The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
(A fictional story with actual facts)
By Virginia Ross,
In 1860 he was the oldest son of an enterprising farmer and thought his life would be the usual expected of a 26 year old raised working hard learning practical knowledge and raising cows, sheep and hogs on a farm southwest of Biggsville.
Perhaps, he had expressed his expectations to that spirited young lady that he sat behind each Sunday night at the prayer meeting before evening services. His six sisters teased him, no doubt, about his choice of seats each week and his five year old brother he used as a messenger to pass notes to the young lady of interest.
Alas, that is not how his life evolved; for that most terrible of wars, the Civil War, broke out the next year. At first Elisha Huss hesitated to join the fray, for he had married that young lady, Priscilla Beck.
They both were involved in creating a life together until the draft in 1864 placed him in Company A of the 47th Illinois Infantry, Consolidated.
He found himself assigned to a unit composed of soldiers from all over the state sent to Camp Butler at Springfield. December the command was ordered to the duty by way of St. Louis. From there they journeyed to Louisville, KY and then onto Bowling Green.
In January the order come to move by rail to Nashville and then down the Cumberland and up the Tennessee River to Eastport, Miss. where they joined the old Brigade-Second Brigade, First Division, 16th Army Corps accompanying them to New Orleans and Mobile Bay. Here a battle ensued at the Spanish Fort. Additional companies arrived and the efforts were successful with the fall of Mobile.
Although the 47th continued to serve near Selma, Ala., Elisha was discharged on Oct.18, 1864 and returned to Henderson County. What happened in the years ahead only family members know? Elisha died in July 1890 and was buried in the Huss Cemetery where his veteran's stone stands today. This Memorial Day why not honor this soldier by visiting his grave.
Where is Huss Cemetery? Old timers will tell you to head east on Dutch Row and find the sign marking the cemetery situated in the middle of a field to the south side. (Following a present day plat, turn east on County Road 1300N.) Thank you, David Hill, for rescuing this graveyard from obscurity.