John H. (John Hill) Aughey

Born in New Hartford, New York, on May 8, 1828, John Hill Aughey spent part of his childhood in Ohio and graduated from Franklin College in 1851. He later moved south to teach in Mississippi, studied theology, and entered the Presbyterian ministry.

As the United States moved toward Civil War, Aughey became known for opposing slavery and secession while living in Mississippi. That stance made him a target: accounts of his life describe threats, imprisonment, and a dramatic escape from Confederate custody. He later served as a chaplain with the Union Army, and those experiences shaped the memoir-like books for which he is best remembered, especially The Iron Furnace; or, Slavery and Secession and its later sequel Tupelo.

After the war, he continued a long career in church work across several states and later in Oklahoma Territory as a missionary and pastor. He died on July 30, 1911. Today, his books stand out as personal Civil War narratives written by a minister who saw the conflict from inside the divided South.