Luther A. Thrasher Biography

 

Submitted by: Kyle Condon

Luther A. Thrasher was born Loudoun County, Va., June 26, 1835 and died in Lynchburg, Va., November 15, 1903. At the age of then years he moved with his parents to Belmont County, Ohio. He received his early education in the Academy at Barnsville, Ohio.

He removed to Champaign County, Ill. in 1853 where he engaged in farming and teaching. He taught in Sidney, Ill., until March 1859 when he came to Allen County, Kansas.

He was among the first to teach a subscription school in Iola, and was principal of the Iola School in 1869 and 1870.

He married Amanda L. McClure near Carlyle, Kansas, on Nov. 19, 1870. He had two children, Luther E. and Sara Emily. The mother and daughter survive him.

At the breaking of the Civil War he enlisted on the 28th day of August 1861, as private in the 10th regiment of Kansas volunteers in a company commanded by the late Capt. W.C. Jones.

When the policy of utilizing colored men as troops on the Union side was approved he recruited a company and was made captain of Company E, in a regiment known as the First Kansas Colored Volunteers, under the command of Col. J.M. Williams, which afterward became distinguished as the 79th U.S. Colored troops. On account of his executive ability he was soon assigned to duty as quartermaster of the 2nd brigade of the frontier division 7th army corps, which position he filled faithfully until the close of the war.

On the 13th of March 1865, the rank of major by brevet was conferred upon him "for gallant and meritorious service during the war" He was not discharged for the service until October 1, 1865.

During Indian troubles in Kansas and north west in 1868-69, the governor of Kansas, S.J. Crawford, appointed and commissioned him first lieutenant and regimental quartermaster of the 19th regiment of Kansas volunteer Calvary