Donald LEARNED (1894-1980)

1 Donald Elmer LEARNED^1,2,3,4,5 (1894-1980) [11206]. Born 30 Dec 1894, OH.^1,2,3,4 Marr Leona M. ? bef 1919.⁴ Marr Virginia L. ? c. 1928.⁵ Died 18 Mar 1980, Columbus, OH.⁶

2 Elmer E. LEARNED^1,2,7 (1870- ) [11195]. Born Nov 1870, OH.^1,2,7 Marr Catherine E. JONES c. 1893.¹

4 Andrew Jackson LEARNED^{7,8,9,10,11,12,13} (1843-1940) [11185]. Born 28 Jul 1843, Millfield, OH.^{7,8,9,10,11,12} Marr Mary A. DAINS c. 1867.⁷ Died 22 Jun 1940, Columbus, OH.¹²

From the Athens Messenger.

October 7, 1926 - "Athens Civil war veterans in Nelsonville yesterday for the meeting of the veterans association of Athens county were: Mr. J.L. Pickering, Captain J.B. Allen, Mr. Henry Dixon, Mr. A.J. Learned, Mr. Tom Porter, Mr. William Southerton, Mr. William Roberts, Mr. Marion Tipple, Mr. John Tipple, Mr. C.D. Saunders, Mr. E.A. Weakley, Mr. John Dillinger, Mr. C. Conklin and Mr. L.C. Johnson."

August 14, 1927 - "CHAUNCEY, Aug. 13 -- Dr. A.J. Learned, Millfield, Ezra J. Karns, Chauncey and L.A. Koons, Athens, former residents of Bedford county, Pa., attended the fourth annual reunion of the Bedford County Pennsylvania Association of Ohio, held at Kelly Park in Crestline, Ohio.
Dr. Learned who is 81, was the oldest person attending the reunion. A fine program featured the day."

July 31, 1928 - "DOCTOR REACHES 85TH BIRTHDAY. A.J. Learned Civil War Veteran Has Celebration.
CHAUNCEY, July 31, -- Dr. A.J. Learned, Civil War veteran, physician and a life long resident of Millfield celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday anniversary Sunday.
Dr. Learned is a man well preserved for his age, keen minded and alert. In honor of his anniversary his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. George Wade entertained with a dinner Sunday at their home in Millfield.
Guests present were E.E. Learned, Mrs. George Norris, the Misses Fern, Pauline, Lola, Gladys and Donald Norris all of Columbus, Mr. and Mrs. George Shaner and family, Mrs. Mobel Smith and sons, Millfield and Mr. and Mrs. Wade and family."

September 9, 1928 - "OLD SOLDIERS MEET IN SANDERS HOME. Five Veterans Gather To Talk Over Old Times at Millfield. By Charles S. Bradfield, Jr., Messenger Staff Writer.
Chauncey, Sept. 8 -- A unique meeting was held in Millfield Friday, when five Civil War veterans, gathered in the home of Mrs. Jennie Sanders, wife of the late Lewis W. Sanders also a Civil War veteran. The combined ages of the six present totaled 504 years. They were: Dr. A.J. Learned, 85, Millfield: Charles D. Sanders, 86, Millfield, the oldest present. William B. Southerton, 86, W.H. Brown, 84, J.L. Pickering, 81, all of Athens, and Mrs. Sanders who is past 80. Mr. Southerton celebrated his 86th birthday anniversary, Friday.
Dr. A.J. Learned is commander of the Columbus Golden Post No. 89 in Athens and is serving his third year in that capacity. Doctor Learned was born 1 ½ miles northeast of Millfield in a log cabin built by his fathe
Charles D. Sanders was born in Millfield. He was wounded at Mission Ridge, Tenn., and still carries a scar on his right cheek as a reminder of his Civil War days. Mr. Sanders, Doctor Learned and James Sams are the only Civil War veterans living in Millfield.
W.H. Brown was born in Millfield, but is a resident of Athens at present. Mr. Brown and Mr. Pickering are past commanders of the Columbus Golden Post No. 89.
Mr. Pickering was born near Athens. He was the youngest of several brothers in the family who were all Civil War veterans.
Their meeting Friday was a happy one and the time was spent in reminiscing. And, "although their step is not so spry, As in the days of yore. We each one wish them happy days. Yes, many, many, more."

