Mr. Buell was born in Lebanon, Madison Co., N. Y., March 22, 1828. He is the second son and fourth child of Elijah and Polly (Higgins) Buell. His parents were born in the State of New York, and settled in Madison County, where they lived during the entire period of their married lives. The grandparents Thomas and Irene (Blodgett) Buell came from Western Massachusetts. Elijah Buell was a man of earnest piety, which he carried into practice under all circumstances He was in the habit of making a yearly call on each family in the town where he lived, for prayer and religious Conversation. He met with uniform courtesy and was always received with kindly consideration, even by infidels and others who differed with him in religious opinions. He was for many years a Deacon in the Baptist Church. His death occurred May 16, 1854. His wife died July 29, 1856. Their children were named Mary A., Irene B., Hiram E., Clinton C. and Ira W. Until he was I7, Mr. Buell attended the common schools of his native town. He then attended Hamilton Academy, in Hamilton, N. Y., for some time, and in 1850 entered the Sophomore class of Madison University, matriculating in the third term. He commenced teaching a common school at 18 years of age, and during his entire preparatory and undergraduate course, with the exception of one term, gave instruction to classes either in the Academy or in the Preparatory Department of the University, thereby meeting the expenses of his own education. About the middle of his Senior year he was elected Principal of the Hamilton Academy, but retained his standing in his class by extra labor, and at graduation in 1852 received the "first honors" of his class, as he had also done at the Junior exhibition the preceding year.
He continued Principal of the Academy about four years and until the burning of its principal building. He then founded and conducted for four years the "Hamilton Female Seminary," which graduated during the time 39 young ladies from a course of study as thorough and complete as was then to be found. The seminary was established as a stock enterprise, a fatal weakness, which in the crisis of 1857 and in the unprosperous years preceding and following, brought financial disaster to Mr. Buell, and in 1857 he separated his connection with the seminary, but in a manner entirely honorable to all Concerned.
Collecting the merest fragments of what had been a comfortable property, Mr. Buell, in the fall of 1859, removed with his family to Anamosa, Jones Co., Iowa, where he established a trade in groceries and provisions, and also a lumber agency, which were a marked success from the outset, and he soon found himself at the head of his line of traffic in that city. The events of the spring and summer of 1861 engaged his interested attention, and in the fall of that year he sold his business preparatory to entering the military service of the United States. He raised about two-thirds of a Company of volunteers for the 14th Iowa Infantry, and was elected its Captain; but in the organization of the regiment it became necessary to Consolidate the companies, and his command was merged in another. In view of his qualifications as a business man, he was offered the position of Regimental Quartermaster, with the rank of First Lieutenant, and served three years. After the first three months' service with his regiment he was almost constantly on duty by special order as Acting A. Q. M., or as Acting A. C. S. His Brigade was the first to scale the ramparts of Fort Donelson and as a mark of honor occupied the barracks of this fort, after its surrender the captured stores being taken possession of and accounted for by Lieut Buell.
An epitome of Lieut. Buell's service in the Civil War would be about as follows:
In the fall of i861 he raised a company as Captain and was mustered into service as First Lientenant and R. Q. M., 14th Iowa Inf. Vols. Equipped the regiment at Camp McClellan, Iowa, and at Benton Barracks, Mo., fall and early winter of 1861. Was Acting A. Q. M. and Acting A. C. S. at Fort Donelson, Same at Pittsburg Landing, or Shiloh, in the sprin: of 1862 was ordered on recruiting service at Camp McClellan, Davenport, Iowa, in August, 1862, and on reporting was immediately ordered on duty as Quartermaster and Commissary of the Post. At his own request he was ordered to join regiment in the field at Cairo, Ill., in the spring of 1863. Served with the regiment at Cairo, Ill., and Columbus, Ky in the summer and fall of 1863, in the meantiime building extensive barracks and military prisons at Columbus. Thence, in the winter of 1863-4, he went to Vicksburg, Miss., thence to Meridian on what is known as "Sherman's raid to Meridian, serving as A. A. Q. M. Thence, in the spring of 1864, on Banks' expedition up Red River in Gen. A.J. Smith's Corps. Thence returning to Memphis Tenn., and making two expeditions into Mississippi as A. A. C. S. of Gen A. J. Smith's Corps, on one on one of which occurred the battle of Tupelo. Thence fron Memphis to Jefferson Barracks, Mo., as A. A. Q. M. in charge of the entire Quartermaster's Department of the Left Wing of the 16th Army Corps. Thence in the pursuit of Price through Missouri to the Kansas line. Thence to St. Louis, Missouri, and Davenport, Iowa, to be mustered out, in November 1864.
