An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893

LIEUT. JOHN W. RUMSEY is a resident of Seattle and is actively concerned in her
real-estate interests, he was born in Batavia, New York, March 6, 1838. His
father Joseph E. Rumsey, removed with his parents to Batavia, New York, in 1801,
and was there reared, educated and finally married, being united to Miss Lucy M.
Ransom of Connecticut. He followed the life of an agriculturist up to 1866, and
then retired and passed the remaining years of his life in Chicago. John W.
remained with his parents upon the farm and improved the educational facilities
of the locality until 1855, when he went to Chicago and entered the employ of
Rumsey Bros. & Co. and there remained until April, 1861, when, with the
commencement of the war and the call for three-months troops, he went out with
the Chicago Battery, later known as Company A, First Illinois Light Artillery,
that being the first company of volunteer troops to leave the State. They went
at once to Cairo, Illinois, where they did valiant service in holding that city
to the Union, and also made frequent raids into Missouri and about the northern
portion of the State. At the completion of the term of service, the company
re-enlisted almost to a man and insisted that the term of service be "for the
war," whether three, five or ten years. After re-enlistment they were forwarded
to Paducah, Kentucky, where they made their headquarters, with frequent trips
through the surrounding country, until the organization of the army, under
General Grant, when they proceeded up the Tennessee river and participated in
the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, and then moved on to Shiloh, where they
were on the extreme left during the battle of the first day, and on the second
day reported to General Sherman and were stationed on the extreme right. General
Sherman ordered them into position and personally designated the points to be
shelled. Because of the bravery of the battery the officers gained his cordial
friendship, and subsequently, when the request was made by Sergeant Chase for
passes to enable them to go back for supplies, General Sherman said, "My
compliments to that three-gun battery; and they can have anything they want."
Mr. Rumsey was elected Junior Second Lieutenant by the company at Paducah,
Kentucky, and was commissioned First Lieutenant by Governor Richard Yates, of
Illinois. By subsequent promotion he ascended the scale until he became Senior
First Lieutenant and was frequently in command of the battery. From Shiloh
Company A continued under General Sherman's command, actively participating in
the battles of Corinth, Memphis, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, sieges of
Vicksburg and Jackson, Mission Ridge, and the first battle of Resaca, May 13,
1864, when Lieutenant Rumsey was wounded, disabled and sent to the general field
hospital at Bridgeport, Alabama, and thence to his home in Chicago, where he
received honorable discharge in August, 1864. After recuperation he spent one
year in the oil regions of Pennsylvania, as superintendent of the Garden City
Oil Company. In February, 1866, he returned to Chicago and engaged in business
on the Board of Trade, in the handling of grain and provisions, and there
continued until November, 1888, when, having learned of the resources and
opportunities of the Puget Sound district and particularly of Seattle, he
started for that favored locality. Duly arriving, he was agreeably impressed
with the city and people and at once looked for investments in city and in acre
property, directing particular attention to the vicinity of Ballard, where he
has since conducted large transactions. His methods of business have been in the
buying and selling of land, and not in operating on the commission basis, and
his interests extend over the city and also include acre property in Kitsap
county. Lieutenant Rumsey was married in 1866, to Miss Charlotte M. Day of
Batavia, New York. Eight children have been born of this union, three sons and
five daughters, all of whom reside on the corner of Short and Elliott streets.
Queen Anne Hill.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in January 2004 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.