shipping stope.

"His farm contained 270 acres of choice land, is under thorough cultivation, and residence

and farm buildings are comfortable and commodious."

Biographical Sketches and Historical Book of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa 1887

He died June 2, 1918 in Lamoni, Iowa - and is buried at Lillie Cemetery in Decatur County, Iowa.

______________________________________________________________________

JAMES MONROE & RUTH ELIZABETH MERCER ASHBURN

1915

1863

James was arrested and put in confinement by order of Captain Nichols.

No reason was given and it appears he was in there only a day or two because he is

shown 'present' in September '63. Most likely it was for insubordination.

So THIS is where the Ashburn ornery side comes from!

1865

This Civil War soldier depicts what James Monroe would have looked like at the close of the war. When he enlisted in 1861, he weighed 180 points. By the war's end, he weighed 85, and was near death. According to doctor's records (of which I have copies) it took James 2 years to recover, and even then, he suffered from the disease until the end of his life.

Chronic disease was rampant through out the south, and James Monroe started feeling the effects of chronic diarrhea on July 25, 1864 but continued to serve in the war. He became incapacitated March 5, 1865, when his regiment had reached Fayetteville, NC. He entered the hospital on that date.

The form states the following:

"At the date of his discharge in July 1865 he was totally disabled and helpless and for eighteen months there after continually to be totally disqualified for performing manual labor and from that time until 1868 was only able to perform very light manual labor and but little of that, and was never at any time free from diarrhea. That he continued to suffer from attacks of said diarrhea up to about three years ago. At the time he entered the army he weighed 180 pounds and at the time he arrived home from the army he only weighed 85 pounds. That said reductions in flesh was caused by chronic diarrhea, that his health was completely and permanently impaired by said chronic diarrhea and he still suffers from the results of said disease and can perform but little manual labor. That at the time he reported to Dr. Finley in March 1866 for examination for pension he only weighed 115 pounds and was at that time suffering from chronic diarrhea and unable to perform manual labor, said Dr. Finley did not examine him for said disease but only asked claimant if any of his limbs were drawn, cracked or if he was cripled in any way and on receiving a negative reply reported claimant not disabled. He therefore asks a rerating and readjustment and a readjudication of his claim for pension on the grounds that the rate was too low and did not cover the entire period of his disability."

Shame, shame on you Dr. Finley - appears that some things never change - that's my quote!

James Monroe Ashburn's Funeral Card

(I want one like this when I die - looks like a 'framer' to me!)

I think we should all have a 'framer' funeral card instead of those little off-white colored, flimsy copy paper ones that we all 'stick' inside our coat pockets - or in a

book (in the Bible as my Mama did) - or somewhere where no one ever looks at it

until they are going through their parents' things … get the picture?
I hope my daughter is ready this.