Biography - Malcolm D. Lane
MALCOLM D. LANE. One of the patriotic sons of our country, who in her time of peril gladly sprang to her defense and spent almost the entire period of the Civil War in the army, we are proud to name as the brave soldier whose name heads this paragraph. He is now devoting himself to the peaceful pursuits of farming upon section 19, Ridge Township, Shelby County. He was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, October 26, 1832, and his parents were William and Maria (Griswold) Lane. His father was born in Ohio, and his paternal grandfather in Westmoreland. Pa., while his mother was a native of Connecticut, whose ancestors came originally to Maryland, and built one of the first houses which was erected on the site which is now covered by the city of Baltimore.
Four sons and two daughters, grew up together beneath the parental roof, and Malcolm was the eldest of the number; Marcus died in this State in 1880; Naomi, Mrs. William Propeck, lives in Denison City, Tex.; Rachel, the wife of Jesse Columber, lives in this county; Henry and James M. now reside in Marshall County, Kan.; and John died at the age of seventeen years.
Our subject was married December 9, 1855, to Miss Melinda Updegraff, of Miami County, Kan., a lady who was born in Clarke County, Ohio, January 3, 1838, and went to Kansas with her parents, Andrew and Margaret (Lowman) Updegraph, who were natives of Ohio, in 1855, where she made the acquaintance of Mr. Lane. The young couple resided in that State for five years after marriage, and after the war made their home in Shelby County, this State.
Malcolm D. Lane enlisted in Company I, Seventeenth Ohio Infantry, in August, 1861, and was made a Corporal, he served with Gen. Thomas in Kentucky, and participated in an engagement at Wild Cat, Ky., Mill Spring, Stone River, Chickamauga, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, and the Atlanta campaign, finally marching with Gen. Sherman to the sea. His regiment then joined in the famous march back through the Carolinas to Washington, D. C., and were present at the Grand Review in 1865. The gallant services of this young man were the cause of his being promoted, first to First Sergeant, then to Sergeant-Major, and finally to the rank of First Lieutenant of his company. He was mustered out of service at Louisville, Ky., July 16, 1865, and returned to Shelby County, Ill., where he taught school during the winters for some fifteen years.
Nine children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lane, namely: Samuel G., Emma A., Milton A. and J. Monroe (twins), Minnie R., George A., Katie M., Ella M. and Walter M. The father of these children is wide-awake to all political movements and earnestly affiliates with the Republican party. He was three times elected Assessor of his township, and has held the office of Justice of the Peace, also that of member of the School Board as well as other minor offices. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which their religious activities find abundant opportunity for exercise.
Extracted 08 Apr 2017 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 237-238.
