Melville Beveridge Cox True was born at Temple, Franklin County, ME.His mother was born in nearby Wilton, ME and his parents were marriedin Temple. Two sisters were born in nearby Farmington, the CountySeat, and the largest community in the area. He had two brothers andseven sisters in all. His birth date was January 22, 1838. He hasdescribed himself in a "Pictorial Family Register" (whichunfortunately has no photos or pictures!) as 5' 8" in height, 135 lbs,with dark brown hair and grey eyes. He describes his complexion as"florid," and his health as "good". He lists his politics asRepublican and his religion as Unitarian. I've been unable todiscover anything about his schooling, though he lists (in the "FamilyRegister") his education as "academic". He was well educated for thetime as he later was a high school principal and author of severaltextbooks. In the "Register" he lists his occupation as "Editor andPublisher" and at some later date his daughter, Jessie, added "Lawyerand Supt. of Schools." His family moved to Solon, IA, at some timeprior to 1858, (probably some years prior to that date, as his sisterSarah's marriage took place there in that year.) When he enlisted inthe army in 1861, M. B. C. True listed his occupation as "student."The Civil War is considered to have begun with the bombardment ofFort Sumter on April 12, 1861. M. B. C. True enlisted in the Unionarmy on August 14 of that year. In the "Pictorial Family Register",M. B. C. True lists the following on a page dealing with his militaryrecord: He enlisted at Iowa City, IA on August 14, 1861, as a privatein Company H of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry. He lists a promotion to"Battalion Quarter Master Sergeant", but gives no date for this. Helists under "Memoranda of Engagements" the following: New Madrid, MO(March-April, 1862,); Farmington, TN (May 1862); Iuka, MS (Sept.1862); Corinth, MS (Oct. 1862); Watervalley, MS; and Coffeeville, MS(Dec. 1862). (The dates of these engagements are my own notations -Bryce Babcock.) M.B.C. True was discharged on Oct. 3, 1864. Inmy father's (Oscar T. Babcock, grandson of M.B.C. True) geneologicalpapers is the following note beside the entry for his grandfather:"In the battle of Corinth in Miss. Quartermaster Sargent. BrevetLieut. and acting captain of a colored regiment." I've been unable toverify that information, and do not know the source(s). M.B.C. Truesays nothing in the above mentioned document about a brevet promotionor of service with any unit of the army other than the 2nd IowaCavalry. The rank of Sergeant was his permanent rank. A brevetcommission was a temporary advancement in rank, but usually without acorresponding advancement in pay. Such commissions were normallygiven in recognition of gallant actions on the battlefield ormeritorious service in combat. On May 31, 1864 M. B. C. Truemarried Mary Catharine McFarland at Olin, Jones County, IA, while homefrom the army on furlough. His home at that time was Solon, IA. Hisofficial discharge certificate shows that he was discharged from thearmy as a "Commissary Serg't., of Captain George B. Harrington'sCompany (H), Second Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Volunteers." Hisdischarge took place at Davenport, IA, and is dated Oct. 3, 1864. Itgives his date of enlistment as Aug. 14, 1861 "to serve three years,and the discharge was "by reason of expiration of term of service.(No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist.)" (In otherwords, an "Honorable Discharge".) The document also states, "SaidMelville B. C. True was born in Franklin Co. in the State of Maine, is23 years of age, five feet eight inches high, Fair complexion, Hazeleyes, dark brown hair, and by occupation when enrolled, a student."(The notation of his age is confusing, as he would have been 26 at thetime of discharge. Perhaps it was an error, or was intended to referto his age at the time of enlistment, not discharge.) After hisdischarge, he and his new bride "lived at different places in Iowa,and in 1872, they moved to Nebraska." For some fourteen years theylived at Crete, NE, moving to North Loup, NE in 1887. M. B. C. Truebecame the first principal of the North Loup High School. Later, theylived for a time in Edgar, and then in Tecumseh, but " in 1903, Mr.True being broken in health, they came back to North Loup." He diedFeb. 6, 1909 at North Loup and is buried in the North Loup cemetary.M. B. C. and Mary Catharine were the parents of 5 children: JessieFremont True, Archibald (Archie) True, Sidney Merlin True, AbigailKennedy (Gail) True and Alaric Roy (Larry) True. M. B. C. True wasthe author of at least two textbooks designed for high school coursesin Civics, History and Government: "Our Republic" (with J. W.Dickinson) (1882) and "History and Civics of Nebraska" (1892).SOURCES: Geneological papers of O. T. Babcock; U.S. Army DischargeCertificate; Pictorial Family Register (all in my possession);Obituary of Mary Catharine McFarland, "The North Loup Loyalist", Vol.29, No. 17, July 19, 1918. -- Bryce Babcock
