In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1902) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1838, Liberty township
From A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902), History of Crawford County and Ohio : containing a history of the state of Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time ... a history of Crawford County ... biographical sketches, portraits (1881)
JOHN HILBORN, Tiro; was born Nov. 16, 1838, in Liberty Township, Crawford Co., Ohio. He is a son of Isaac and Nancy (George) Hilborn. (For a full record of ilr. Hilborn's parents and their family, see the biography of his brother.) John was raised on the farm. His education is only moderate, owing to the schools of that day being very poor as compared to what we now have. He served his country well and faithfully in the late war, enlisting in Company I, 15th O. V. I., on the 7th of September, 1861. His discharge was dated in Texas, November, 18(55. He was in quite a numlser of engagements, and among them Corinth, Atlanta, Liberty Gap, Resaca, Buzzard's Roost and Pickett's Mills. He was also in the running light that extended from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Atlanta, Ga. He was a brave and efficient soldier, and had many a thrilling experience in the army. At Pickett Mill he was severely wounded, and to-day is a victim of the traitorous leaders of our gi-eat civil war. At the conclusion of the war he returned home, and, on the 15th of June, 1866, he was united in marriage with Miss Emeline Clark, daughter of Martin and Nancy Clark. Mrs. Hilborn died April, l()8. Mr. Hilborn's second wife is Sarah J. Davis, daughter of James K. Davis, of ('crawford Co., to whom he was man'ied on the 29th of June,
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in History of Crawford County and Ohio : containing a history of the state of Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time ... a history of Crawford County ... biographical sketches, portraits (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
JOHN HILBORN.
John Hilborn, one of the highly esteemed citizens of Crawford county,. Ohio, now engaged in the coal and drawing business in the town of Tiro, was born in Liberty township, in this county, on November 16, 1838. He was a son of Isaac and Nancy (George) Hilborn. and was a member of a family of nine children, the two survivors being the subject of this sketch and his brother Samuel, who now resides on the old home farm in Auburn township.
Our subject grew to manhood on the home farm, which is located within one mile of his present home in Tiro. He received an excellent common-school education, and, as his father was growing old and he was the youngest son, he remained under the parental roof. When he was twenty-two years of age his father gave him forty acres of timber land and he went to work clearing this property. Into his peaceful life, as into that of many another farmer boy, sounded the call to arms in defense of his country, and our subject was quick to respond. On September 7, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Union army, entering Company I, Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and soon they were sent from Mansfield to Camp Dennison to be trained in the arts of war. Shortly after, our subject and his companions were sent to Covington, Kentucky, and camped there for a short time, going then to Camp Nevin, where they spent the greater part of the winter. "While here our subject was attacked with a serious illness which necessitated a season in the hospital, and a month, later he obtained a furlough for twenty-six days' leave, on condition that some one would take charge of him. A brother-in-law came for him and brought him home. One week after his return he broke out with small-pox, but this did not prevent his reporting for duty on the day before the expiration of his furlough. However, under the circumstances his services were not needed in camp and he was sent back home with orders to remain there until he was fit for duty. About ten days later lie again reported, but was then sent to what was known as Hospital No. 4, but his condition was such that he could not be received there and he was sent to Park Barracks, and here he was later detailed as assistant waiter in the officers' mess.
;o4 CENTENNIAL
Some three weeks later our subject was permitted to join his regiment, which was but one day's march from Corinth, and the battle at Pittsburg Landing had been fought but a few days previously. Our subject crossed the field of carnage on his way to join his regiment, and soon after reaching it his company was detailed to guard a bridge near Huntsville. Here the regiment threw up breastworks and then returned to Louisville with the idea of preventing the Confederate General Bragg from crossing the river. A few weeks later they pursued General Bragg and broke up his plans in that locality. Our subject took part in the greater number of the battles of the Army of the Cumberland. In the one-hundred-day fight in the march from Chattanooga to Atlanta our subject was wounded at Pumpkin Vine creek, suffering both in the face and also in the left hand, but he declined to leave his company, although for several days he was totally unable to handle his gun.
Mr. Hilborn had his endurance tried again the first clay following his again accepting" his gun, as he was then severely wounded. He was on the picket line at what was known as Picket's Mills or New Hope church, and found it necessary to shoot an intruder, and before he had an opportunity to load his gun a party of the enemy came upon him, demanding his surrender, but he declined to do that and ran as fast as he could toward the camp, reaching there alive but with two bullets in his body. He was then sent to the division hospital, where he endured agonics from the operations necessary, and three weeks later was removed to Chattanooga, and four weeks later was passed on to the hospital in Nashville. Four weeks after he was sent home on a furlough and remained for twenty days. Returning to his company, our subject found it at Atlanta, Georgia, but before he reached there he had an encounter with Confederate scouts which almost prevented this gallant and faithful soldier from giving more service to his country.
At Atlanta the Fourth Army Corps and the Twenty-third Army Corps were left to pursue General Hood. Our subject's command belonged to the former, and they pressed on to Nashville and later the country heard of the fierce battle of Franklin, and later the battle of Nashville. Our subject received his honorable and well-earned discharge on December 24, 1865, after having been five months in camp in Texas.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
In 1868 Mr. Hilborn sold his farm and bought eighty acres located five miles north of his former farm, residing there for six months, then disposing of it and removing to Mechanicsburg, where he purchased two and one-half acres. This tract he also sold and then bought three acres and built upon it a good house and barn, making excellent improvements, and there he resided for four years and then sold and purchased rive acres of land in Tiro. This he laid out in town lots and has sold all but his home place. Mr. Hilborn has done well in his real estate transactions and has displayed excellent judgment in every sale and purchase.
For about ten years Mr. Hilborn engaged in truck gardening, but for the past few years he has conducted a coal and drawing business in Tiro, where he is well and favorably known. For many years our subject has been a leading member of the United Brethren church and is one of the trustees of the same. In political sympathy he has ever been an ardent Republican, and has efficiently served on the town council for two terms. Socially he is connected with the G. A. R. organization, and both in this community and through the county where he is well known he is universally esteemed.
As printed in A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1902. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.