one of the most noted of Union County's sons, is the man
whose name heads this article. But few can boast a war record equal to Mr.
Trumbo's; and fewer still have suffered his privations of life for home and
country. He is the son of George Allkire and Charlotte Gephart (Cromwell)
Trumbo. Mr. Trumbo was a farmer, born in Bath County, Kentucky, in February,
1808; married there and in the fall of 1857 came to Union. He died at his son's
near Raleigh October 30, 1875. The mother of our subject is a descendant of
Oliver Cromwell and was born in Williamson County, Virginia. Jacob Trumbo,
subject's grandfather, was a farmer, born in Pennsylvania, married in Ohio and
died in Bath County, Kentucky, before subject was born. His wife was Deborah
Allkire, who was born in Ohio in 1766, and died in Bath County, Kentucky, in
1849.
Subject was born in Bath County, Kentucky, May 23, 1842, and
in 1857 came to Union with his father and settled near Raleigh. Near here,
February 1st, 1870, he married Mary Lyda Slack, daughter of Joseph W. and Mary
(Reburn) Slack. Mr. Slack is a well-to-do river farmer, owning a large body of
fine land opposite Wabash Island. Mrs. Trumbo was born in the old Slack mansion
May 1, 1851. Subject has seven children as follows: Mary Lona, George G.,
Jessie C., Charlotte Lillian, Hattie S., Lula A, and Joseph A., the baby.
Subject was educated in the Union County schools and would
pass for a man with better luck. He has a fine farm of 365 acres, nearly all of
which is in a high state of cultivation. His residence in the northern part of
Raleigh Precinct, opposite Wabash Island, overlooks the whole tract.
Ol, as he is familiarly called, joined the Confederate Army
at Geiger's Lake on the day of the fight, and during the remaining years was in
many hot fights; among them Geiger's Lake, Jackson, Tennessee, Fort Donoldson,
and Bell's Station. During the whole time he was in the scouting service. In
March, 1865, Ol, with Louis Napoleon Gentry and Jake Bennett, wrecked a train
at Bell's Station, in which they were accused by Louisville papers of securing
$1,500,000 in greenbacks, besides taking three hundred prisoners and destroying
all the commissaries. The latter part of the story is right, but the paymaster
with his money escaped. In his scouting expeditions our subject made many
hair-breadth escapes. He was called by the Federals the Gray-horse Guerrilla,
because of the beautiful gray horse he rode. This horse, on coming out of the
bushes into the road could tell if danger was near. This horse was so well
trained and educated that it was impossible to catch him napping. Frequently he
has laid down side by side with his master on the same blanket. He was captured
at Vincennes, Indiana, and taken to Evansville, but made his escape soon after.
Ol, as did many of the Union County boys, went out under Captain Jo. Barnett,
but came home and afterwards enlisted under Adam Johnson. At one time there was
a standing reward of twenty-five hundred dollars for Ol to be captured dead or
alive. This order was issued by General Payne. As a scout he was out-lawed, and
at the close of the war took the oath of an out-law, subject to any charge they
might subsequently bring against him. Ol's old father was for a time held by
the Federals to force him to surrender, offering to make him first lieutenant
but to no purpose. Since the war our subject has been a prosperous farmer, and
is to-day a citizen held in high esteem by his countrymen. He is a Mason in
high standing and a Democrat all over.
