Co. K, 26th ILL. Infantry
Pg. 149 thru 152, “A Biographical History of Central Kansas,
Illustrated Embellished with Portraits of Many Well-Known People of
this Section of the Great West, who have been or are Prominent in its
History and Development Volume I, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1902.
SAMUEL P. TETER.
Samuel P. Teter, a leading and influential agriculturist of Reno
county, maintains his residence at 1517 North Main street in
Hutchinson, and in this city which has for so many years been his home
he has made many friends, who esteem him highly for many excellencies
of character. A native of the Old Dominion, he was born in Pendleton
county, on the 22d of February, 1842. His father Laban Teter, was a
native of the same locality, born about the year 1810, and he followed
the tilling of the soil as a life occupation. The paternal
grandfather of our subject was a native of the fatherland and after
coming to this country located in Virginia. He was a brave and loyal
soldier during the terrible struggle for liberty. In the Old Dominion
he spent the remaining years of his life, having followed the trade of
blacksmith. Laban Teter was one of a family of eleven children, all
of whom have long since passed to the home beyond. When about
twenty-four years of age he was united in marriage to Sarah Wayman, a
native also of Virginia. In 1849 Mr. Teter emigrated with his family
to McLean county, Illinois making the journey with one two-horse team
and one five-horse team, and having started in the fall, they
encountered very severe weather during the trip, at times the snow
having fallen to a depth and they suffered many hardships and
privations. Before starting on the long, wearisome journey Mr. Teter
had sold his farm of one hundred acres in Virginia for fourteen
hundred dollars, and a part of this money invested in a one hundred
and sixty acre tract in McLean county, Illinois, then raw prairie
land. As time passed, however, he improved his land and added to his
original purchase until his landed possessions consisted of six
hundred acres, on which he made many substantial improvements, and
upon this valuable tract he spent the remainder of his earthly
pilgrimage. At the time of his death he was residing with his
youngest son, Reuben, who had taken charge of the farm. Mrs. Teter
had passed to the home beyond two years prior to her husband’s demise.
He was a very prominent man in his community, having filled many of
the local offices, and in political matters he was identified with the
Republican party. He was a stanch Union man, and was a prominent and
worthy member of the Methodist church, in which he long served as a
deacon. His death was occasioned from blood poisoning, caused by
having a finger pricked by a hedge thorn. Unto this worthy couple
were born thirteen children, of whom our subject was the fourth in
order of birth, but several of the children died in infancy. Those
who reached mature years were; Malinda, who died in McLean county,
Illinois; Jonathan, also deceased; Huldah, the wife of Will. Edmunds,
a farmer of Hutchinson, Kansas; Laban C., deceased; Samuel P., the
subject of this review; Sallie E., wife of Solomon Phillips, a veteran
of the Civil war and now a prominent farmer of McLean county,
Illinois; Reuben D., who is engaged in fruit farming near Salem,
Oregon; Sina, who makes her home with her sister in McLean county;
Almeda, who died in Haven township; and Hezekiah B., also deceased.
The second son, Jonathan, was a member of Company F, Ninety-fourth
Illinois Infantry, during the Civil war, but after nine months’
service was discharged on account of disability. He took part in the
battles of Prairie Grove and Spring Hill, and in the last named
engagement suffered the loss of one of his eyes. His death occurred
in Hutchinson, Kansas, in 1899. Laban C. also rendered valuable
service to his country during the war of the rebellion, becoming a
member of Company K, Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, his
military career covering a period of three years, nine months and
twenty-one days. He was wounded in a charge made on a fort in front
of Atlanta. He was loved and honored among his fellow soldiers for
his strict adherence to the standard of Christian manhood, and all who
knew him entertained for him the highest respect and esteem. He
passed to the home beyond about 1885, while residing near his father’s
home in McLean county.
Samuel P. Teter, whose name introduces this review, received only
meager educational advantages during his youth, having attended school
but twenty days in all, and that having been during his absence from
the army on a furlough. When only fifteen years of age he performed a
man’s work in the harvest fields, after the close of the day’s labor
in the field it would be his task to feed the horses, cattle and hogs
and milk the cows, his work extending until late in the evening. His
father was at that time engaged in the stock business, owning about
one hundred head of cattle and one hundred and fifty hogs, while his
landed possessions consisted of six hundred acres. In this manner our
subject spent his youth and early manhood. When the trouble between
the north and south culminated in civil war he nobly offered his
services to the Union cause, enlisting in 1861 at Bloomington in
Company K, Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. On account of
sickness, however, he was unable to accompany his regiment on their
march to the south, but he joined it in St. Louis, and from there the
regiment was sent to Madrid, its first engagement being at Island No.
10. For about four months thereafter Mr. Teter was absent from duty
on account of sickness, caused by typhoid fever, but in the spring of
1862 he rejoined the army at Holly Springs. Reaching LaGrange, he was
among the one
Hundred who were left there to hold the fort. He was at that time
much broken in health and was daily expecting his discharge, but it
was delayed and when it finally arrived he had grown so strong and
rugged that his captain burned the paper without telling him of it’s
arrival, nor was he acquainted of the fact until the war had closed.
