A Civil War soldier, Kansas pioneer, and respected citizen of Corning, Kansas
Early Life in Ohio
Edward Spense Vernon was born November 13, 1842, near Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio, to Samuel Vernon (1810–1891) and Elizabeth Spry Vernon (1812–1847). His childhood was shaped by the rugged hills and pioneer farms of eastern Ohio. He received his early schooling in a small log schoolhouse and grew up with the values of hard work, honesty, and service that would mark his entire life.
Edward came from a deeply American lineage. His grandparents, John and Elizabeth (Bowers) Vernon, were early settlers of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, before the family moved west to Ohio in the early 1800s. His grandmother, Elizabeth Vernon, lived until 1880, and his father Samuel farmed in Muskingum County before later joining family in Kansas.
Edward had several siblings and half-siblings, including John Wells Vernon, Elijah J. Vernon, Charles M. Vernon, and Samuel Newt Vernon.
Answering the Call to Serve: The Civil War Years
When the Civil War broke out, nineteen-year-old Edward answered President Lincoln’s call for volunteers. On December 18, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at Camp Gilbert in Zanesville. The regiment was organized under Colonel Mortimer D. Leggett and became part of the Army of the Tennessee, serving under generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman.
Campaigns and Battles
Edward’s regiment saw nearly continuous service for more than three years, fighting in many of the most decisive campaigns of the Western Theater. Among them were:
- Fort Donelson, Tennessee (February 1862) — the regiment’s first major action.
- Battle of Shiloh (April 1862) — Edward’s first taste of combat, described as his “baptism of fire.”
- Siege of Vicksburg (May–July 1863) — the 78th fought at Raymond, Champion Hill, and throughout the siege, helping to secure control of the Mississippi River.
- Atlanta Campaign (1864) — the regiment fought through Kennesaw Mountain, Bald Hill, and Atlanta itself, suffering heavy losses; thirteen color-bearers were killed or wounded.
- March to the Sea (Nov–Dec 1864) — Edward marched with Sherman’s army from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia.
- Carolinas Campaign (1865) — the 78th helped capture Columbia, South Carolina, and fought at Bentonville, North Carolina, before Johnston’s surrender.
He was promoted to Corporal in 1863 and Sergeant in July 1864. He was never hospitalized and took part in more than twenty engagements, always “in the line of duty.”
At the war’s end, Edward joined his regiment in the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C., on May 24, 1865, before being mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, on July 11, 1865.
Marriage and Family Life
After returning home to Ohio, Edward married Martha “Mattie” Stiers on November 15, 1866, in Sonora, Ohio. Mattie was born September 22, 1846, the daughter of John W. and Cornelia (Bagley) Stiers.
The couple had five children:
- Samuel W. Vernon (1867–1916), Delta, Colorado
- Frank W. Vernon, Olathe, Colorado
- Newton L. Vernon, Corning, Kansas
- Mae Vernon Maneval, Salina, Kansas
- Edward G. Vernon, Lawrence, Kansas
Pioneer Life in Kansas
In December 1869, Edward and Mattie joined the westward movement, traveling by wagon and horseback to Nemaha County, Kansas, where they settled on a homestead three miles west of Corning. There they built a 16 × 32-foot home—large enough that early school sessions were sometimes held inside.
Over time, the Vernons expanded their farm to 240 acres, building a prosperous and respected homestead. In 1897, after nearly three decades of farming, they moved into Corning, enjoying a comfortable home near the school grounds.
Edward’s life after the war embodied the resilience and optimism of the American pioneer. He served his community faithfully—trustee of Illinois Township, member of the local and Corning school boards, and a devoted Methodist Episcopal Church member from the age of nine.
Grand Army of the Republic Leadership
A proud Union veteran, Edward helped organize and lead the Grand Army of the Republic in Kansas. He first joined Centralia Post No. 188 in 1883, later transferring to Corning Post No. 259, where he was elected Post Commander and served in that capacity for eighteen years.
He frequently contributed letters to The National Tribune, a newspaper for Union veterans. His published recollections include accounts of:
- “Dodging Bullets” at Atlanta (1890)
- “Charging Up Brush Mountain” near Kennesaw (1899)
- “Running the Batteries at Vicksburg” (1905)
- “At Pocotaligo, S.C.” (1913)
- “Sharpshooting at Vicksburg” (1917)
- “Who Raised the First Flag at Columbia, S.C.” (1909)
Through these vivid accounts, he preserved the history of the 78th Ohio and the sacrifices of his comrades for future generations.
Later Years and Passing
Mattie Vernon died on June 3, 1918, after more than fifty years of marriage. Edward continued to live in Corning, remaining active in civic and veterans’ affairs.
In the autumn of 1926, he went to Salina, Kansas, to spend the winter with his daughter Mae Maneval. He became seriously ill and passed away there on December 10, 1926, at the age of 84 years and 28 days.
Funeral services were held at the Methodist Church in Corning on December 12, conducted by Rev. W. N. Smitherman of Oneida and Rev. Alvin Rowe. Members of the Corning G.A.R. Post attended in a body, and the American Legion served as pallbearers. Interment followed beside his beloved wife in the Corning Cemetery.
Legacy
Edward Spense Vernon’s life tells a classic American story—of patriotism, perseverance, and community. From the bloody fields of Shiloh and Vicksburg to the windswept Kansas prairie, he lived with courage and faith.
In his twilight years, he was described as “one of Corning’s most highly esteemed pioneers,” a kind neighbor and loyal friend whose memory continued to inspire both veterans and the next generation. His legacy endures in the history of Nemaha County and in the long shadow cast by those who fought to preserve the Union.