Lieut. Buell was present at the important battle of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Fort De Kussey, La., Pleasant Hill, La., Old Oaks, La., and Tupelo, Miss., not to mention numerous smaller engagements and skirmishes. The position of A. Q. M. and a Captain's commission were at one time open to him, but he declined to seek them, the folly of which act he did not at that time see.
In the winter and spring of 1864-5 Mr. Buell engaged in business in Sterling, Ill., in which, owing to circumstances connected with the close of the war, he was again a heavy loser. In the summer of 1865, associated with Capt. J. W. Niles, he bought a half section of unimproved prairie land, of which, changed by some additions and subtractions by purchase and sale, he is now the owner. He ascribes his success during the last 15 years entirely to the dairy business, to which he has given persistent and thorough attention. He has been an efficient promoter of the dairy interests through active membership in different dairymen's associations, and has contributed largely to the practical literature relating to the dairy industry in the Northwest.
Mr. Buell delivered the first annual address before the Illinois State Grange, and also wrote the historical sketch of the Grange for the State Agricultural Report for 1873. That report presents his ideas of the possibilities of that institution.
In the fall of 1866 he received an application to take charge of the Third Ward School at Sterling, and he filled the position two terms, afterward assuming the management of the Second Ward School, which he organized and conducted about three years.
Mr. Buell was married July 21, 1853, in Madison Co., N. Y., to Mary A., daughter of John and Sarah (Mosely) Niles. Mrs. Buell was born Nov. 5, 1828, in Madison County, of which her parents were also natives. They came to Whiteside County in 1869, and for several years were members of the family of their daughter. Later on, they removed to Sterling, where they died. The decease of the father took place Nov. 23, 1882. That of the mother occurred Sept. 1, 1884. Their children were A. Mosely, Sarah S., Susan A., Mary A., John W., Harvey, Anna H. and S. Wheeler. Mr. and Mrs. Buell have lost three - children by death. They were named John E., Ira J. and Mary A. Four children are still living, named Jewett C., Fred, Charles C., Jr., and Sarah I.
The portrait of Mr. Buell will be cordially received by the patrons of the Whiteside COunty Album. His record in three of the noblest States of the Union reflects credit of no ordinary degree upon his abilities as a scholar, patriot and man of business. He is a representative of the best type of the American citizen, who surpasses the men of all other nationalities in versatility of powers and who can achieve equal success in diverse avenues of business. Mr. Buell's portrait which appears on a previous page is a copy of a likeness taken in 1885.
1885 Portrait and Biographical Whiteside Co Pg 397
C. C. Buell was born in Madison county, New York, in 1828, and was educated at the Madison University, New York, He was valedictorian at the Junior exhibition of his class, and also at the graduation, and was teacher for eight years in Hamilton-four years as Principal of Hamilton Academy, and four years as Principal of Hamilton Female Seminary. Upon coming West Mr.Buell settled in Anamosa, Jones county, Iowa, from which place he entered Union army in 1861, as First Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster of 14th Iowa volunteers, raising by his own instrumentality nearly a whole company for the service, He was afterwards promoted to be Assistant Adjutant Quartermaster, and held the position during most of the civil war, being with Gen. Lanman at the battle of Fort Donelson, and with other commanding officers at Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, and Meridian. He was also with Gen. Banks in the Red River expedition, and was especially named in the report of the commanding officer at the battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, for galantry while in charge of an ammunition wagon, in hauling it from the field in face of the advancing line of the enemy, and saving from capture a piece of artillery belonging to a New York battery, which had been abandoned by all save a single officer. Following this expedition, he was afterwards at the battle of Tupelo, and other less important engagements, finishing his term of service the staff of Gen. A. J. Smith, in the pursuit of Price in Missouri. Since the war he has been a resident of Montmorency township, engaged for most of time in the occupation of a farmer, making the dairy business a specialty. He returned, however, to his former occupation as a teacher for a short time, teaching three years in Sterling, during which time he organized the Second Ward school in the new school building. As a citizen Mr. Buell has taken an active part in the public enterprises of the day. He has been an influential member of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, and delivered the first annual address before the State Grange of Illinois. He has also read leading papers before the State Farmers’ Association, Dairymen’s Conventions, etc., and contributed many articles to newspapers on subjects pertaining to these pursuits, among which was the article on the Patrons of Husbandry, published in the Transactions of the Department of Agriculture of the State of Illinois in 1872. Mr. Buell succeeded the Hon. Tyler McWhorter as Supervisor from the township of Moutmorency, and has been twice re-elected.
1877 Bent & Wilson
