Jonathan Freeman Tilton #2

  General Notes:

John Tilton was born In Noble County, Ohio May 28, 1841. He was married to Mrs. Adeline Eastey in Barton County, Kansas, November 26, 1872, and Mrs. Tilton is the mother of two children by a former marriage, their names being Frank H. Eastey and Estella Eastey, (Now Mrs. Elmer H. Dean of Kansas City.) Mr. Tilton enlisted in the U.S. Army in September, 1861, as a private in Company G., 10th Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He served in manyinortant engagements during the war; among them may be mentioned the campaign against Vicksburg, Jonesboro, Evacuation of Atlanta and other important engagements. He was honorably discharged from service August 16, 1865. Mr. Tilton came west in 1867 and was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad Co., having had numerous contracts for grading and for furnishing timber for bridge work, etc. He went to Denver in 1869 and was employed in Gomer's Mills in Bijou Basin near that city. It was here that he met George Moses the first time. In March, 1870, he and George Moses bought two yoke of oxen and in company with Bill Leak, Joe Townley and W.H, White---better Known as Heck White--- started for Kansas following the U.P. right of way. They finally landed at Ellsworth after encountering a terrific storm near Cheyenne Wells. It was by the merest chance that they were not all frozen to death. They located claims near Ellsworth in the form of soldiers' homesteads and made some improvements, but threw them up and came to Barton County after hearing of the wonderful country near the big bend in the Arkansas. George came ahead to new country while Tilton remained and looked after a big hay contract they secured. John pre-empted the northeast quarter of 32 on the southwest outskirts of Great Bend while George. was to take the southwest quarter of section 28, which is now in the townsite of Great Bend. While John was on his way Salina to file he was overtaken by George who told him not to file on the quarter originally picked for him as it had been decided to locate the town on it. George later filed on the northwest quarter of 32. This was in July or August of 1870. They hunted buffaloes until 1874, but John could not pay out on his preemptious, so he got Bill Leak to homestead who then gave John the north eighty acres of it as his share. John laid out the Ireland's addition to Great Bend in 1887. He was the first constable in the county and served Great Bend as city marshal. He hunted a great deal with George Moses and W.C. Gibson and can tell of some mighty interesting incidents. In 1871 he with George Moses, Jim Gilmore, Jim Travers and W.W. Winstead was hunting buffaloes on Bluff Creek. He and George furnished the outfit, two yoke of oxen for which they had been offered $500. These were the same oxen that brought them from Colorado. They had little more than started whena band of about fifty Indians came charging up about an hour after sundown, but when they saw that the hunting party was ready to fight they laid down their arms and became docile. That night the hunter's oxen were stolen. They hunted for days but were unsuccessful. George Moses who was useing Gilmore's horse came upon a party from east of Wichita who were camped on the Ninnescah and got them to go after the other boys were marooned on Bluff Creek. The party finally were reunited but the oxen were never found. A claim was later allowed by the government for the loss of the oxen. Mr. Tilton is one of the really old timers of the county who are still here and knows the early day history of Barton County and great bend.
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Family Note: Census Place: Great Bend, Barton, Kansas; Roll: T623_471; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 19.
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Jonathan Freeman Tilton was In the Civil War Company G 10Th Regiment Iowa Vol Infantry.

Jonathan married Adeline Moses Eastey in 1872 in Barton Co Kansas. (Adeline Moses Eastey was born on 14 Dec 1832 in Lean Cattaraugus New York, died on 10 Oct 1912 in Kansas City Jackson Co Missouri and was buried Great Bend in Barton Co Kansas Find A Grave #53272945.)