The following is the obituary of "Kate M. True", printed in the NorthLoup Loyalist (July 19, 1918) and written by her daughter, Jessie TrueBabcock. "Mary Katherine McFarland was born near Rome, Iowa, inpioneer days, the only child of James and Rosanna McLaughlinMcFarland. Her early education was received from her mother. Latershe attended the Methodist college at Mt. Vernon, Iowa. At the age of16, she left school lacking but a few months of graduating and waslater made an honorary alumnus of that institution. May 31, 1864,she was married to M. B. C. True of Solon, Iowa, who was home from thearmy on furlough. After the war they lived at different places inIowa, and in 1872, they moved to Nebraska, and for fourteen years madetheir home at Crete. In 1887 they came to North Loup where Mr. Truewas the first principal of the high school. Later they went to Edgarand Tecumseh but in 1903, Mr. True being broken in health, they cameback to North Loup. Here Mr. True died in 1909 and Mrs. Truecontinued to reside alone in apparent good health till three weeksago, she was taken sick and died at the home of her son-in-law, E. J.Babcock, July 11, 1918. In her early life she joined a Unitarianchurch but there being no church of that faith where she has lived,she always allied herself and worked with other denominations, and wasespecially interested in patriotic and educational organizations.She was the mother of six children: Mrs. Jessie Babcock of NorthLoup; Charles S. who died in infancy; Larry R., who died in youngmanhood (This was Alaric "Larry" Roy True, who was murdered at the ageof 30 in 1898, near Cincinnati, Ohio -- Bryce Babcock.); Archie M. ,of Manila, P. I.; Sidney M., of Saguache, Colorado; and Mrs. Gail Doanof Kennewick, Washington. She is also survived by thirteengrandchildren. Funeral services conducted by pastor Davis were heldat the Seventh Day Baptist church Saturday afternoon and the body waslaid to rest by the side of her husband (in the North Loup cemetary --B. B.)." The "Family Register" begun by M. B. C. True containsthis entry regarding their marriage: "We hearby certify that we werelegally married by Rev. A. Brosson (sp. ?) in the town of Madison,Jones Co. and State of Iowa on the 31st day of May, 1864." It issigned, "Melville B. C. True" and "Mary C. McFarland". TheRegister contains the following data: Name: Mary Catherine McFarland;Birthplace: Rome, Jones County, Iowa; Date of Birth: January 7th 1845;Descent: Scotch (sic); Father's Name: William Matthews McFarland;Mother's Name: Rosanna Virginia McLaughlin; Brothers and Sisters:None; Education: Collegiate; Occupation: Housewife; Politics:Republican & Womans Suffrage; Religion: Unitarian; Date of Marriage,May 31, 1864. Her "autograph" is written as "Kate True" and shedescribes herself as 4' 11" tall and weighing 110 lbs. She gives hercomplexion as "dark" with dark brown hair and dark grey eyes, andlists her health as "Good". The discrepancies in the spelling ofher name is explained by her daughter, Jessie True Babcock, in aletter to my father, O. T. Babcock, dated May 12, 1941: "GrandmotherTrue (yours) used to spell her name Mary Catherine. My father alwaysinsisted that in business and legal matters a woman should use her ownname. But she insisted she would not 'part her name in the middle'and write it M. Catherine True, so in all public matters she wrote itMary C. When Kate (Jessie True's daughter Katharine -- B. B.) wasborn, I liked it better spelled with a K, and Grandmother said sheremembered her father's mother spelled it with a K. She did not knowwhy her mother used a C. From then on she wrote her name Kate (orKatharine) M. True, the M being for McFarland and dropped the Mary."(Sources: Obituary, North Loup Loyalist, Vol. 29, No. 17, July 19,1918; Pictorial Family Register, in my possession; letter from JessieT. Babcock to O. T. Babcock, dated May 12, 1941, also in my possession-- Bryce Babcock)
Alaric Roy (Larry) True was probably born at the family home in JonesCounty, IA. He was the eldest son and second child of MelvilleBeveridge Cox True and Mary Catharine McFarland True. The date ofbirth was April 12, 1870. I have not found a birthplace indicated,but the family "moved from Iowa to Crete, Nebr." in 1874 according tohis sister, Jessie. She was born in 1865 in Rome, now Olin, JonesCo., IA. As to his given name, Jessie wrote the following, "If youwere up on ancient history you would know Larry's name was Alaric, thowhy Papa chose such a name I can't see. Larry repudiated it after hewas grown... was simply 'Larry'." (see further note at end.) Hisfather had purchased an interest in the Globe newspaper in Crete, NE,in November, 1882, and Larry went to work for the newspaper at thattime. He left the Globe (and Crete) in the summer of 1886 "to try hisfortune alone." He became an accomplished and respected printer andproofreader and followed this career for