Person Page 250

Victoria Theresa Mims was born on 26 Sep 1838 in Eddyville, Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.^4,5,6 She was probably the female under age 5 listed in the household of her father, John H. Mims, in the 1840 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.¹³
     Her father died on 11 Apr 1850, when Victoria was 11 years old.^14,15 She appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG, in the household of her mother, Caroline Hanson Cresap.^16,17
     Victoria married Willis Benson Machen, son of Henry Ballinger Machen and Nancy Tarrant, on 10 Sep 1859.^4,7,8
     Victoria and Willis appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 14 Aug 1860, reporting real estate of $23,500 and personal estate of $70,040. His children Henry, Edward, John, Mary, and Elizabeth were listed as living with them, as was Elizabeth Gracey, orphaned daughter of Mathew Lyon Gracey and Maria Tilford, but not a relative of Willis and Victoria. He reported 26 slaves in 6 slave houses, of which one, a 13 year-old male, was reported as a fugitive.^18,19
     Victoria and Willis appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of District No. 1, Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 5 Jun 1870, reporting real estate of $17,000 and personal estate of $1100. Their children Minnie, Frank, and Willis, and his son John by a previous marriage were listed as living with them.²⁰
     Victoria and Willis appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., Kentucky G, enumerated 1 Jun 1880. Their children Minnie, Frank, Willis, and Charles were listed as living with them.²¹
     After her husband's death, Victoria was forced to sell her beloved home "Mineral Mount" in Eddyville. She moved in with her sister Mary in her home in Clinton, KentuckyG.²²
     Her husband died on 29 Sep 1893 in Hopkinsville, KentuckyG.^23,24,25
     Victoria died on 24 May 1895 in Clinton, Hickman Co., KentuckyG, at age 56, committing suicide by shooting herself in the head in the home of her sister Mary, where she was living at the time.^9,10,6 She was buried in Riverview Cemetery, Eddyville, KentuckyG.^11,12

Sarah Briscoe Mims was born on 8 Mar 1841 in Eddyville, Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.^4,5,6
     Her father died on 11 Apr 1850, when Sarah was 9 years old.^8,9 She appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG, in the household of her mother, Caroline Hanson Cresap.^10,11
     Sarah died on 20 Jul 1855 in Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, at age 14.⁷

Effie C. Mims was born on 24 Nov 1846 in Eddyville, Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.^4,5,6
     Her father died on 11 Apr 1850, when Effie was 3 years old.^9,10 She appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG, in the household of her mother, Caroline Hanson Cresap.^3,11
     Effie died on 10 Mar 1852 in Eddyville, Caldwell Co., KentuckyG, at age 5.^7,5,8

Rebecca John Mims was born on 21 Jun 1848 in Eddyville, Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.^4,5,6
     Her father died on 11 Apr 1850, when Rebecca was under 2 years old.^12,13 She appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG, in the household of her mother, Caroline Hanson Cresap.^14,15
     Rebecca appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, in the household of her sister, Eudorah and her husband, Matthew Martin Lyon.^16,17
     Rebecca married Jacob Peck Imboden, son of George Imboden and Isabella Wünderlich, on 21 Dec 1869.^7,8,9
     Rebecca died on 21 Sep 1872 in Richmond, VirginiaG, at age 24.¹⁰ She was buried in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VirginiaG.¹¹

William Wallace Smith was born on 4 Mar 1826 in KentuckyG.^4,5,6
     He was probably the male under age 5 listed in the household of his father, Strother J Smith, in the 1830 Federal Census of Montgomery Co., TennesseeG.¹² He was probably the male age 10 to 15 listed in the household of his father in the 1840 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.¹³
     William married Georgina J. Mims, daughter of John H. Mims and Caroline Hanson Cresap, on 29 Jan 1850 in Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.^7,8,9
     William is not listed with his parents in the 1850 census and cannot be found elsewhere. His wife is listed with her mother, Caroline Hanson Cresap, eigth months after their marriage with her name entered strangely. While he is not listed in the record, perhaps he was actually living there.^14,15
     William and Georgina appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 11 Aug 1860, reporting real estate of $100 and personal estate of $300. Their children William, Hanson, James, and Effie were listed as living with them, as were Samual A. Smith, age 24 and a laborer, Anna E. Gregory, age 24 and a domestic, and two year old Sue A. Gregory.³
     William and Georgina appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of District No. 1, Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 27 Jun 1870, reporting personal estate of $200. Their children Hanson, James, Effie, Guy, Robbison, and Hugh were listed as living with them.¹⁶
     William was a physician, according to the 1860 census, but in 1870 reported his occupation as engineer. By1880 he had taken up hotel keeping.^17,18,19,20
     William and Georgina appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., Kentucky G, enumerated 26 Jun 1880. Their son Hugh was listed as living with them.²¹
     William and Georgina appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., Kentucky, at Main St. G, enumerated 5 Jun 1900, reporting they were renting their home. Also listed as living with them was a grandson, Robin Smith, age 14, and four borders: Thomas Leonard, manager of a sawmill, and his wife Louise, Gustava Ritt, an inspector, and Bartley James, a manufacturer.²²
     William died on 13 Sep 1900 at age 74.^10,11 He was buried in Riverview Cemetery, Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG.¹⁰