Mr. Teter entered the service as a fifer, but after regaining his
health he demanded a place in the ranks as a soldier, and the request
was granted him. From La Grange they went to Memphis and participated
in the taking of that city, and was next stationed on the Yazoo river,
where they were engaged in guarding the city of Vicksburg. On the 4th
of July following the regiment started for Jackson Mississippi, waded
Black river, camped on the opposite side during the night and in the
morning proceeded on their way. During that engagement the regiment
of which our subject was a member charged and finally captured the
deep ditch, but during the combat Mr. Teter was struck in the back,
probably by a piece of shell, and was temporarily disabled for
service. After the capture of Jackson he returned with his regiment
to Black river, where he was taken sick with chills and fever, and
with many other soldiers was sent to Vicksburg, where in company with
five hundred sick and wounded comrades, he was placed on a hospital
boat bound for Memphis, and a few days later his regiment passed that
city on their way to Iuka. After remaining in the hospital for two
days he and a comrade started to rejoin the regiment, and on reaching
Iuka, they were informed that in three days the regiment would start
on a forced march to Chattanooga. With others who were too weak to
walk Mr. Teter was taken to that city in wagons, where he was engaged
in doing guard duty for one month, and during that time witnessed the
taking of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, after which the army
set out to the relief of Burnside at Knoxville, where with many other
invalids he was stationed for a time at Whiteside Station. There they
suffered severely for the want of potatoes as guerrillas had infested
the country and had cut off all supplies. For eleven days these days
those there stationed subsisted on a half an ear of corn each per day,
but they finally organized a party and set out on a foraging
expedition, their first find having been a half bushel of flour, which
they immediately converted into flapjacks and ate until their
appetites were satisfied.
From that point they proceeded to Scottsborough, Alabama, after
which Mr. Teter returned home on a thirty days furlough, on the
expiration of which period he rejoined his regiment near Atlanta and
was engaged in the battle on the 22d of July, 1864, where the beloved
McPherson fell, and his death was mourned by the entire army. During
Hood’s attack on the Fifteenth Corps, Mr. Teter was struck in the face
by a spent ball, inflicting a slight wound, and on the 26th of August
following, while sitting within about ten feet of the enemy lines and
while waiting for his mail, he was again wounded, a Minnie ball
striking him in the left side of the head, crushing the skull and
inflicting a very severe wound. After being treated for a time in the
field hospital he was put in an ambulance and taken to Marietta,
Georgia, where he was confined in Mother Beckerdyke’s ward, there
receiving excellent care. Although so severely wounded, his recovery
was rapid, and after sufficiently regaining his health he returned
home on a thirty day’ furlough, but his absence from the army extended
over a period of two months. Rejoining the army, he went first to New
York, thence to Hilton Head and next to Beaufort, and ten miles from
that city, on the march to Raleigh, he once more entered the ranks.
During their journey to that city they were informed by Logan that Lee
had surrendered, and the long, continued and deafening cheers which
followed the announcement can better be imagined than described. From
Raleigh they proceeded to Goldsboro, where Mr. Teter on account of
wounds and having no shoes was mounted and with the regiment made
foraging expeditions. From there they proceeded to Washington D. C.,
where they participated in the grand review, the grandest military
pageant ever witnessed in this country. He was mustered out of
service at Louisville, Kentucky, and at Springfield, Illinois,
received his honorable discharge.
Returning to McLean county, Mr. Teter once more took up the quiet
and peaceful duties of the farm, remaining with his father for one
year. The home farm was then divided, he receiving as his share a
seventy acre tract, which he farmed until 1887, and in that year came
to Hutchinson, Kansas. During his first year’s residence in this
locality he was employed at various occupations, but he then purchased
a team and engaged in farming two and a half miles northwest of
Hutchinson, where he remained for two years, and for a time thereafter
was engaged in the dairy business in Newton. His next place of
residence was in Oregon, but after six months spent in that state he
returned to Kansas and resumed the dairy business. After a time he
again went to Oregon, where he remained for nine months, and since
that time he has followed farming in Reno county, Kansas, during a
portion which period he also served on the police force.
In McLean county, Illinois, Mr. Teter was united in marriage with
Phoebe Jane Stewart, a native of the Old Dominion and a daughter of
John and Phoebe Jan (Hunter) Stewart. Ten children have blessed this
union, namely; Dicey Albert, who is engaged in farming five miles
north of Hutchinson; Allie Estella, who died in infancy; Ira J., who
is engaged in farming near the old homestead; Maggie G., wife of
Robert Reed, a stone mason of Hutchinson; Jonathan Edwin, a farmer of
this county; Nancy May, wife of O. Archer, who also follows
agricultural pursuits in this county; Jess, Samuel Carl, Jennie Myrtle
and Alfred, who are still at home. Mr. Teter casts his ballot in
favor of the men and measures of the Republican party, and on its
ticket has been elected to many positions of honor and trust,
including that of school director. He maintains pleasant relations
with his old army comrades through his membership with Joe Hooker
Post, No. 17, G. A. R., and for efficient service which he rendered
his country in her time of trouble he now draws a pension of
twenty-four dollars a month. His has been a well spent life, true to
all public and private duties, and his scrupulous regard for the right
has gained him the esteem of a large circle of friends.
