JOHN W. ROSE, was born in Vermont on Thanksgiving Day. He had only eleven brothers and sisters and received a New England schooling and religious training. In 1834 he was married to Miss Esther Larkin, and settled on a farm. In 1839 they removed to St Lawrence county, N.Y., and by turns followed carpentering, farming and milling in saw and grist mills.

He came west to Iowa in 1854, and in 1856 came to Austin and pre-empted land on Rose Creek. He broke up a few acres and built a house. The next year he broke more and harvested just as many bushels as he sowed. For a Christmas dinner that year the two boys were busy all day grinding wheat in a coffee mill. In 1859 he got his first good crop.

He early united with the Union Church, gathered at Saint's Rest by Nelson Cook. Later he and his wife joined the Congregational church at Austin. His wife died in October, 1872. His children were three in number. Corydon went to Pike's Peak in 1859, and has ever since lived in Colorado, being the proprietor of Rose Cabin Hotel. His daughter Mary married Smith Purdy and resides in Austin. Augustus, his youngest son, lived with his father and partook of his hardships.

He enlisted in Company K. of the 4th Minnesota, and joined Grant's army soon after the battle of Pittsburg Landing and was with that army until after the capture of Vicksburg. After driving Johnson out of Mississippi under Sherman, he got sick with rheumatism and chronic diarrhoea [sic]. He refused to be discharged and was detailed as teamster for nine months. He consequently missed Sherman's Atlanta campaign, but he helped guard the railroad; was in the fight of Altoona and was with Sherman in his March to the sea. He is now a prosperous farmer in Kansas, owning a section of land.

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Submitted to MnGenWeb by Darrel K. Waters