Matthew Martin Lyon was born on 4 Oct 1825 in Eddyville, Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.^4,5,6 He was probably one of the two males under age 10 listed in the household of his father, Matthew Lyon Jr., in the 1830 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.¹⁰
     He was named an heir in the will of his father, Matthew Lyon Jr., dated 22 Dec 1834.¹¹
     Matthew is probably one of the three males age 10 to15 listed in the household of his father, Elizabeth Maria Martin, in the 1840 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.¹² Matthew appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG, in the household of Frederick Henry Skinner and Helen M. Catlett, son of his father's sister Aurelia, and his wife.^13,14
     Matthew married Eudorah Hanson Mims, daughter of John H. Mims and Caroline Hanson Cresap, on 27 Mar 1855.^7,8,9
     Matthew and Eudorah appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 14 Aug 1860, reporting real estate of $3000 and personal estate of $9500. Their children Caroline and Matthew were listed as living with them, as well as her mother and her sisters Rebecca and Mary. He reported ten slaves in 2 slave houses, of which four were reported as fugitives.^15,16
     Matthew and Eudorah appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of District No. 2, Parkerville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 2 Jul 1870. Their children Caroline, Matthew, and Fay were listed as living with them.¹⁷
     Matthew and Eudorah appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., Kentucky G, enumerated 16 Jun 1880. Their children Caroline, Matthew, and Fay were listed as living with them.¹⁸
     Matthew's occupation was reported as speculator in 1850, miller by 1860, and later he became a farmer.^19,20,21,22
     Matthew died in 1892 in Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, at age ~67.¹ He was buried in Riverview Cemetery, Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG.¹

Willis Benson Machen was born on 5 Apr 1810 in Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.^4,5,6,7 He was probably the male age 10 to 16 listed in the household of his father, Henry Ballinger Machen, in the 1820 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG.¹⁹
      His early training was one common to farm boys, attending the county schools in the winter and working on the farm in summer, but at the age of twenty he entered Cumberland College at Princeton, Kentucky.^10,20
     Willis married first Margaret Aurelia Lyon, daughter of Chittenden Lyon and Nancy Vaughn.^8,9

Partnership with Caleb Cobb --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

Mercantile and Law --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Leaving school, Willis formed a partnership with Caleb Clark Cobb by late 1833 which appears to have been engaged primarily in the iron business. The partners, who in later deeds used the firm name Cobb & Machen, purchased seven parcels of land in Caldwell Co. between 1833 and 1838. Except for one lot in Eddyville, they were all tracts of land, totaling almost 3,300 acres, apparently purchased for iron ore and coal for iron making. They also owned two tracts in Livingston Co. totaling nearly 1200 acres, one of them the site of the Livingston Forge. There may have been others, but the property records for that county have not been examined. Willis apparently left the iron business to take up mercantile interests about the end of this period.^21,22
     In 1838 he entered the mercantile business, supposedly with no capital but a good name. Meeting with reverses, he failed after three years, but was said to have paid all his debts. He then went to contracting and building turnpikes at which he was successful. But after being severely injured he withdrew from hard labor, and in 1843, began the study of law. He was admitted to the bar, and almost immediately built up a large clientage, practicing until 1850 in both Lyon and Caldwell Counties.^10,23,24
     According to local lore, "White Hall," the home of Willis's some-time parter, was sold at the court house door when Robert fell on hard times after the War. It was supposedly purchased by Willis, who later sold it to the state as part of the prison grounds, where it became the prison hospital.²⁵ According to family lore, after the death of his mother in the fall of 1835, Thomas went to live with the family of his mother's brother, Willis Benson Machen. But he apparently returned to his father's home by 1840.²⁶
     Willis appeared on the 1840 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., KentuckyG, with a household consisting of one white male under age 5 (an unknown son?), and one between 30 and 40 (himself); one female under 5 (daughter Mary), and one between 20 and 30 (Margaret Aurelia Lyon); and one male and two female slaves.³
     He was named an executor in the will of John H. Mims dated 3 Mar 1850.²⁷
     Willis and Margaret appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of 2nd District, Caldwell Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 24 Jul 1850, reporting real estate of $900 and three slaves. Their children Mary, Henry, and Edward were listed as living with them.^28,29

