John A. Ensminger was born at Equality in Gallatin County, Illinois, on October 11, 1827 near the salt works. His father was Emanuel Ensminger, who was born in 1777 and died in 1832. His mother was Catherine Davenport, born about 1787. The Ensminger’s were early pioneers to Gallatin County and hardy stock, established by the fact that his father, Emanuel, walked 100 miles and back, to Vincennes, Ind., for a license to marry his wife, which he secured and the couple were united at Shawneetown.
Earlier in the same year that John was born, an act to establish the county seat for Gallatin County had been passed and a county commissioners’ court was held at the house of his father, Emanuel Ensminger, in the town of Equality, on the first Monday in March, 1827.
The 1905 Souvenir History recounts John’s youth stating, “John got very little book learning. But in that new and vital country John did not want for teachers and the means of getting a very practical education at that. He had one of the very best and most entertaining books in the world always open before him—the book of nature—and for teachers, millions of wild fowls, ducks, geese and turkeys, plenty of bear, deer and wolves. No one went hungry in those days for want of a fat turkey or a juicy steak of venison or bear. Settlers were two or three miles apart, but deer herded in packs of 25 or 30, bear could be killed any day without the trouble of hunting for them, and wild turkeys roosted on every tree and often consorted with the tame ones in the barn yard. Wolves were numerous, but not saucy, for game was plenty, and their nightly serenades were not unpleasant to hear. Even buffalo had not yet wholly vanished beyond the setting sun, for about 1864 Watt Heard killed a young bull on the big Saline, about six miles southeast of Equality.”
The accounting went on to say, “John A. Ensminger kept as a relic an old iron pot used by his mother about 1810. It was the first pot of her own she ever hung over the fire.”
John was five years old when his father died in 1832. He spent about six years in Shawneetown, but did not leave Equality for good until 1849. While at Shawneetown he made six or seven trips to New Orleans on flat boats, freighting corn, tobacco and pork. Historical accounts stated, “The goods were not infrequently all sold to the planters and their negroes on the way, peddled out at the river towns, the blacks, with the consent of their masters, buying as freely as the whites, according to their means.”
In April, 1849, he first landed in Marion and went to work for an older brother, buying tobacco, and it is an indication of the flourishing state of the industry that soon after coming here his brother, Marmaduke S. Ensminger shipped 1,100 hogsheads of cured tobacco to New Orleans in a single season. All this was bought almost exclusively in this and the nearby counties of the state, Williamson, Gallatin, Saline, White, Hamilton and Franklin Counties. With the exception of one year at old Fort Winnebago, about 25 miles from Madison, Wisconsin, John A. Ensminger lived in Marion from 1849 until his death.
In the 1850 census John must have still been in flux, splitting living with his mother in Equality and working in Marion because the census indicated that John was living with his mother, Catherine, and brothers and sisters in Equality. His brothers, Marmaduke S., 40, a merchant and Stephen, 30, a trader were living there andJohn was also listed as a trader. Marmaduke had been born in Kentucky and Stephen in Kentucky so the Ensminger’s made the move to Gallatin County, Illinois sometime between 1810 and 1820. Two sisters, Eliza and Catherine, 21 and 23, were living with them as were two boarders, John T., a carpenter, and his wife, Malinda Cook.
Politically, John A. was a Democrat up to the breaking out of the war and in 1860 made the race for Williamson County sheriff with Richmond R. Hendrickson and Ben Walker, being defeated by Mr. Hendrickson by a small majority.
In the 1860 census his mother Catherine and John A., a constable, were living in Marion with his sister, Eliza V,. and her husband J. M. Lewis, a druggist and dentist. Two boarders were also living in the household: E. J. Harmerson and Augustus N. Lodge, a wealthy physician.
John was married later in that census year, on October 7, 1860, to Miss Martha J. “Patsy” Pulley, who was born in 1840 and was the daughter of John Pulley and Phoebe Franklin. They were married at Shawneetown in Gallatin County, Illinois.
According to the 1905 Souvenir History, “He was raised a Democrat and always voted the Democratic ticket until the roar of the cannon in the battle of Ft. Sumter, when he changed his politics and enlisted in the “Bloody” 128th on Dec 25, 1862. He was a 1st Lieutenant in Company C. It is a matter of history that the ill-starred organization “vaporized” and disappeared without ever fighting a battle. It is sufficient evidence, however, of the patriotism of Mr. Ensminger that he holds an honorable discharge and draws a pension to this day for rheumatism and chronic diarrhea, contracted at Cairo. His discharge is dated at Cairo, April 5th, 1863.”
