My Genealogy Hound

LEWIS W. PEMBERTON, an extensive agriculturist living on section 1, township 44, range 29, Johnson County, is a native of Albemarle County, Va., his birth having occurred December 2, 1819. Before he was twenty-one years of age he joined the force organized for the purpose of driving the Mormons out of the state, but his services were not called into requisition. He is also a veteran of the late war, having been a member of the Confederate army.

The parents of the above-named gentleman were Henry and Mildred (Wood) Pemberton, both of whom were of English descent. They moved from their native state, Virginia, to Saline County, Mo., in 1833, and resided on a farm there about seven years. Then, coming to Johnson County the father entered a large tract of land, as he had eleven children and wished to settle property on each one of them. Of the entire number, our subject is the only survivor, but most of them grew to maturity, married and left families. The father died in 1843, and his wife departed this life in August, 1868.

Lewis W. Pemberton received good common-school advantages, and on reaching his majority was given a quarter-section of land by his father. He at once set to work to improve the place, built a house where his present home now stands, and made many other important changes. Desiring a helpmate in life’s battles, he was married, in November, 1849, to Mrs. Rebecca David, nee Baker. To them were born a daughter and son: Ella F., who married Chalmers Wood, of Lexington, Mo., and died, leaving four children; and Harry L., a farmer of this locality, whose wife died in 1894, leaving him four children. Mrs. Rebecca Pemberton was called to her last rest in 1863.

In July, 1862, our subject enlisted in Company E, Tenth Missouri Cavalry, and took part in the battle of Little Rock, Ark. He then assisted in leading Steele’s army into ambush, and fought Smith’s forces all day at Dick’s Bayou, Ark. Soon afterward he and his comrades tried to capture Pine Bluff, but failed, and when Price made his last raid into Missouri, in 1864, he was in the charge on the fortifications at Pilot Knob and in all the engagements of that campaign, including Jefferson City and the one fought at Glasgow, in Howard County. In the battle near Independence a bullet grazed his coat collar, and his horse was wounded at Drywood, Kan., but he never received injuries. After Price’s raid he was not on duty on account of sickness, and was near Sherman, Tex., at the time of Lee’s surrender.

In August, 1865, Mr. Pemberton returned home. During his absence his wife and children had lived in Warrensburg, where the former had died at the home of her father. Afterward the children went to Saline County, being taken into the family of our subject’s brother. In August, 1868, he married Lavina C. Lankford, of Saline County, and to them was born one child, Nancy L., who is still living with her parents. It has been one of the principal aims of Mr. Pemberton to fit his children well for independent careers, and to give them good educations. His eldest daughter attended school in Virginia and his son studied in a select school at Lexington, and completed his education in the State Normal at Warrensburg, while his youngest daughter, after leaving the Holden schools, entered the normal at Warrensburg, and graduated from the seminary at Independence. Mr. Pemberton gave his son after his marriage one hundred and twenty acres, and still has about eight hundred acres left.