Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


LIEUTENANT-COLONEL M. MUDGE 
 
is one of the later pioneers of Compton, and one of Los Angeles County's most 
honored and popular men. He was born in Monroe County, New York, November 21, 
1833, his parents being Ebenezer and Lucretia (Heaton) Mudge, the former a 
native of New York, and the latter of Vermont, and both of English descent. The 
original families settled in Plymouth and Boston in 1638. In 1838 Ebenezer Mudge 
moved to Lenawee County, Michigan, and subsequently to Branch County, where he 
still lives, at Quincy. He was born in 1804, was a mason by trade, and some of 
the fine buildings in Buffalo, New York, stand as a monument to his 
architectural skill. The mother died in 1886, aged seventy-nine years. They had 
a family of four children, three still living. In the service of their country 
in the late war, few men are deserving of more praise than is Lieutenant-Colonel 
M. Mudge. He raised a company in 1861, in Branch County, Michigan, for the three 
months' service, and was mustered in August 24, in the Eleventh Michigan 
Volunteer Infantry. December 9 his command moved to Louisville, Kentucky, was 
assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, and remained with that army till Atlanta 
was taken. January 7, 1863, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the same 
regiment, which rank he held till mustered out near the close of the war. At the 
battle of Chickamauga he received a severe wound in the left arm. While 
convalescing he was assigned to court-martial duty, and was president of General 
Thomas's court. After his recovery he asked and obtained leave to join his 
regiment at the front at Atlanta, and commanded a regular brigade till the fall 
of Atlanta. At Sydney, Ohio, his regiment captured a cannon which the citizens 
of that place were firing as a salute to Vallandigham and Pendleton, who were 
entering their city as guests. Colonel Mudge's regiment took this cannon into 
their car and carried it with them to Sturgis, Michigan, where it still remains 
as a relic, and is known as Vallandigham's cannon. He was mustered out of the 
service at Sturgis, Michigan, September 30, 1864. In 1873 the subject of this 
sketch went to Chicago and worked on the Evening Post, and was traveling 
correspondent for the Inter Ocean, and established agencies in different parts 
of the country. He was subsequently one of the editors of the Northwest 
Lumberman, then a monthly paper. Later on he was connected with two papers in 
South Chicago. Previous to going to Chicago he had for six years been a general 
agent for the Security Life Insurance Company of New York, for the State of 
Michigan. In 1877 he came from Chicago to Los Angeles County, California, and 
located near Florence, remaining there two years. Then he was partner with A. M. 
Hough, in the hog business, for three years. Later he purchased fifty-two acres 
of land where he now lives, within the corporate limits of the city of Compton. 
Colonel Mudge is now a member of the city council of Compton, and deputy 
assessor of Los Angeles County. In 1884, with sixteen others, he established 
Shiloh Post of the G. A. R., at Compton, and served as Commander five years. The 
subject of this sketch was Commander, during the year 1889, of the Seventh 
Inspection District Encampment of Southern California. Socially, he is a Mason. 
He was nominated by the Republican party in 1882 for assemblyman for Los Angeles 
County, but was defeated. In 1884 he was nominated for supervisor of the Fourth 
Supervisorial District, and was again defeated. During these years the 
Democratic party was largely in the majority, he having received his party vote 
in both instances. The Colonel was married in Quincy; Michigan, in 1865, to Miss 
Sarah Ashley, who is the daughter of George and Jane (Wheat) Ashley. She was 
born in Canandaigua, Michigan, November 19, 1842. Her mother was a native of 
Orleans, New York, and her father of Massachusetts. He was a student in Yale 
College, and a schoolmate of our late Chief Justice Waite.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 549
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler