My Genealogy Hound

COL. WILLIAM McCULLOUGH, deceased, Bloomington, whose portrait adorns this work, was the son of Peter and Levina McCullough, and was born Sept. 11, 1812, in Flemingsburg, Ky.; the McCullough family came to what is now McLean Co., Ill., in the year 1826, and settled at Dry Grove; in early life, the subject of this sketch worked on a farm; in 1832, he enlisted as a private soldier, in the company commanded by Merrit Covel, and went to the Black Hawk war; there he was distinguished for his great personal courage; having been so unfortunate as to lose his gun, he made good its loss by snatching one from the hands of an Indian on the ground of Stillman’s Run. In December, 1833, he was married to Miss Mary Williams; they had been school mates, and were taught by Milton H. Williams, the father of Mrs. McCullough; in 1840 Mr. McCullough lost his right arm in a threshing machine; in the same fall he was elected Sheriff of McLean Co., and held this office for three successive, terms; he was then elected Circuit Clerk of the county, and held this office for four successive terms; in August, 1861, he entered the army and was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th I. V. C.; with only one arm and a defective eye, he, nevertheless, performed his duty fearlessly and efficiently; he was at Ft. Henry and Ft. Donelson, at Shiloh and at Corinth; on the 5th of December, 1862, Col. McCullough was killed in the engagement with the rebels near Coffeeville, Miss.; his body was brought home and buried in Bloomington Cemetery; when the news of his death reached Bloomington, the bar of McLean Co. held a meeting and passed resolutions to his memory, as he continued to hold his office of Clerk of the Circuit Court. The following is taken from the report of this meeting:
William McCullough entered the military service of the United States, in August, 1861, and was immediately commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry. From that time he gave his whole heart to the cause of his country, and put all his energy to the suppression of the foulest rebellion that ever disgraced the pages of history; he was present with his regiment at the operation which resulted in the capture of Ft. Henry, and in the taking of Ft. Donelson he rendered such efficient and valuable service that he attracted the attention of his commanding officer (the lamented Gen. Wallace), whose official report acknowledges and commends his gallant conduct; he was also in the battle of Shiloh, and in all the movements of the army that led to the evacuation of Corinth, by the rebels under Gen. Beauregard, and from that time until his death, he was always present where danger was to be met, or laurels won, and was ever a brave, faithful, energetic and accomplished soldier. In consideration of the services he has rendered the country, and inasmuch as he was long officially connected with this court, the members of this bar, in perpetuation of his memory, pray that this paper, together with the following resolutions, be spread upon the records of this court;
Resolved, That we, the members of this bar, have heard with the deepest regret of the death of Lieut. Col. William McCullough, the Clerk of this Court, who fell in battle, bravely contending for the liberty and laws of his country against a causeless and most wicked rebellion.
Resolved, That in the death of Lieut. Col. McCullough we feel that we have lost a warm-hearted, faithful friend; but our greatest regret is that the Government has lost a brave, accomplished and patriotic soldier, and liberty a valiant champion.
Resolved, That we take this solemn occasion to renew, with a firmer purpose, our unalterable attachment to the constitution and laws of the country, and to again pledge to the Government our unswerving support and warmest sympathy in all its efforts to suppress this infernal rebellion.
Resolved, That the Clerk of this Court furnish to the family of Lieut. Col. McCullough a copy of these resolutions.
The meeting was addressed most eloquently and appropriately by Col. Gridley, His Honor Judge Scott, Hon. Leonard Swett and by Messrs. W. H. Hanna, Jesse Bishop, David Brier, J. H. Wickizer, R. E. Williams, James Ewing and M. W. Strayer, all giving some pleasant incident of kindness which they had received at the hands of the deceased, and all bearing testimony to the uniform urbanity, sociability, kindness, generosity, fidelity and integrity of Col. McCullough in all the walks of social and public life. Upon motion, the preamble and resolutions were then unanimously adopted. Also, upon motion, W. H. Hanna, Esq., was appointed a committee on behalf of the bar, to present these resolutions to the court, and to ask that they be spread upon the records of the same. W. P. BOYD, President. JESSE BIRCH, Secretary.
William McCullough had eight children, four of whom grew to manhood and womanhood— Mrs. Nannie L. Orme, widow of Gen. William W. Orme, whose sketch will be found in this work; Mrs. Fannie M. Orme, wife of Frank D. Orme, lives in Washington, D. C.; William A. McCullough died Sept. 2, 1869; he was, during the war, a soldier in the 5th I. V. C.; Howard M. McCullough, died July 1, 1871; he was also a soldier in the 94th I. V. I. Col. McCullough was frank and outspoken in his manner, and a warm friend; he was one of the most popular men in McLean Co.