A Biography of JAMES LIME 1830-1887 (by Bernice Swain)

James was born October 17, 1803 to James Sr. and Mary Lime in Washington Co., Kentucky.

In 1834 the county was divided and the section the Lime's were in became Marion co. His father
was an immigrant from Ireland. His mother was born in Maryland. His father owned land by
Salt River near Lebanon. According to the tax record of 1835-1844 it was valued to $200. This
was considered to be of great value at this time. Here James stayed with his family and helped
on the farm.

On October 5, 1847 James joined with the Kentucky Volunteers to serve in the War with
Mexico. He was eighteen at the time. He was 5' 7" tall, fair complexion and blue eyes. He joined
at Louisville, Kentucky as Private of Captain Andrew Caldwell's Company K. Third Regiment.
His brother William, a year or two older, also joined the same company. James was
discharged at Louisville July 25, 1848 with a honorable discharge.

It is not known if he went directly home or went to Perry Co., Indiana but in 1852 he was in
Derby, Perry Co. He married Eliza Jane Elder on May 11, 1852 at the home of her father's, James
Samual Elder. They were married by Father or Monsignor Augustus Bessonies, who was pastor
of St. Augustine and St. Mary's.

James like most of the people and his father before him earned his living by farming and
clearing timber in the wild Indiana country.

On August 16, 1853 their son William Marion was born. No doubt named for his brother and
perhaps the county he had been born in Kentucky. Ten children were born and survived this
marriage. As to the number of babies or children who did not survive is not known.

On April 1, 1861 James applied for bounty land which the government had promised to veterans
of the Mexican War. There is not any proof that he ever received any.
By the time the Civil War was started they had two more sons John and James and a daughter
Susan Ann. In spite of his growing family he joined the Indiana Volunteers. He joined August 7,
1862 at Derby in Company G. 81st Regiment, to serve for three years. He was mustered in as
Corporal on the 29th of August at New Albany, IN. On March 29, 1863 James was promoted to
the rank of Second Sergeant. On March 1, 1864 he was promoted to First Sergeant.
On June 20, 1864 James was shot in his left leg just below his knee. This was in the Battle of
Kennesaw Mountain near Marietta, Georgia.

On June 27, 1864 an engagement in the war, which resulted in a temporary check to General
Sherman's march to Atlanta. After the Battle of Rsaga the confederate army under General
Joseph E. Johnston slowly retreated, each day harrying the advance of the Union forces with a
skirmish which cost a confederate loss of five thousand five hundred men. At Marrietta, Georgia
Johnston halted entrenched his army in Kennesaw Mountain. Sherman ordered a desperate
assault and lost another three thousand men. The defending army lost not more than six
hundred men. Sherman admitted that the assault was a blunder and resorted again to
maneuvering. James spent some time in a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee and was then sent to
New Albany, Indiana. He was finally discharged on June 8, 1865.

So James returned to his family with a wounded leg that never really healed. For the rest of his
life he suffered much pain and it affected his ability to support his family. They must have
suffered many hardships while he was away. How they survived these years is hard to imagine.
He came home to six small children several who didn't even remember him.

James tried to farm and clear timber with the help of his older sons. He received a small pension
of $8.00 a month.

Four more children were born to them in the years between 1865 and 1874. Eliza suffered poor
health and between this and bearing so many children most of the work fell to the oldest
daughter Susan.

Sometime in the late 1870's James moved his family to Miller Co. Missouri. This was the state
everyone was flowing to at this period. It promised rich soil and abundant water. Their two sons
William and John were married by now and stayed in Indiana. Susan also stayed in Indiana with
her husband.

It was here in Bagnell, Miller Co. that he was fatally injured. He with several of his sons were
hauling logs. With his bad leg it was impossible to protect himself. As the logs began to roll he
lost his balance and fell with the logs rolling on top of him and crushing him. He died Nov 15,
1887 leaving his wife with four young children to raise.