Mahaska County Civil War Sesquicentennial

1/Lt. David M. Lamb is seen here presiding over a short ceremony at Nelson Pioneer Farm in honor of Mahaska County and Iowa's first fallen during the Civil War 150 years ago on July 11th, 2011

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Historical Society’s Nelson Pioneer Farm and Museum is working on a Sesquicentennial exhibit on Festival Day, beginning this September and continuing through Festival September 2015. Do you have ancestors who served from Mahaska County, which you would care to share their story and/or picture?

I am particularly interested in the Iowa 3rd, 15th and 47th Infantry. Cyrus W, West of Company H of the Iowa 3rd was the first Civil War casualty from Iowa. He was from Mahaska County. He died July 11, 1861 at Monroe Station, Missouri. James A. Seevers was Captain of Company C of the Iowa 15th. His home was ‘in the county’, which is now 222 South 9th Street. 2nd Avenue East jogs around this property. My Great Great Grandfather, Private Mathew Armstrong, Company I of the Iowa 47th, drowned at Helena, Arkansas in the Mississippi River, Jun 14, 1864. He owned a farm in White Oak Township, south of Tioga.

If you have stories and/or pictures, or would like to volunteer to work on the committee, either call Amy at the Historical Society 641-672-2989 or me. Each of the five years, we plan to add something new to this display.