Munhall - Thomas T.
Source: History of Montgomery County, Indiana. Indianapolis: AW Bowen, 1913, pp 824-826.
It will always be a mark of distinction to have served the Union during the great war of the Rebellion. The old soldier will receive attention no matter where he goes if he will but make himself known. And when he passes away, as so many of them are now doing, most of them attaining their allotted "three score and ten years," mentioned by the divinely inspired Psalmist of old, friends will pay him suitable eulogy for the sacrifices he made a half century ago on the sanguinary fields of battle in the southland or in the no less dreaded prison, fever camp or hospital. And ever afterward his descendants will revere his memory and take pride in recounting his services for his country in its hour of peril. One of the most eligible citizens for specific mention in a history of Montgomery county is Capt. Thomas Theodore Munhall, for many years a well known business man, and who is now living practically retired from the active duties of life in his pleasant home in Crawfordsville. He is worthy of our attention partly because of the fact that he is one of the old soldiers who went forth in that great crisis in the sixties to assist in saving the union of states, and partly because he has been one of our honorable and public-spirited citizens for a number of decades. He is a plain, straightforward, unassuming gentleman who has sought to do his duty in all the relations of life as he has seen and understood the right.
Captain Munhall was born on June 5, 1841, in Zanesville, Ohio. He is a son of Samuel and Sarah Hurd (Wiggins) Munhall. The father was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, July 30, 1811, and in an early day went to Zanesville, Ohio, where he engaged in the mercantile business, and owing to the dishonesty of his partner, failed. He then took up farming which he continued a few years, then in 1858 went to Illinois and located near Farmington, where he continued general agricultural pursuits until his death, June 27, 1893, at Forrest, Illinois. He was a Republican, and religiously, a Methodist. He was an industrious, hard working man and known for his uprightness and neighborliness.
Sarah Wiggins, who became the wife of Samuel Munhall, was born in Morris county, New Jersey, January 30, 1816, and her death occurred in Chicago.
Capt. Thomas T. Munhall was educated at the McIntire Academy at Zanesville, Ohio, and in the Putnam high school academy, at Putnam, Ohio, later attending the country schools in Illinois, after which he taught one term.
When the Civil war came on he proved his patriotism and courage by being one of the first to enlist in defense of the Union, becoming a member of Company B, Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, under Col. "Bob" Ingersoll, who later became one of America's greatest orators. Our subject was made second sergeant in 1861, later first sergeant, in the fall of 1862, later second lieutenant, earning these promotions by gallant conduct on the field of battle. In 1864 he was promoted to the rank of captain and was transferred to Company D of the same regiment. The members of Company B, presented him with a sword, sash, belt and gold plated spurs. Company D asked to a man to have him commissioned their captain. He accepted this promotion, and filled the same in a most faithful and gallant manner, taking part in the Meridian campaign under General Sherman. His company was later regarded as one of the best drilled as well as best disciplined companies in the cavalry service, at the close of the war.
Captain Munhall was in all of the engagements in which the Eleventh Cavalry participated, and was in Gen. Lew Wallace's division at the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Farmington, Parker's Cross Roads, Jackson, Tennessee; Holly Springs, Union City, Bolivar, Black River, Queen's Hill and Jackson, Mississippi; Champion's Hills and many others of lesser note, in all of which he never shirked his duty no matter how arduous or dangerous, according to his comrades. He took part in forty-two engagements in all, and, having a robust constitution and being a young man of good habits he was never sick or off duty during the entire war. On June 10, 1865 he was in charge of the last flag of truce ever taken into the Confederate lines. This was at Jackson, Tennessee. On October 11th of that year he was honorably discharged, after a most commendable and envied record as a soldier for the defense and perpetuity of the nation.
After his career in the army Captain Munhall returned to the farm in Illinois. In his earlier youth he had intended studying law, but the idea of a legal career was abandoned, and, after farming until 1876 he went to Indianapolis and took charge of A. C. May's heading and cooper shops, remaining there two years, then went to New Ross, where he was engaged in the shops also a store, then opened a store of his own. He was appointed postmaster at New Ross, which position he held for a period of five years, with equal satisfaction to the people and the department; he was then nominated and elected county recorder and served two terms in a most creditable manner. He also served six years as trustee of Crawfordsville schools. He then engaged in the real estate, abstract and loan business with much success until 1906, when he went to Custer county, Montana, and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres and bought one hundred and sixty acres adjoining. He has placed it all under a high state of improvement and cultivation. He has been very successful in a business way and is now in his declining years well fixed in a financial way.
Politically, he is a Republican, but he has never been especially active as a public man. He belongs to McPherson Post, Grand Army of the Republic. Fraternally, he is a Mason, belonging to the Chapter. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias.
Captain Munhall was married on February 7, 1871 to Mary F. Makinson, of Illinois. She was born on March 2, 1845, and died on December 16, 1905. She was a daughter of Judge Makinson of Ottawa, Illinois, and she was a woman of many commendable traits of character and proved to be a worthy helpmeet in every respect.
To the Captain and wife one child was born, a daughter, Gertrude Munhall, who is now assistant librarian at the Crawfordsville public library.
