Bio: Barland, John C. (1881)

Contact: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Barland, Chalmers, Dick, Blanchard

----Source: History of Northern Wisconsin (Eau Claire County, Wis.) 1881, page 314

JOHN C. BARLAND, farmer. Town 27, Sec. 27, Eau Claire Co., was born in Jacksonville. Ill., Nov. 2, 1841. He is the eldest son of Rev. Thomas Barland, a native of Perth, Scotland, who emigrated to America when twenty-five years of age. He had up to that time devoted his life to the various departments of study at the schools and Perth Academy, and graduated at St. Andrew's College, Edinburgh, after which he studied theology with Dr. Dick and Dr. Chalmers. His health becoming impaired, he, with his wife, came to America, and settled in Jackson, where John was born. When about twelve years of age, John, with his father's family, came to Eau Claire County, and has since lived on land his father located, except the Winter of 1854 and 1856, when he took six months' schooling in Knox Academy, under the teaching of President Blanchard. He entered the military service in the 16th Wis. Vol. Inf., enlisting in the Fall of 1863. Early in the Spring of 1864, the regiment went to Vicksburgh, where it remained a short time, when it moved to Black River. While in Vicksburgh, Mr. Barland, whose health was rather delicate, was stricken down with a fever, but from which he made a fair recovery. The regiment was ordered up the river to Cairo, and embarked on transports, in May, from Vicksburgh, and shortly after, went up the river on a fleet of thirteen transports, with a convoy of gunboats up the Ohio, and debarked at Clifton, Tenn. From this date until the close of the war, the campaign was one of great activity. Mr. Barland was much of the time on detached service, in subordinate command of the train guard, a most ceaseless and arduous duty, much of the time getting very little rest day or night, and at one time during the campaign was laid up a few days from sheer exhaustion. However, he took an active part in several of the engagements, went through on the March to the Sea, and from Savannah to Washington. There was a great strife between the corps commanders of the 16th and 17th Corps, to see which should lead the other into Washington, and many fell out by the way, unable to keep up with their command. John kept up with his command most of the way on that terrible march, and finally stripped for the march by throwing away nearly everything except his gun, and was obliged to yield from sheer exhaustion, but luckily managed to reach the rear of the army, after a weary march, while it was crossing one of the great rivers on the line of march, making most of the march barefooted. His rank was that of corporal. He was discharged with his regiment, in July, 1865, and returned home, and was immediately forced into the "front rank" on the farm, which sadly showed the neglect of the husbandman during his term in the war. By good management and industry, he has improved and enlarged his farm, and keeping a dairy of thirty-five cows, regularly supplies milk for a portion of the city of Eau Claire. He employs a good force on his farm, and is taking the world easier, living near town, and fortified by an ample newspaper list, and occasionally contributing to them, by poetry and sketches. P. O., Eau Claire.