the rest of his life,although his employment was interrupted from time to time by frequenttravels. Larry was described in contempory accounts as "a typical'soldier of fortune' ", as having a "roving disposition", and asleading a somewhat "nomadic life." One of his obituaries states,"Like most printers, he remained in one place but a short time. Hetraversed the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains, from Texasto Boston and north to Quebec. He made two trips to Europe, workinghis passage both times." He apparently had only sporadic contact withhis family, and he never married. In the summer of 1893 hereturned to his parents' home in Tecumseh, NE. It was his first visithome since leaving in 1886, and he was employed "for a few months" bythe Tecumseh Chieftan newspaper. In that paper's obituary Larry wasdescribed as "...a great traveller. In his journeys he had visitednearly every city in the United States and had made two trips toEurope. He was an excellent workman and skilled proofreader."After a few months there, Larry went to Cincinnati, OH, and tookemployment as a proofreader with the Daily Tribune newspaper. Hecontinued his work there after the Tribune consolidated with anotherpaper and became the Commercial - Tribune. He had earlier worked onother papers in Cincinnati and in Toledo, OH. On Wednesday,October 20, 1898, Larry resigned his position and drew his wages. Hetold several of his co-workers that he was going to Texas to join hisbrother, Archie, "on a ranch". One report said that his brother wasserving in a cavalry regiment stationed in Texas and had sent him $60so that Larry could join him there. Larry had lived with the familyof J. B. Randal, the paper's composing room foreman, and the nextmorning as he left the house he also told the Randals that he wasgoing to Texas. The following morning his body was found floatingin the Ohio River, several miles downstream from Cincinnati, nearLawrenceburg, IN. His throat had been cut, and the $100 dollars or sohe had taken with him was missing. The police and coroner concludedthat he had been murdered, but the perpetrator was apparently neveridentified or found. It was thought that he had started down river onboard a freight boat, or "shanty" boat, and had been murdered and thenrobbed. Larry was an avid reader and was considered to be"something of a bibliophile" and collected old books. That he washeld in high esteem by his friends and co-workers is evident from thisstatement in one of the obituaries: "Those of his friends who hadknown him most intimately and longest say that he had no enemies; thathis vices were so few, if he had any, as to be hardly known; that hewas studious, a great reader and serious thinker; that on some topicsas the navy and naval affairs, he was an authority among newspapermen,even. He was always cheerful, a real optomist; generous to a fault;somewhat taciturn, but never offensively so; that everyone who knewhim as 'Larry' True, and so called him, is more proof of the friendlyinterest they felt in him." Larry was a highly regarded member ofthe local Typographical Union and, in accordance with instructionsreceived from his family after his death, the remains were given overto the charge of the Union. The president of the Union localconducted the burial ceremony, and most of the mourners were Union"brothers". He was buried on a lot owned by the Typographical Unionin the Spring Grove Cemetery. SOURCES: Letter from Jessie T.Babcock, to O. T. Babcock, dated Jan. 31, 1941; Several newspaperaccounts of the murder, and obituaries (many are not identified, orthe names of the papers are not legible, but include the CincinnatiTimes - Star, and the Tecumseh Chieftan), dates of Oct. 21, 1898, Oct.23, 1898, and (for the Chieftan) Oct. 29, 1998; The True FamilyBible, birth, marriage and death records. All of these (copies only,of the newspaper clippings) currently in my possession. -- BryceBabcock (Note on name: Alaric I was a leader of the Visigothtribe of "barbarian" invaders of the Roman Empire. As early as401-403 AD, Alaric had led invasions into Italy. In three consecutiveyears Alaric led his Visigoth warriors to the very gates of Romeitself, and in 410 entered and sacked the city -- the first time thatthe city of Rome had been occupied by a foreign foe in nearly 800years. This marked the beginning of the end of the Western RomanEmpire. The date usually given for the fall of the Western Empirebeing 476 AD. Even though being "up on ancient history" to theextent of knowing the origin of the name, like my grandmother, I haveno idea why M.B.C. True passed the name on to his son. Obviously"Larry" did not appreciate it, which is, to me, a pity. I rather likethe name. SOURCE: Langer, William (compiler and editor), "AnEncyclopedia of World History", Houghton Mifflin Co, Boston, 1948;Grant, Michael, "History of Rome", Chas. Scribner's Sons, New York,1978. -- Bryce Babcock)
Record refers to her as being "of Lewiston, ME." -- B.B.