Amasa King

1832-1870

Amasa King was born in Franklin County, Ohio, He and his parents relocated to Mercer County, Blackcreek Township, Ohio  in 1834.  Amasa was the son of  Josias King

1809-1846 and Elizabeth Dague 1813-1878. He married Catherine Mihm on 11 May 1854 in Van Wert County, Ohio (#400). Amasa King was a farmer and head sawyer by trade. He and Catherine had at least five children I can name: Zachery Taylor, Laura Ellen, Franklin, Emma and Louis.

In 1861, early at the onset of the Civil War,  Amasa signed up for three years with the Union Army. He was a 1st Sergeant in "A" Company of the 46th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His company fought in the battle of Shiloh "Pittsburgh Landing" the siege of Vicksburg, the battles of Missionary Ridge, New Hope Church and Kenesaw Mountain. I photographed the plaque shown below which at the Shiloh National Battlefield Park in Tennessee. It marks the spot in the line of battle where the 46th Ohio Infantry was camped during the outbreak of the battle at Shiloh.

Amasa's wife Catherine Mihm was the daughter of Valentine Mihm 1799-1861 and Rachel Holben 1796-1892. Her brother John Henry Mihm, Amasa's brother-in-law, was also stationed at Shiloh attached to the 46th Ohio Infantry. On the historic days April 6 and 7th,1862, the Confederate Army advanced to their front by surprise. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War. Figures differ depending on the source but Union casualties were about 13,047 killed, wounded or missing and the Confederate side had 10,699 killed, wounded or missing. Henry Mihm ended up in a hospital in Cincinnati some time after the battle. Later in life he was committed to a mental institution in Dayton, Ohio. While Catherine Mihm's husband and brother were fighting in the south, her other brother. Amasa's other brother-in-law David Mihm, was a soldier with the Union Army, stationed in Missouri. Amasa King became ill from exposure during the war. I'm not sure if there was a connection but a few years later Amasa died of "lung fever" (pneumonia), March 15,1870. Amasa is buried in Ridge Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. Van Wert.

Shiloh Battlefield Tennessee

Ridge Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. Van Wert