Edward Miles was born in Polk County, Missouri. His family migrated north to Wisconsin where in June 1861 he enlisted in the Wisconsin 5th Infantry Regiment. He served until November 1862. Edward reenlisted in September 1864 and served in the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery until June 1865 when he was discharged due to disability.
After the war Edward settled in Illinois, married, and raised a family. The 1880 census listed his occupation as farmer. Sometime between 1880 and 1890 he divorced his wife and migrated to Kansas. He also became a doctor during that time.
Laura Cordelia Hensley was born in 1857 in Hensley, Indiana. When she was 5 years old her father, William Jefferson Hensley, was killed at the Battle of Antietam while serving in an Indiana unit. She married James Collett and had three children. When James died, she moved to Kansas with her children. There she met the handsome Dr. Edward Miles. They married in 1893 and in January 1895 Dr. Miles delivered his twins: Laura Elsie and George Elmer.
Dr. Miles was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, McPherson Post #4 in Independence, Kansas.
Both Dr. Miles and his wife Laura belonged to families with a long history of service to the country. Dr. Miles was a direct descendant of Samuel Miles and James Christie, both of whom served in the Revolutionary War. Laura was a direct descendant of Richardson Hensley who served in the Revolutionary War. Richardson Hensley was one of the first settlers in Indiana.
In researching the units in which Edward Miles served I found that the Wisconsin 5th Infantry was at the Battle of Antietam. Is it possible that Laura Cordelia Hensley Collet Miles’ father and future husband were both on the battlefield at Antietam?
After the war Edward settled in Illinois, married, and raised a family. The 1880 census listed his occupation as farmer. Sometime between 1880 and 1890 he divorced his wife and migrated to Kansas. He also became a doctor during that time.
Laura Cordelia Hensley was born in 1857 in Hensley, Indiana. When she was 5 years old her father, William Jefferson Hensley, was killed at the Battle of Antietam while serving in an Indiana unit. She married James Collett and had three children. When James died, she moved to Kansas with her children. There she met the handsome Dr. Edward Miles. They married in 1893 and in January 1895 Dr. Miles delivered his twins: Laura Elsie and George Elmer.
Dr. Miles was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, McPherson Post #4 in Independence, Kansas.
Both Dr. Miles and his wife Laura belonged to families with a long history of service to the country. Dr. Miles was a direct descendant of Samuel Miles and James Christie, both of whom served in the Revolutionary War. Laura was a direct descendant of Richardson Hensley who served in the Revolutionary War. Richardson Hensley was one of the first settlers in Indiana.
In researching the units in which Edward Miles served I found that the Wisconsin 5th Infantry was at the Battle of Antietam. Is it possible that Laura Cordelia Hensley Collet Miles’ father and future husband were both on the battlefield at Antietam?