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Sup. G. B.--Doug.--III, A, D, 1 (Arthur T. Ricard)
410 Words. 44t,u1
October 19, 1936
Omaha, District #2
YR. JOSIAH WADDLE --PIONEER SETTLER (COLORED)
Mr. Josiah Waddle was born in Springfield, Mo., August 7,
1849. His father, Thomas W. Waddle, was owned with some forty
other slaves by a Mr. Waddle, who had a large plantation near
Springfield, Mo. All slaves in the early days took the name
of their owners. Although few years later a Mr. Childers became
owner of Josiah, he still kept the name of Waddle.
When twelve years old, at the time the Civil War broke out
in 1861, Josiah had devoted all his spare time to learning the
mechanical and blacksmithing trade. When the U. S. Soldiers
came to Missouri they camped on the banks of Wilson Creek ten
miles from Springfield. Since Josiah became very useful around
this camp, the soldiers in return would expliin to Josiah that
the war was to banish slavery and free all slaves. He was with
the 11th Kansas Cavalry for six months, when he was sent to Van
Buren, Arkansas, by his owner to work for the Creek Indians, his
owner to receive $300.00 for his twelve months' service. In 1863
he returned to Springfield and offered to become a soldier in
the army, being then only fourteen years of age and anxious to
get away from slavery, he took care of the captain's horse and
slept in same tent with the captain. Later Josiah travelled to
Ft. Leavenworth, where all captains were congregated. Soon,
however, all troops scattered and left Missouri.(1)
(1) Josiah Waddle, 2807 No. 24th St.
Page 2
Since Josiah was stranded, he went to Fort Scott the same
year, 1863, being well built for his age, he was accepted into
the service in the U. S. Army, where he served two years and
seven months, receiving his honorable discharge Oct. 9, 1866.
He then returned to Fort Scott, where he stayed with Captain
George Clark for several months, after which he went to Topeka,
Kansas, where he lived for ten years.
He then went to his sister in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in
1877, where he learned the barber trade, coming to Council
Bluffs the following year. Two years later 1880, he moved to
Omaha, where in addition to his barber shop, he organized and
lead a fifteen piece colored band and orchestra, which for sever-
al years furnished music for county fairs, chatauquas, carnivals,
etc.
Mr. Waddle says that he attended President Garfield's fun-
eral, and also cast his first vote for President Grant.
While traveling over the country, he met and married Miss
Belle Moore at Enid, Oklahoma on March 21, 1916. Mt. and Mrs.
Josiah Waddle live at 2807 No. 24th Street, where Mr. Waddle en-
joys relating his early pioneer experiences to the numerous visit-
ors calling at his home.(1)
SOURCE OF INFORMATIONF
(1) Josiah Waddle, 2807 No. 24th St.
MI