Lewis Rollow, Genoa Junction, Wis., member of G. A. R. Post 27, a
merchant and a prominent citizen of the locality where he resides, was
born in Monroe, Mich., Nov. 27, 1837. His parents, Lewis and Adeline
Sophia (Theresa) Rollow, were both born in Canada, and the father
represented a line of ancestors who had been for more than 200 years
residents of Montreal. The grandfather, Lewis Rollow, was a tanner and
passed his entire life in that city. The father, Lewis Rollow, was a
shoemaker, and, when about 21 years of age, located in the city of
Rochester, N. Y., where he worked at his trade and bought land
repeating that business in Monroe, Mich., where he located
considerable quantity of land. He was married in Rochester in 1834,
and two years after went to Monroe, and after that lived alternately
in Monroe and Rochester, attending his proprietary interests. He was
born in Montreal in 1812, and died in Rochester in 1857. The mother
was the daughter of Peter and Sophia Theresa, who were farmers of St.
Johns, near Montreal. She is still living at Genoa Junction. She is
the survivor of two daughters, and her three sons are still living.
Frank and Charles Rollow are farmers in Hiawatha, Brown Co., Kansas.
Peter Theresa, uncle of Mr. Rollow, came in early life to the United
States and enlisted in the Seminole war.
When he was 14 years old, Mr. Rollow had become a practical boot
and shoemaker. At that age he went to Erie, Pa., and worked three
years; went thence to Buffalo, and after four years commenced the life
of a journeyman mechanic and went successively to Albany, Syracuse and
New York city, returning again to Rochester. He came to Genoa Junction
in 1862. Soon after, he went to Lake Geneva, where he enlisted Aug.
11, 1862 in Company C, 22d Wisconsin Infantry, Colonel Utley. He went
from rendezvous at Racine to the Ohio River, and immediately after
reaching Cincinnati, crossed to the Kentucky side and passed the time
from September 18th to December 12th in looking after the whereabouts
and maneuvers of Morgan and other guerrilla chiefs until the date last
named, when the regiment went to Danville. There they received orders
to proceed to Nashville, and went thence to Louisville, Fort Donelson
and Franklin, Tenn., and while reconnoitering for Van Dorn, they came
up with him at Spring Hill, March 3d. During the next two days the
activities were lively, and on the fifth, two-thirds of the command
were captured, including 11 commissioned officers. A part of the 22d,
under the Lieutenant Colonel - Bloodgood - escaped, and while trying
to make their way to Franklin, encountered a colored camp, where
instructions were obtained. Arriving there they were reorganized by
Bloodgood and proceeded to guard the station at Brentwood, where they
received a morning call from Forrest, March 25th, and were nearly all
captured before breakfast. They went to Columbia, where they were
paroled, taken to Tullahoma, where they were deprived of all
equipments and clothing; sent thence to Richmond, and after a short
detention at Libby, went to Fortress Monroe, were placed on a truce
boat and taken to Annapolis. Thence, after receiving the supplies
their necessities demanded, they went to St. Louis. While awaiting
exchange, Mr. Rollow took a furlough, and, after being at home three
weeks, was summoned to his command, which went, after re-organization,
to Franklin and Nashville, going afterwards to Murfreesboro, passing
about seven months in military duty of diversified character. At
Murfreesboro the regiment was assigned to the 2d Brigade, 3d Division
and 20th Army Corps. Mr. Rollow, with the command, started on the
campaign on the Chattanooga River. He was in the fight at Resaca and
in the activities and skirmishes of daily at Dallas and Kenesaw until
June 16th, when, at Lost Mountain, near Golgotha Church, he was
wounded, a minie ball taking off the thumb and little finger of the
right hand. He was sent to hospital at Chattanooga, three days later
went to Nashville and later to Georgetown and thence to Louisville
where he remained in hospital until discharged as permanently disabled
Nov. 19, 1864. He returned to Genoa Junction where he worked at his
trade and in 1868 went to Salem, Kenosha County. Ten years after he
returned to Genoa Junction, where he embarked in his present
commercial enterprise, dealing in boots and shoes and gentlemen's
furnishing goods.
He was married in Wheatland, Kenosha Co., Wis., Dec 24, 1864, to
Hattie, daughter of Philo and Elizabeth (Harrington) Darling. She was
born in Dutchess Co., New York, of old new York stock. Her father was
a farmer and located in Wisconsin in Kenosha county in 1849. In 1850
he removed to Mound Prairie, Walworth county, where he died in
February, 1888. The mother died previously. The only brother of Mrs.
Rollow, was a soldier in the 8th Iowa Infantry. Two children to Mr.
and Mrs. Rollow died in infancy, leaving them childless. Mrs. Rollow
is prominent in the Woman's Relief Corps, and, with her husband, is
active in all matters pertaining to the interests of soldiers. Both
are welcome members of the society in which they move and are esteemed
for their interest in moral and social affairs.
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