CIVIL WAR LETTER

“John L. Hebron, son of Alexander and Lydia (Giles) Hebron, was born in Steubenville, Ohio, January [or December] 17, 1842, died in the city of his birth, May 25, 1914, and was laid at rest in the family vault in Union Cemetery. He was educated in the public schools of Steubenville, and then became an apprentice to the granite and marble cutting trade. He continued in that line until his enlistment on September 5, 1861, as a bugler in Company G, Second Regiment, Ohio Volunteers. He was engaged with his regiment at the battles of Ivy Mountain, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Stone River, Hoover’s Gap, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and in many engagements and skirmishes. At the battle of Stone River the color bearer of the Thirtieth Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, Confederate, was shot, and the flag of the regiment was captured by Colonel McCook, who gave it to bugler Hebron to take to the rear, which he did in safety. He was honorably discharged from the service in Columbus, Ohio, October 10, 1864, having been in the service something over three years without receiving the slightest visible physical injury.

After returning from the war, he resumed work at his trade in Steubenville, and became a skilled marble and granite cutter, specializing in monumental work. He opened a marble yard in Steubenville, in the McEldowney building on Market Street, and there he continued in the monumental business for many years. He met with a fair degree of success in his business, and many of the monuments and gravestones seen in Union Cemetery were erected by Mr. Hebron. Prior to his passing, he erected a Hebron family monument in Union Cemetery. About the year 1900 he retired from business, being a great sufferer from varicose veins, a trouble induced by exposure and fatigue while in the army.

Mr. Hebron was a Republican in politics, and served his city as councilman and member of the Board of Education. He was one of the charter members of Webster Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Steubenville, was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was an attendant of St. Paul Protestant Episcopal Church. He was well known in Steubenville, and was highly esteemed as a man of honor and integrity.

On February 19, 1873, Mr. Hebron married, in Wheeling, West Virginia, Martha E. Dalby, born in Steubenville, Ohio, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Huff) Dalby, both families of Washingtin county, Pennsylvania, and early settlers in Steubenville, where they located as early as the year 1803. Mrs. Hebron survives her husband, a resident of Steubenville, Ohio, her home No. 536 South Fourth street. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Four children were born to John L. and Martha E. (Dalby) Hebron: 1. Jessie Edgington, who died in Steubenville, Ohio. 2. Victor, a master plumber of Steubenville, Ohio; married Grace Dean. 3. Solon Chase, engaged in the pottery business; married Catherine Grimm, and they have two children, Claud Dean and Beaulah. 4. Sue, married Ralph L. Jones, secretary of La Belle Iron Works; Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of a daughter, Martha A. Mrs. Jones is secretary of the Republican Woman’s Club of Steubenville, Ohio, and an active worker.” [Source:American Biography: A New Cyclopedia, Volume 11, by William Richard Cutter, page 222]

TheRepositoryof Canton, Ohio, of26 May 1914 carried the following cryptic obituary for John under the heading, “He Prepared to Die” — Steubenville, O., May 26. — When John L. Hebron, a prominent Odd Fellow, died here Monday, his grave was dug, his vault built, and the tombstone ready for the date. He had arranged all these in later years. He was 71 years old.

TRANSCRIPTION

Murfreesboro, Tennessee
March 20, 1863

Dear Mother,

I received yours of the 7th on the 17th but as I had just wrote that morning, I thought I would not answer it then.

I sent my picture to you by [Jonas] Hoffmeyer. I wrote in my letter of the 17th for a box. If you have not sent it yet and you intend to send, you might fill up the crevices with onions as I am very fond of them and they are scarce here at 2 dollars a peck. Apples sell at 3 for a quarter. A pint bottle of pickles sell for 75 cents, a quart can of tomatoes at $1 and $1.25 &c. &c.

We got that box of tobacco from Steubenville yesterday. It will help us along considerable as there was about 10 plugs apiece. Tobacco that we used to get at home for 3 cents a plug sells here at 15 cents. Twenty cent plugs sell for $1.

I did write for Mary not to write anymore. I also did the same thing while I was at Battle Creek when she wrote to me the reason for doing so was because I don’t write anything to you but what I want the whole family to read and I can scarcely find enough to write you a decent letter and one is enough in one family.

When I wrote for Mary to use that money I sent home, I meant for her to use for she need not think it comes like pulling teeth for I thought she knew better than that. When I first sent money home, I intended you to use it and I expected you to use it for if I kept it, I would only spend it. I got that letter with the Confederate note in it. I thought when I wrote home for it, I thought that it was more plenty around there. I see advertisements where it sells for a trifle. I can buy it out here for 10 cents a bill of any size. George Whellier, I suppose, would like to make 5 or 10 dollars. I can get genuine Confederate money for 25 cents for a dollar but the facsimile is just as good to the niggers.

I have no paper that I could copy them [bugle] calls off on and besides, I could not do it in a week. Hans gets the [bugle] calls in the drill book called U.S. Infantry & Rifle Tactics. He can get it at any book store.

I don’t know of anything else to write this time so I will close. From your affectionate son, — John L. Hebron

TERMS

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