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Milton Battin
MILTON BATTIN - who lives in Fox township, near Piatt, this county, was born in the neighborhood where he still lives, April 18, 1839. His father, Joseph Battin, the son of Marshall and Mary (Hoagland) Battin, was also born in Fox township and married Nancy Bagley, a native of Bradford county, and the daughter of Eason and Esther Bagley. To Joseph Battin and his wife twenty children were born, of whom those named below grew to years of maturity: Milton; Mary (Mrs. Hoppes); Harriett (Mrs. Reibsan); Reuben; Lamartine; Amy (Mrs. Savacool); Lucinda (Mrs. Fry); Clarkson, James and Henry, who live in Michigan; Marshall, who died when sixteen years old; and Larue, who died when fourteen years of age. The father died May 22, 1890, aged seventy-seven years. He followed farming during most of his life. He was a strong Republican in political belief and a birthright member of the Society of Friends. His wife, who was a most estimable woman, a devoted wife and mother, and a kind neighbor, departed this life in February, 1878, when fifty-five years old.
Our subject spent his early youth and manhood on his father's farm, attending the district school and performing such tasks as fall to the lot of a country lad; but when the Civil war broke out his patriotism was roused and with hundreds of others, young and old, he responded to the call of President Lincoln for seventy-five thousand volunteers, enlisting in October, 1861, in Company B, Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Infantry, under Captain Henry Metcalf, of Dushore, J. Richler Jones being the colonel in command of the regiment. He served for three years and three months and saw much severe fighting, being in the battles of Zuni, Virginia, December 11, 1862; two battles of Sandy Ridge, April 18 and 20, 1863; Gum Swamp, May 22, 1863; Batcheller's creek, May 23, 1863; and Cold Harbor, June 1863. He was taken sick at Fortress Monroe and was for some time in the hospital. Being granted a furlough he returned home, subsequently going to Philadelphia and receiving an honorable discharge at Germantown, Pennsylvania. His record as a soldier is one of which he may well be proud, and he now receives a pension from the government.
The marriage of our subject to Miss Eliza Higby took place March 24, 1865, in Fox township, Sullivan county. Mrs. Battin is a daughter of William Higby, whose great-grandfather, also named William, once owned the whole of Long Island and sold it for a few dollars. William Higby's wife was Miss Julia Ann Olds, who was born in Massachusetts and whose father was a soldier in the war of 1812. Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Higby, of whom one is deceased. The others are: Martin, Emma, Eliza, Charles, Laura, William, Esther, Celestia, Perley, Julia Ann and Darwin. The father died in August, 1860, at the good old age of eighty-five years, and the mother is now living with her son Sylvester Higby in Davies county, Missouri.
Mr. and Mrs. Battin are the parents of four children: Ethelind E., the wife of Frank Williams, of Fox township: they have once child, Harry Burt; Esther E., who married Charles P. Tinkham and has one child, Ray Randell; Henry M., who lives in West Burlington, Pennsylvania; and Charles Garfield, unmarried. Mr. Battin has two good farms, comprising one hundred acres in all, under excellent cultivation and on which are a commodious house, large barns and all needful appliances for carrying on a well regulated farm. He also has a good orchard and plenty of small fruits. In politics he is a Republican and is always ready to work for the good of his party. He has been a member of Jones Post of the G. A. R. at Forksville and is popular in all classes of good society.
Source: History of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania; Ingham, Thomas; Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1899.