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- Colonel William S. Moorhouse, a Kansas pioneer, soldier and business man, was born in Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1840. His parents were Edward and Margaret (Lawson) Moorhouse, natives of England. His father was coal merchant at Brownsville, and both parents were active, useful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
- He was educated in the public schools at Brownsville, in the same school under the same teacher with Senator James G. Blaine, the teacher being Joshua Gibbons. On leaving school he immigrated to Kansas, coming in the same company with Colonel John A. Martin and others, and located at Atchinson. His first year was spent principally in politics, "making Kansas a free state," which, though a mere boy, was the purpose of his emigration. After devoting a year to principally to battling for the free-state cause, he entered into the hardware business, which he continued working at after his service in the Civil War.
- On the breaking out of the war, he enlisted as a private in Co. B, 7th Regiment Kansas Cavalry, and was shortly after made second lieutenant. When the unit's captain was killed at Somerville, Tennessee, he was promoted to the vacancy and served three years and six months, eventually being mustered out on March 9, 1865. He participated in the Battle of Iuka, Second Battle of Corinth and the First Campaign Against Vicksburg. Soon after the campaign the regiment re-enlisted as veterans and joined General A.J. Smith's command at Memphis. He was at the Battle of Tupelo and in the engagements in the campaign on the right flank of Sherman's Army. Retiring from that expedition, his command followed General Sterling Price from Arkansas to Kansas City, Missouri, where he participated in the Battles of Lexington, Westport, Big and Little Blue and Mine Creek, where they captured Marmaduke and Cahal. In 1869 he was appointed Kansas Adjutant General by Governor James M. Harvey, who was afterward United States Senator, holding that position for two years.
- He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Friendship Lodge No. 5 of Atchinson. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and held the office of commandant of the post at Atchinson, and was twice a member of the Grand Council of Administration of the United States. He was a lifelong Republican.
- He was married at Atchinson, April 20, 1863, to Miss Annie Holtham.
From the United States Biographical Dictionary
Kansas Volume I
Printed 1879
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