Robert Douglas Callahan

Robert Douglas Callahan was born in Greenup county, Kentucky, March 19, 1834, the son of Charles and Nancy (Douglas) Callahan, both of the same county and state, where the subject was born. They were married and spent their lives in that county, where they both died. Charles Callahan was a farmer and teacher and was a justice of the peace for many years, being well known throughout his native county. He was a Whig when that party was in existence; later he became a Republican. He and his wife were members of the Methodist church. He died in 1873, his widow surviving him until 1885. Out of the family of sixteen children twelve reached maturity. The following were in the Civil war, including the subject of this sketch: Clifton G., who died at Cumberland Gap in 1862; Otho W. died at the same place the same year; William, who became a lieutenant, died in Greenup county, Kentucky; Wesley, also living in Greenup county, Kentucky; Malvina died in Lewis county, Kentucky; Henrietta at Portsmouth, Ohio; Lovina, in Greenup county, Kentucky; Salonie, at Ironton, Ohio; Milton, George and John are all living in Greenup county, Kentucky.

R.D. Callahan had a limited schooling at his early home in Kentucky, where he lived until 1856, engaging in farming and teaming, when he came to Greene county, Indiana, and settled one mile east of Bloomfield, where he worked for Andrew Downing and Company at an iron furnace for two years. He spent some time at Brownstown, Jackson county, Indiana. He was first married in 1856 to Sarah Ann Cox, of Greenup county, Kentucky, a daughter of Joseph and Rosanna Cox, of Greenup county, Kentucky. In 1859 they came to Greene county, Indiana, and also worked at the Downing iron furnace. Mrs. Cox died in 1864. He married the second time, choosing Martia Emery, of Greene county, Indiana, who still lives in Bloomfield. Mr. Cox died in 1901. He had eleven children, all by his first wife. Four are still living. They are: Benjamin F., of Waco, Texas; William M., of Bloomfield; Hattie Maud Shanks, of Greene county, and the wife of R.D. Callahan, who is a sister to his first wife. He had no children by his first wife, but four by his second. They are: Ola, wife of John Stultz, of Bloomfield, who has one daughter, Nina; O.W., a lumberman and well known lodge man, who lives at home; Claude C., traveling salesman at Seattle, Washington, who married Mabel Newman, and who has one son, Claude, Jr.; Josephine, wife of Dalton McLaughlin, of Bloomfield, who has one daughter, Nina Virginia. Mrs. Laughlin first married Frank Warnich, of Bloomfield. They had one son, Claude R.

On August 8, 1862, Mr. Callahan enlisted in Company K, Sixty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, at Brownstown. They went to Madison and completed the organization. Then the company went to Murfordsville, Kentucky, then to Bowling Green, Kentucky, later coming to Indianapolis. In December, 1862, the company was sent to Memphis, Tennessee. Later it took part in the siege of Vicksburg and at Milliken Bend. On May 1, 1863, the company went to Port Gibson and was in the battle at that place. The subject was in the siege at Champion Hill and at Vicksburg, being under fire for forty-seven days. He also fought at Jackson, Mississippi. Later the company was sent into Louisiana. He was a prisoner of war for two months, but was exchanged and rejoined his regiment near Indianola. He went on the Red River expedition and later was in the siege at Fort Morgan, Alabama, after which he was sent to Pensaco la, taking part in a campaign through Florida, then back to Alabama and to Texas by boat June 19, 1865, and was discharged at Galveston. He enlisted as a private in June, 1862, and was promoted to second lieutenant December 21, 1864. Later he was promoted to first lieutenant, in which capacity he served until the close of the war.

After the war Mr. Callahan went to Jackson county, Indiana, where he remained until 1875. He was in Louisville, Kentucky, for two years. He lived in Martin county for eight years and in Dubois county, Indiana, several years, in 1893, moving to Bloomfield, where he conducted a hotel for some time. He has always been a Republican. Mrs. Callahan is a member of the Methodist church

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Biographical Memoirs of Greene County, Ind. With Reminiscences of Pioneer Days, Illustrated (1908, B. F. Bowen & Co. Indianapolis, Indiana) Vol. 2 Pg.475-7.