John’s mother, Catherine, died on July 2, 1867 and was buried in the Aikman Cemetery, now called the old Marion Cemetery.
In 1870, John and Patsy were living at Amanda Pulley’s hotel in downtown Marion with their daughters Tell (Estella), 8, and Hannah, 1. John was a miller having a real estate valuation of $800 and a personal property evaluation of $500.
It was reported in the Marion Monitor on Oct. 9, 1879 that Estella “Tell” Ensminger, 18, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Ensminger had died at the home of her parents.
In 1880, 51 year old John and 41 year old Martha were living in Marion and John was listed as a Marion constable. They had 4 children in the home: Hannah, 11; Duke, 8; John, 6; and Pearl, 8 months.
John A. was on a committee to solicit donations and provisions for the old settlers reunion of 1880. All over 50 and residents of the county before 1860 were invited to the Fair Grounds on Thursday, August 12, 1880 to have an old fashioned BBQ and talk over old times.
The Marion Monitor reported on April 6, 1882 that U.S. Marshall Davis of Springfield arrived and with the assistance of Constable John A. Ensminger arrested John I. Walls, living near Stonefort, for violation of the revenue laws.
In 1884 he served as an alderman of the city of Marion serving under Mayor James C. Jackson. He also served 4 years as a deputy sheriff under John H. Burnett from 1886-1890 and one year under Thomas L. Dowell. Then, from 1890 to 1894 he served five terms again as alderman under different mayors.
In May of 1888, John A., constable, went to Kankakee to take ______ Jones to the asylum.
His wife, Martha “Patsy” Ensminger died 29 March, 1890, leaving only one living child out of eight she bore. This was Hannah, the wife of Mr. Ulysses T. Simmons.
When a large fire occurred on November 19, 1896 that destroyed the entire southeast section of the square where the Marion City Hall currently resides in 2014, a local newspaper gave an accounting of John’s part on that evening by reporting, “John Ensminger was working like a whitehead during the fire lugging a hundred pounds of cotton batting to a cooler climate when a portly woman, wild with imaginary fears, ran into him, almost breaking his back and screaming, “Oough! Oough! Don’t let my dear darling beloved husband burn up!” John used a few common everyday expletives and promised her he didn’t know if he did or not.” This accounting would indicate that John and his family were living on or near the public square as many merchants did in that time.
Daughter, Pearl Ensminger, died of typhoid Dec. 9, 1897 of typhoid fever. She was 18 years old. Burial was in the new cemetery (Old Rose Hill).
An account reported in the Egyptian Press dated April 21, 1898 read, “John P. Ensminger, son of John A. Ensminger, took his own life with a pistol. Some weeks prior he had arranged to marry, but he returned home without his bride, a girl who resides in Hamilton County. He resumed his duties at the Simmons House, where he worked to the last hour of his life. He made the 12:35 train on the Illinois Central R.R., bringing with him four guests to the hotel. After seeing them cared for, he called Samuel K. Casey, editor of the Egyptian Press, and informed him of his intention to take his life that day. He gave him a letter and asked that it not be opened until after his burial. John then went to his father’s house and finding his sister, father and Miss Libbie Parks in the dining room, asked his father to retire, saying he wanted to talk with his sister and the girl, at the same time seating himself at the table. When Mr. Ensminger retired, John drew a revolver and fired the fatal shot. Burial was in the new cemetery (Rose Hill). Hannah, a younger sister had died five months before and he had a brother who was dying. His brother, Duke Ensminger arrived from East St Louis to attend his brother’s funeral.
On June 27, 1903 the G.A.R. post 319 reported losing a member, John A. Ensminger, 2nd Lt, Co. C, 128th Infantry for nonpayment of dues.
John Ensminger died on July 14, 1908 at age 80. Both he and Martha are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion.
Notes on the children:
Estella “Tell” Ensminger was born in 1862 and died on October 4, 1879 in Marion at the age of 18. She was buried in the old Marion Cemetery (Aikman).
Hannah Ensminger Simmons was born in 1869 and was married to Ulysses T. Simmons Sept 28, 1890. According to the above news report she died about December of 1897.
Duke Ensminger was born in 1872.
John P. Ensminger was born about 1874 and committed suicide in April of 1898.
Pearl Ensminger was born about 1879 and appears to have died in December of 1897 as well due to typhoid fever.
(Sources: U.S. Census Records; Events in Egypt; 1905 Souvenir History of Williamson County, Illinois; History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin and Williamson Counties, Illinois; compiled by Colleen Norman)