Retiring to Farming --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

      On 20 Sep 1850 Willis bought a 400 acre part of "White House Farm" from Robert Livingston Cobb and Gideon Dyer Cobb Jr., for $3,300.³⁰ He then retired to assume the management of his farm. His fine brick residence was situated on a small hill, at the foot of which ran the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, and the Cumberland River, and on either side not over a mile distant were the towns of Eddyville and Kuttawa.^10,31,32,33

Political Service --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     He served as a member of the convention that framed the constitution of Kentucky, and in 1853 defeated his popular opponent, George W. Barbour, for the State Senate. He was elected to the lower house in 1855, 1860, and 1861.^34,35,36
      After the outbreak of the war he was elected by the convention while at Russellville, a member of the Provisional State Government, and served as chairman of that body for some months. He was then elected a member of the Confederate Congress by soldiers in the field and residents of his district, and served two terms. He was reelected by the soldiers in the field alone the second time, and was a member of that body at the close of the war, when he made his escape to Canada. He was soon after joined by his family, but was pardoned in three months by President Andrew Johnson, and returned home.^37,38,36
      In 1872, upon the death of Garret Davis, he was first appointed and then elected to fill Davis' un-expired term in the United States Senate. In 1870, he was very strongly urged to accept the nomination for governor, but declined as there was a question as to his eligibility. He later refused to allow his name to be raised before conventions for that office, although endorsed by many of the State's newspapers. In 1882, he was appointed by Gov. Blackburn one of the State railroad commissioners, which position he held two years.^34,39,36

Death of Wives and Remarriage --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     His wife died around 1856.^40,41,42,43
     Willis married second Eliza N. Dobbins, daughter of Thomas Dobbins and Mary Annapola Jorden Cresap.^10,11 She died on 7 Feb 1858.^44,45,46,47
     Willis married third Victoria Theresa Mims, daughter of John H. Mims and Caroline Hanson Cresap, on 10 Sep 1859.^13,14,15
     Willis and Victoria appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 14 Aug 1860, reporting real estate of $23,500 and personal estate of $70,040. His children Henry, Edward, John, Mary, and Elizabeth were listed as living with them, as was Elizabeth Gracey, orphaned daughter of Mathew Lyon Gracey and Maria Tilford, but not a relative of Willis and Victoria. He reported 26 slaves in 6 slave houses, of which one, a 13 year-old male, was reported as a fugitive.^48,49
     Willis and Victoria appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of District No. 1, Eddyville, Lyon Co., KentuckyG, enumerated 5 Jun 1870, reporting real estate of $17,000 and personal estate of $1100. Their children Minnie, Frank, and Willis, and his son John by a previous marriage were listed as living with them.⁵⁰
     Willis and Victoria appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Eddyville, Lyon Co., Kentucky G, enumerated 1 Jun 1880. Their children Minnie, Frank, Willis, and Charles were listed as living with them.⁵¹
     Willis died on 29 Sep 1893 in Hopkinsville, KentuckyG, at age 83.^16,17,18 He was buried in Riverview Cemetery, Eddyville, KentuckyG.^1,12

Jacob Peck Imboden was born on 15 Sep 1846 in Staunton, Augusta Co., VirginiaG.^4,5,6,7
     He appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Augusta Co., VirginiaG, in the household of his parents, George Imboden and Isabella Wünderlich.¹⁸ He appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Braxton Co., VirginiaG, in the household of his parents, George Imboden and Isabella Wünderlich.¹⁹

Schooling Interrupted by the Civil War --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Jacob enrolled at Virginia Military Institute 31 Mar 1864 and a few weeks later took part in the battle of New Market as a cadet private in Co. D, where he was slightly wounded by a shell fragment.²⁰
      The Battle of New Market was a battle fought on 15 May 1864, in the Shenandoah Valley in the area around New Market, VirginiaG. A makeshift Confederate army of 4,100 men, which included cadets from the Virginia Military Institute, forced Union Major General Franz Sigel's army out of the Shenandoah Valley. The Confederate victory allowed the local crops to be harvested for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and protected Lee's lines of communications to western Virginia.²¹
     Jacob did not return to the Institute but joined Company F, under Capt. Walter E. Franklin, 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, as a private. Company F was organized 13 Sep 1864, near Delaplane, VirginiaG. The Battalion, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders, or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan cavalry in the Confederate Army. They were noted for their lightning strikes on targets behind Union lines and their ability to consistently elude pursuit. It was formed under the Partisan Ranger Act of 1862. Members of these units were a variously described as soldiers, partisans, and rangers, while the Union viewed them as unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, a simple loose band of roving thieves. Confederate General Thomas Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves, and bad for morale because his regular troops were jealous.^22,23,24
      The battalion seems to have kept few regular records. Jacob's compiled service record contains nothing but records of his parole at the end of the war. So we know nothing of the details of his service except that he was paroled 23 May 1865 at Staunton, VirginiaG, following Gen. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House.²⁵
     Jacob was one of five brothers who served in the Confederate Army until the end of the war. Capt. Francis and Gen. John Imboden were also at the battle of New Market. The other brothers were Col. George and Maj. James Imboden.²⁰

