The Civil War Diary of Henderson George
    Introduction
Post-war Memoirs
 · Roundhead History
 · Family War Records
 · Samuel B. George
 · Morrisons & Taylors
 · Poem by William Taylor
 · Poem by John Morrison
 

 

  SAMUEL B. GEORGE  

Samuel B. George

Samuel Barnhill George, second son of William George was born and reared on the farm of his father adjoining the village of North Liberty, Mercer Co., Pa.

At the age of seventeen, (1856) he went to the town of Mercer the county seat to learn the trade of painting and decorating in the chair shop of Samuel Glebner. After learning his trade and doing some journeyman work in Ohio he returned home in the year 1860, and became interested in the new discovery of oil in Venango County, Pa., and with others organized a company for the purpose of prospecting for oil. The Company took up a lease of land in the heart of the oil field.

Mr. George became actively engaged, and in charge of drilling the first well on the companies lease, when the war broke out in 1861. To the first call for troops he at once responded, leaving the well unfinished, but turning the well over to the other members of the company to carry on the work. It seems that owing to the excitement occasioned by the breaking out of the war, and other contingencies arising from this cause, the lease of the company was through neglect or oversight allowed to lapse.

However, it should be stated that the oil business was in its infancy at this time, and the land leased was undeveloped and not known to be of great value -- in other words it was undeveloped and in the prospective stage. It turned out later, after the lease had lapsed, and the company had lost control, to be of great value. On account of this oil incident Mr. George always claimed that the war cost him not only his time and service of almost four years in the army, but a contingent fortune in the oil business.

Samuel B. George served throughout the great civil war as a member of Co., E., one hundredth Regiment Penna. Volunteers, (commonly known as the Roundhead Regiment). He was mustered in with the Regiment Aug., 31st., 1861, and mustered out with the Regiment July 24th., 1865. Was slightly wounded in the head at the battle of James Island, June 16th., 1862; was taken prisoner at the battle of Fort Steadman March 25th., 1865; was exchanged as a prisoner of war April 2nd., 1865. His name was placed in the line of promotion March 14th., 1865.

After the close of the war Mr. George returned home and took up farming as a pursuit on the old homestead in which business he continued until his death April 1st., 1879 from an attack of pneumonia.

Samuel B. George was a member of the Plain Grove Presbyterian Church. This is the historic church of which we find that James George our American ancestor was one of its earliest members, if not a charter member. Samuel B. George was elected a ruling elder of Plain Grove Church and was ordained October 21st., 1878.

On August 25th., 1870, Samuel B. George was married to Miss. Hortense Julia Guist of Titusville, Crawford Co., Pa., the marriage taking place at the home of Jacob Snyder, her uncle, in the village of North Liberty, Mercer Co., Pa.

 

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