This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Slavery Veteran recalls Civil War escape and service
John Miller born 1841 in Kentucky spent years in slavery before fleeing via a Missouri to Iowa underground route. He joined the First Iowa Colored regiment in 1863, served two years as Miller Shearer, later receiving a pension and working as a guard at the Iowa state historical building in Des Moines.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Associated Press
Des Moines
Missouri
John Miller
Iowa
Eacepee
Miller
Washington County
James Graves
John
Graves
Kentucky
Indiana
Winterset
Indianola
Prairie City
Newton
Asya
John Shearer
Iowa Colored Regiment
Sixtieth United States Infantry
Shearer
Arkansas
Gete
State
State Historical Building
Harlan
Guar
Maimberg
Jasper
Negra
Marshalltown