Easterly, John B.

John B. Easterly, Livingston Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller

John B. Easterly, farmer, merchant and miller, Live Oak, whose career presents an example of industry, perseverance and good management, has been a resident of Livingston parish, La., since October, 1859, and on his present property since 1860. His parent., Rev. Isaac and Nancy (Jones) Easterly, were natives of East Tennessee, where they were married and resided until about 1835. They then moved to Lowndes county, Miss., and after the mother's death in 1859 the father with the children came to Livingston parish, La., and settled on a farm. He was a prominent Methodist minister, and was well known all over Mississippi and Louisiana. He died in the last named state in 1889, at the age of sixty-nine years. His wife was also a member of the Methodist church. John B. Easterly owes his nativity to Lowndes county, Miss., born in the year 1839 and received his education in Mississippi and Alabama. In 1861 he enlisted in the confederate army, under Colonel Stewart, Company A, First battalion of Louisiana light artillery, and was in the battle of Belmont, Mo., and siege of Island No. 10, where he was captured. He was taken to Camp Douglas, Chicago, but was there but a few days when he made his escape and started for home, traveling principally on foot. He came to Holly Springs, Miss., and there met some confederate forces under General Vilipee, with whom he remained until Breckinridge moved on to Baton Rouge. He was in Simms' battery as a volunteer, and participated in the battles of Baton Rouge, Corinth, Coffeeville, siege of Fort Pemberton, Baker's Creek, Vicksburg, and a number of skirmishes in Mississippi and Louisiana. He was paroled in Vicksburg in 1863 and came home. In the fall of the following year he re-enlisted in the same battalion but was in no engagements of note. After the war he returned home, and on July 4, 1865, he was wedded to Miss Elizabeth J. Spiller, a native of the Creole state, born in 1846 in Livingston parish, and the daughter of Rev. Levi and Nancy (Starns) Spiller, natives of Georgia and Louisiana, respectively. Mrs. Easterly was the eldest of four children. To Mr. and Mrs. Easterly were born eight children: Nancy M., John B., Sigel B., Isaac D., Levi S., Ruth L., Connie C. and Clay--all at home with their parents. After his marriage Mr. Easterly settled on a farm, and although the war left him without means he went earnestly to work, and is now the owner of 1,400 acres of land, with 300 acres under cultivation, and also the owner of a store where Live Oak post-office was established in 1885. In 1884 Mr. Easterly was appointed sheriff of the parish, but resigned and was appointed colonel of the militia of the parish in 1880 and still holds that position. In 1879 he was a member of the constitutional convention from the Seventeenth Senatorial district, and is returning officer of the parish at the present time. He is a member of the A. F & A. M., and in politics is strictly democratic, casting his first presidential vote for Bell. Mr. and Mrs. Easterly are members of the Methodist church, and all their children either belong or are believers in the same doctrine.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), p. 396. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.