May 10, 1932 - "Tells of Joke Playing in War Time. Editor's note: This is one of a series of stories being written about Civil War veterans living in Athens County. AS TOLD TO FRANCES WILLOCK.
The Civil War had its jokes, Dr. A.J. Learned, Millfield, reveals. If a few of them were had at his expense, he enjoyed them as much as the others. As to the battle scenes, he explains, "I might dwell long on those, but one who has never seen a battle, can have no conception of it's horror." And so he prefers to amuse those who ask about his experience with descriptions of the incongruities which developed in spite of the all too serious business of warfare.
WAS CORPORAL MAJOR.
Dr. Leonard enlisted Aug. 19, 1861, in Company C, 18th O.V.I. He had one distinction -- a title of "Corporal Major" -- which he reports, was bestowed by the company "clown" and clung to him throughout his entire service.
"There was an Irishman in the company who used to sing 'Did you ever go into an Irishman's shanty where the water was scarce and the whiskey was plenty?' He would get drunk at every opportunity, and it was reported that after his discharge, whiskey was so easy for him to get that he lay out one night and was found frozen to death the next morning.
Just before the Tullotroina campaign, Major W.P. Johnson asked for a detail for the ambulance corps, and two men from each company were detailed. The captain said to the surgeon, "I will give you the best men I have, and detailed the Irishman and myself. (Now I wonder . . .)
We were given strips of red flannel to be sewed to the sleeve, indicating our duties, and one man noticing my badge, asked what office it indicated. Lewis Tinkham, company clown, answered for me, 'Why he's the Corporal Major.'
During Bragg's invasion of Kentucky in the autumn of 1882, we poined a garrison which held Nashville. One day we visited a farm and were immediately attracted by a fine flock of chickens. The only white person in sight was the lady of the house and she made an ingenious effort to protect her chickens. "Oh gentlemen, she drawled, please don't take my fowls; you certainly won't when you know that I am a Nawthen lady, I was born and raised in the Nawth.'
FED THEIR PRISONERS
"During the occupation of Nashville we heard that there was an outpost at Lavergne. At twilight, each man was given a loaf of bread, and ordered to fall in line. By daybreak we had surrounded the outpost, an Alabama regiment. They were as fine a bunch of soldiers as I ever saw, no green boys and no old men, and well disciplined. We came on them so early they hadn't had their breakfast, and took them without trouble.
On the return to Nashville, we formed in four ranks, our disarmed prisoners forming the inner rank so that each man guarding them touched elbows with his prisoner. There was only good feeling between prisoners and captors. Toward evening a man near the head of the column took his bread from the his pack and divided it with his prisoner. In less than two minutes every man along the line followed his example.
"I participated in two general engagements at Stone River and Chickamauga. At Stone River our Colonel put us through the manual of arms while we were under fire to test whether we had lost our heads. Every movement was executed as perfectly as though we were on dress parade. The colonel received a slight wound in his arm but never left us during the battle. I remember hearing him say 'A man can afford a bullet in his sleeve for the honor of commanding men like these.'
Learned derived much amusement from the blunders of one other Irish character in the company. "It was Mike's idea to follow instructions to the letter," he related. "He was on picket duty when the officer of the day made his grand rounds, approaching from the opposite side of a small creek. It was winter and very cold. Mike waited until the officer reached the middle of the creek, then demanded he dismount. The officer demurred. Mike cocked his gun, and the officer was compelled to dismount, wade to shore, and give the countersign.
TRADED NEWSPAPERS
"On another occasion, Mike developed a sudden desire for a newspaper from the other side. The two lines were in musket range, but Mike signalled the sentinel opposite him that he wished to exchange newspapers. Each one elevated a newspaper on a stick as a sign of truce, and met halfway between the lines. When Mike got back to the dugout he found he had exchanged a late issue of the Cincinnati Gazette for the same paper of a much earlier date. He never heard the last of his trade.
Dr. Learned was discharged in November, 1864, as a private and practiced medicine until he retired in 1905. "I am more proud of my service than anything else," he concluded.

8 Samuel H. LEARNED^8,9,14,15,16 (c. 1818- ) [10975]. Born c. 1818, OH.^8,9,15 Marr Susan KOONS 27 Dec 1842, Athens, OH.¹⁶

9 Susan KOONS^8,9,15,16 (c. 1823- ) [11184]. Born c. 1823, Bedford, PA.^8,9,15,17

5 Mary A. DAINS^7,10,11,18 (1845-1915) [11193]. Born Oct 1845, OH.^7,10,11 Died 24 Jan 1915, Athens County, OH.⁶

3 Catherine E. JONES^1,2 (1875- ) [11205]. Born Feb 1875, OH.^1,2

6 David JONES¹ (1845- ) [11208]. Born Dec 1845, OH.¹

7 Kate ?¹ (1850- ) [11209]. Born Aug 1850, OH.¹

Sources

1	"1900 OH, Athens, Trimble census".

2	"1910 OH, Franklin, Columbus".

3	"WWI Selective Service registration card".

4	"1920 OH, Franklin, Clinton census".

5	"1930 OH, Franklin, Columbus census".

6	"Ohio Death Index 1908 - 1932, 1938-1944 and 1958-2007".

7	"1880 OH, Athens, Dover census".

8	"1850 OH, Athens, Dover census".

9	"1860 OH, Athens, Dover census".

10	"1900 OH, Athens, Dover census".

11	"1910 OH, Athens, Dover census".

12	"Death Certificate".

13	"Obituary of George Wade in the Athens Messenger, December 26, 1828".

14	"Rootsweb posting by Joanne Moore".

15	"1870 OH, Athens, Trimble census".

16	"IGI Source: Marriage Records, 1817-1951 Ohio Probate Court (Athens County)".

17	"Death Certificate of Sarah C. Duncan".

18	"Death certificate of spouse".