W. N. INGERSOLL

W. N. Ingersoll, the genial and popular agent for the United States 
Express Company, at No. 1218 Market street, Wheeling, West Virginia, 
was born in Lorian county, Ohio, March 9, 1840.  He is the son of 
Charles and Lura (Lake) Ingersoll, and a grandson of William 
Ingersoll.

William Ingersoll lived in the East; when he sold his farm and 
removed to Lorain county, Ohio, he bought 4,000 acres of land, which 
he at once began to improve.  He was one of the pioneer settlers of 
Lorain county, and was well known in that vicinity.

Charles Ingersoll was one of six sons, who lived to a good old age.  
He was born in 1804 and dies in 1891.  He was one of the pioneers of 
Lorain county, and knew much of the trails, hardships and 
deprivations of pioneer life in Ohio.  He farmed until 1828, when he 
removed to the county seat Elyria, where he did teaming and hauled 
goods from Cleveland and Lorain.  He married Lura Lake, who died in 
1862, at the age of fifty-eight years.  She was a woman of great 
piety and lovable character.  Four children blessed this union, two 
of whom survive:  W. N., the subject of this sketch; and Charles O., 
who formerly ran in the United States railway mail service, but 
recently became clerk in the office of the superintendent of that 
service.

W. N. Ingersoll was schooled in Elyria, and on April 28, 1861, 
enlisted for three months service in the army on President Lincoln's 
call for 75,000 men, and remained at Camp Denison until June 23d of 
that year.  He then re-enlisted for three years in company H, 8th 
Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf.  He was in the battles of Romney and Winchester, 
and joined the Army of the Potomac July 4, 1862.  September 17th of 
that year he took part in the battle of Antietam, and later in the 
battles of Fredericksburg, Gettsburg and Chancellorsville.  At the 
battle of Gettysburg 48 2-3 per cent. of the regiment were killed or 
wounded.  Mr. Ingersoll was Mustered out at the expiration of his 
term, July 13, 1864.  He was never wounded or taken prisoner while in 
service.  Mr. Ingersoll was appointed one of a commission of six by 
the late President McKinley to go to the battle-ground of Antietam 
and locate the position held by our men in that sanguinary struggle.  
It was the first time since the battle took place that Mr. Ingersoll 
had visited the spot.

After leaving the army Mr. Ingersoll began the express business, 
having located at Sandusky, Ohio.  Later he went to Newark, Ohio, 
where he was route agent for eleven years, after which he located in 
Wheeling as agent.  he has resided in Wheeling since 1892, and is 
well known and highly esteemed.  Mr. Ingersoll is very popular among 
his acquaintances, and is greatly admired for his accommodating 
spirit and good business tact.

Mr. Ingersoll was married, in Newark, in November, 1865, to Eloise 
Christian, who is a native of that city and a doughtier of T. J. 
Christian.  Three children have blessed this union, namely: Warren 
C., who lives in Chicago; Harriet R., the wife of W. W. Maholm, of  
Newark; and Jennie M., the wife of Benjamin E. Hamilton, of Wheeling.  
Mr. Ingersoll has a host of warm friends in Wheeling, who are always 
interested in his success.

From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902.

(Janice Davis)