VERMILLION, William F. - Putnam

William F. Vermilion - Among the men of Appanoose County who have gone, leaving the impress of their lives on the institutions and welfare of their community, is William F. Vermilion. The parents of this gentleman were Joel and Nancy Shaw Vermilion, natives of old Kentucky; the father was a minister in the baptist church and about 1840 removed from Kentucky and settled in Putnam County, Indiana where he continued in his ministration until his death. William was also a native of Kentucky, born there October 18, 1830 coming with his parents to Indiana he obtained his mental training in the primitive schools of that state and grew up to healthy and vigorous manhood. He then went to Illinois, and having made medicine his choice of th eprofessions began the study of that science and later attended the Rush Medical College in Chicago. The date of his arrival in Appanoose County Iowa was about 1857. He had accompanied his invalid brother to Texas and drove from there to this county, where he remained; he was united in marriage to Mary Kemper, whose father, Valentine Kemper, had settled in Monroe County from Putnam County, Indiana. At Iconium, Appanoose County, Mr. Vermilion began the practice of medicine and continued until the Civil War threw all peaceful pursuits into confusion. In 1861 he organized a company which was known as Company F, 36th Iowa Infantry of this he was commissioned captain and serving loyally through the struggle was mustere dout in September 1865. On his return fromt he war he devoted himself to the study of law, was admitted to the bar and thereafter continued the practice of this profession in Centerville. On the Republican ticket he was elected and served one session in the state sentate but outside of this held no public office. HIs wife, Mary Lemper Vermilion, having died he was in 1894 united in marriage with Mrs. Kate B. Day of Centerville, who survived him. When in his 65th year passed away in his home at Centerville Dec 28, 1894.