John H. Poffinbarger, a Civil war veteran who is now a prominent farmer and stock raiser in Plum Grove township, is a native of Ohio. He was born in Ross county, April 30, 1844, and is a son of John and Sorrenia (Simmerl) Poffinbarger, both natives of Ohio, the former of German and the latter of English descent. John H. was the eldest of a family of three children. When he was six years of age, the family migrated from Ohio to Illinois, locating in Cumberland county. They left their native State on Christmas day in 1850. The father died a short time after the family settled in Illinois and the mother married again and soon afterward the family removed to Missouri, where John H. grew to manhood.

He was yet a mere boy of sixteen when the Civil war broke out, but even at that early age, he enlisted in the home guards and in December, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, Twenty-third regiment, Missouri infantry, serving under Capt. John Fisher and Colonel Robison in General Prentice's division. They were first engaged in northern Missouri against the Confederate guerillas which infested that section of the State. Later they were transferred to the army of the Cumberland, going by boat from St. Louis down the Mississippi and up the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. They reached Shiloh just in time to participate in that memorable engagement. They disembarked at six o'clock on Saturday evening and the battle began at daybreak on Sunday morning, before many of the soldiers had breakfast. The battle raged all day but darkness ended the conflict, only for a time, to be resumed at daybreak

the following day which was ended at noon by a Union victory. Mr. Poffinbarger was severely wounded about six o'clock on the evening of the first day, being struck on the hip by an ounce ball. He remained all that night and until noon the next day on the field where he fell, when almost exhausted from loss of blood, pain and exposure, he was removed to a field hospital and later sent to a hospital at Louisville, Ky. He remained there about a year when he was transferred to a hospital at Gallipolis, Ohio, remaining there another year. He finally recovered sufficiently to leave the hospital but still carries the effect of that great conflict, in which he nearly gave his life to the cause of the Union. He was finally discharged on account of disability and went to his old home in Ross county where he remained with an uncle about six months, during which time he was under the care of a physician, and later went to Cincinnati where he remained in the hospital until he recovered. After returning to Harrison county, Missouri, he went to Vernon county, that State, where he remained three years.

On June 17, 1866, Mr. Poffinbarger was united in marriage at Kickapoo, Kans., to Miss Rebecca Jeffries, a daughter of Mathias and Margaret (Miller) Jeffries, natives of Ohio, the former of Fayette county and the latter of Clark county. Mrs. Poffinbarger was one of a family of six children. When she was ten years old her parents removed from Ohio to Harrison county, Missouri, and settled in the neighborhood where Mr. Poffinbarger's people had settled. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Poffinbarger resided in Vernon and Platt counties, Missouri, until 1870. In the fall of that year they came to Butler county, Kansas, and homesteaded a quarter section of land on Four Mile creek in Plum Grove township. At that time there was not even a trail across their claim and only three families lived on Four Mile creek and surrounding country. Here they engaged in farming and after passing through the pioneer struggles of the first few years prosperity came and in a short time, Mr. Poffinbarger bought another quarter section of land and has continued to add to his homestead until he now owns 560 acres of some of the best land to be found in Butler county. His place is well improved with good farm buildings, and is an ideal stock farm. Mr. Poffinbarger is not only an extensive stock raiser and farmer but one of the successful feeders of this section. He has conducted his business in a way that bespeaks for him marked business ability and keen foresight.

To Mr. and Mrs. Poffinbarger have been born the following children: Charles P., Butler county; John H., Jr., on the home place; Warren, Butler county; Fannie, married B. O. Graham, St. Louis, Mo.; James, Butler county, and Grace, married Clyde Harper, El Dorado, Kans. Mr. Poffinbarger is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is a Republican, although he has never sought political office.

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