Return to Civilian Life --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Jacob married first Rebecca John Mims, daughter of John H. Mims and Caroline Hanson Cresap, on 21 Dec 1869.^8,9,10
     She died on 21 Sep 1872 in Richmond, VirginiaG.²⁶
     Jacob married second Anna Stuart Dickinson, daughter of Hudson M. Dickinson and Betty Ann Landcraft, on 17 Dec 1874 in Shannondale, Fayette Co., West VirginiaG, with C. W. Cook officiating.^11,12
     It is known that Jacob was a mining engineer in Missouri and West Virginia, and later was a superintendent for a mining company in Georgia, though details have not been found. It appears that he and Anna moved to Missouri shortly after their marriage, but when they returned is unclear. The 1880 census shows all three of their children as born there, but later records show the two younger ones as born in West Virginia. While she and the children were back in West Virginia by 1880, his whereabouts then have not been found. It appears he never again lived with Anna and the children.^27,28

A New Life in Central America --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     The "Liberal Reform" promoted by president Marco Aurelio Soto of Honduras in the 1880's led to the formation of several mining companies based on American capital. There was a substantial of inflow of Americans to, the country, particularly to the city of Yuscarán. Jacob decided to take part in this opportunity.²⁹ He applied for a passport on 22 Nov 1884, in New York, New YorkG, stating that he intended to travel to Central and South America.³⁰ He left the U.S. on 9 Jul 1885, and remained in Central America, where he owned and managed a number of mines. It appears he did not return for at least a dozen years.^31,32,33,34
      The number of Americans in the area prompted the United States goverment to open consular offices in in the mid-1880's. Jacob served as consul there in 1886.²⁹
     It is not clear that Jacob and Anna ever obtained a divorce. When he tried to re-marry in Honduras in 1890 he was denied permission because the witnesses he offered could not satisfy local authorities that he was unmarried. With a change in administration the following year he was permitted to marry.³⁵
     Jacob married third Angela Gordon Colindres, daughter of Máximo Gordon and Jesús Colindres, on 4 Jan 1891 in Yuscarán, HondurasG.^13,14
     On 19 Feb 1895 he again applied for a passport, from GuatemalaG, stating that his permanent residence was Richmond, Virginia, he intended to return to the U.S. within two years by himself, and that his reason for applying was for "protection."³⁶ He applied for a passport again in GuatemalaG on 1 Oct 1897, this time to include his wife, Angela and his three minor children, Jacob, Ranl, and Blanca. His stated permanent residence is confused: New York, in the state of Virginia. He again stated he had left the U.S. in Jul 1885, and intended to return within two years.³⁷

Returning to the U.S. --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     We know he did return to the U.S. this time, arriving at New Orleans, LouisianaG, 30 Nov 1897 aboard the Breakewater. He arrived without the wife and children.³⁸
     Jacob was named general manager of the Honduras-American Cattle, Agricultural and Colonization Company when its formation was announced in Feb 1898 in New YorkG. The company had obtained a 25-year exclusive right from the Republic of Honduras to import and export cattle without duty, and to establish slaughter-houses, refrigerators, and canning factories without taxation.³⁹
     Jacob married fourth Emily M. Renshaw, daughter of Morrison Renshaw and Jennie, in the summer of 1898 in New York, New YorkG.¹⁵ She was described in one newspaper article as a "belle at eastern summer resorts who married a dashing ex-Confederate," a "handsome woman of cosmopolitan ideas." Her wealthy grandfather cut her out of his will, supposedly because he objected to her marriage because her husband was a great deal older than her. When he died shortly thereafter she sued to be awarded her late father's one-sixth share.¹⁵
     It appears Jacob remained in the U.S. for a time, unless he made another brief trip. He was in New York when he applied for a passport there on 21 Jan 1899, claiming New York as his permanent residence.⁴⁰
     Jacob died on 5 Dec 1899 in San Pedro Sula, HondurasG, at age 53. He was shot 3 Dec by Joaquin Hernandez, a Secretary in the Criminal Court, who intended to kill a friend of Jacob's, but who survived the attack.^16,17