George B Horton (abt. 1836 - 1874)

Born about 1836 in Indiana, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Swing) Horton — married 23 Sep 1858 in Tipton, Indiana, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Apr 1874 at about age 38 in Tipton, Indiana, USA

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Biography

George was born about 1836. George Horton ... He passed away in 1874.

At the age of 24 he was described as a man with a light complexion, grey eyes, and black hair, standing 5'5¾" tall. On 27 Jul 1861 he volunteered to serve as a Private in Company C of the 26th Rgt. of the Indiana Infantry; about 21 Oct of that year he was absent from his company in a hospital at Tipton, MO. Not long afterwards, however, while at the Benton Barracks at St. Louis, MO, he contracted measles, for which he was repeatedly hospitalized, first being admitted to the City Hospital of St. Louis on 1 Jan 1862. About a year later, on 7 Dec 1862, he was wounded in action at Prairie Grove, AR, left to recover at the hospital at Fayetteville, until he was transferred on 6 Apr 1863 to the hospital at Springfield, MO. He returned to duty as the company cook on 22 Jul. On 17 Feb 1864, Gen. Herron ordered him to detached service at Brownsville, TX, where he was once again hospitalized on 24 Jun; he was transferred to the Barracks Hospital at New Orleans, LA, in early August. By 13 Aug he was back with his company, and returned to Indianapolis where he was discharged 21 Sep 1864. (*) After his mustering out, George returned to farming, but his health had been permanently impaired. By 1869, he was living at Pickards Mills (modern Pickard) in Clinton Co, IN, but able to do "very little work of any kind." (**) A couple of neighbors later testified that, since he had come home in 1865, his health had occasionally improved to the point of being able to do some household and a little field work with his wife's assistance, but he had coughed continuously and complained of his throat and lungs. When he died on 23 Apr 1874, his death was attributed to bronchitis, "Tuberculosis or Consumption," and "Phthisis Pulmonalis." He was buried in the Ridge Cemetery, and, apparently, at that time, had been living again near Ekin in Tipton County. Sarah, his widow, lived until 21 May 1897. She died in Liberty Twp., Tipton Co., and was buried in the Jackson Cemetery there. Two of George and Sarah's children were born before the war, three afterward. Back on 1 Dec 1856, he sued his father (no longer living in Tipton Co) on an "I promise to pay $40" note dated 25 Oct of that year. (***)

Sources

• Family history; Indiana Civil War Records and Pension Records, National Archives, Washington, DC.
  • Pension records, including affidavits from Jeremiah Horton (younger brother), William S. Wallace, William Shope, Daniel S. Hendrickson, Dr. W.A.S. Holmes, Huanders H. Jackson, Michael T. Winders, Charles Winders, Alferd [Alfred] P. Shops, Jesse P. Silver, and Thomas Kinney.
    • Letter from Lawrence S. and Ann Horton (to Michael O. Brown)