Lewis Publishing Company, 1904

Transcribed from the original book by Kristin J. Vaughn © 2008

John London Page 547 John London, who has been a resident of Jefferson county, Nebraska, since 1890, is one of the foremost farmers and business men, and a man with a fine record in matters of citizenship and private affairs. He was born in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, October 19, 1845. His great-grandfather was an Englishman, but Isaiah and John London, his grandfather and father, respectively, were both natives of Pennsylvania. John London married Trephena Estes, who was born of an old New York family. In 1854 the family moved to DeKalb county, Illinois, near Sycamore, being early settlers of that county. They afterward moved to Bates county, Missouri, where John London died at the age of seventy-three. He was a farmer and mason by trade, and in politics a Republican. His wife died in Jefferson county, Nebraska, at the age of sixty-five. They had five children: John; Joseph, in Diller, Nebraska; Samuel; Mary, who died in Bates county, Nebraska; and James. Mr. London was reared on the farm in DeKalb county, Illinois, and remained there until he went to California in 1864. August 20, 1864, he enlisted at Sacramento, California, in Company F, Second California Cavalry, under Captain Starr and Colonel McGary. The regiment saw a great deal of active service in protecting the settlers of northern California from the Indians. The latter were on the warpath during most of the Civil war period, and ran off stock and raided and killed the settlers wherever the latter were not defended. The regiment made many forced marches and suffered much from cold, hunger and exposure. They were stationed in Posey county, California, for a time, were then in service in Chico; were in Sacramento valley two or three months; were then sent to Surprise valley in northeastern California, where the Indians had driven off many head of stock and murdered some of the settlers. In this campaign they suffered severely, both from lack of food and from the cold of the mountains. They had to go to Fort Crook through four feet of snow, and in the nine days of wandering many had their feet and hands frozen, while the horses were without hay and the men for three days without food. They had a half-breed scout for a guide, and they were all in a sorry condition when they reached the fort. They made battle with the bad Indian "Jim," and captured many of the braves besides some of the squaws and children, and after many such fights drove the redskins back to the mountains away from the settlements. He was in a battle with the Indians on February 15, 1866, in which eighty-one Indians were killed. They were again in Surprise valley for a time, and thence back to Sacramento, where Mr. London received his discharge June 28, 1866, after a creditable record as a soldier, although he was not yet of age. After returning from California he lived in Butler county, Iowa, for some time, and in 1877 came to Bates county, Missouri, thence to Smith county, Kansas, where he lived twelve years, and then sold his farm and moved to Jefferson county, Nebraska, settling five miles northwest of Diller. He has been continually prosperous, has managed his affairs wisely, and has small complaints to make about the way fortune has treated him. Mr. London was married in Chickasaw county, Iowa, in February, 1873, to Miss Jane Slaight, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of Stephen and Caroline Slaight, both deceased and the latter died at the age of eighty-eight; their son W.M. Slaight is in South Dakota and Frank lives in Illinois, and Miranda (Mrs. Johnson) in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. London have had a happy married life of thirty years, and have many friends in Jefferson county. They have four children: Marshall is a farmer, and married Viola Marshall, by whom he has a daughter, Alice V.; Daisy is a successful teacher in Jefferson county, and has been engaged in this work for nine years; Llewellyn and Ira, the younger children, are at home. Mr. London is an active member of Nickajack Post, G.A.R., at Diller, and also affiliates with the Masonic bodies. He is a frank and genial character, popular with his fellow citizens, and deserves the success which has rewarded his efforts.