James Benjamin Cline (1833 - 1907)

Born 12 Sep 1833 in Lockport, New York

Descendants

Died 3 Feb 1907 at age 73 in Granada, Colorado

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Biography

This is the Obituary of James Cline written by his eldest son, James Elgian Cline:

Death of a Pioneer 1907

Capt.J. B. Cline, the last known survivor of John Brown's Famous little band of intrepid warriors who helped to make history, died at his home south of Granada on the morning od Sunday February 3rd. Death came to him from paralytic stroke, which rendered him helpless and incapable of taking nourishment. About ten years ago he suffered a similar stroke, from which he rallied.

Captain Cline was born in 1833 at Lockport, New York. At the age of 16, after the death of his parents, he went to Milwaukee, where he engaged in cabinet making for several years. In the early 1850's he made the overland pilgrimage to California and prospected there for three years. He returned by way of Cuba and Central America. Later he went to Kansas and bought a piece of land near Osawatomie, where he built a home for himself and his intended bride, Miss Lena Fleischman.

About this time young Cline was captured by a band of border ruffians who, after burning everything on the premises, took himself and his hired man to Missouri, where they were questioned by a commanding planter as to their reason for settling on land that God gave man in common. After this trial Cline and his man were given liberty of the plantation. Soon, unknown to their captors, they secured two blooded horses and stole away while their captors were drinking in celebration of the catch they made. The fugitives were fully half a mile away when their escape was discovered, and though a hard chase was given them their superior horses took them back to Osawatomie.

Shortly afterward John Brown gave Cline command of sixty men, with which he cleaned up many border ruffians who otherwise would have destroyed the property of many settlers. Theirs was a case of fighting patriots, each man owning a claim. In one skirmish Cline attacked Davis just at daylight, having first kidnapped his pickets. Four were killed and several were wounded, Davis among the latter.

War not having been declared yet, all parties were ordered to lay down their arms and the troop disbanded--John Brown, however, remaining defiant. Captain Cline returned to Wisconsin, where he was married to Miss Fleischman. He lived in Kewaskum, Fondulac and in Pierce County for a number of years. Then the call of the west appealed to him again and he settled in Cherokee County, Kansas. From there he moved to Colorado and here he finished his allotted existence as a man.

Blazing the way, making it possible for others to come, seems to be the mission of some, and Captain Cline was of (missing a portion of the obituary) Flock raising were his occupations during the greater part of his life journey. His ability in the propagation of different plants in this then untried country was valuable not alone to himself but to all others who have since settled here. As a utilizer of the range in connection with the raising of feed he was very successful.

Captain Cline is survived by ten children--seven daughters and three sons. His wife died in August 1887.

On the question of politics and religion Captain Cline had decided convictions. He was a firm believer in an all wise being as the governor of the laws of nature. He always voted a Republican ticket. He was three times elected a Commissioner of Pierce County, Wisconsin. Of late years, however, his political views changed, and he claimed that if he were able to get to the polls he would have voted for Haywood and the entire Socialist ticket. J. E. Cline

Lived in Cherokee County, Kansas in 1880 census he was a farmer.. Lena's job was listed as keeping house.. Said his father was born in New York ans his Mother was born in Pennsylvania..

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