SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Philip Marvin George, Page 365

PHILIP MARVIN GEORGE has been an honored citizen of Sheboygan County since 1851, and now makes his home on section 6, Wilson Township, his farm being  located four and three-quarter miles from the city limits of Sheboygan, and only a mile and a-half from Sheboygan Falls.  A native of Jefferson County, N. Y., he was born on the 7th of April, 1848, unto Levi and Diana (Warden) George.  Of their family, Nancy J. is the widow  of Sylvanus H. Fuller, who was a native of New York, and a sailor on the Lakes.  He died June 18, 1892.  With his wife he held membership with the Baptist Church, and had a family of seven children, who are all living.  Mrs. Fuller makes her home in Osceola County, Mich.  Marcia is the wife of A. Y. Davis, a farmer living near Sheboygan Falls.  Urania is the wife of John Gearlds, a farmer of this county, and an engineer by trade.

    Our subject's father, who was born in New Hampshire on Christmas Day, 1816, is still living.  His grandfather, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, was killed in the battle of Bunker Hill.  Levi George was only a child when his parents removed to New York, and his boyhood was passed on a farm.  He became a raftsman on the St. Lawrence River, and in early life had a hard struggle to obtain a livelihood.  His early education was acquired in a log schoolhouse, where the birch rod was the controlling power.  In 1851, he came with his family to Sheboygan County, making most of the journey by way of the Lakes.  The county was then nearly covered with thick timber, and the Indians were very plentiful.  Mr. George at once proceeded to Sheboygan Falls, where he worked for a year in a sawmill, and then took out a contract for making cedar posts, which kept him occupied for some two years.  Going to the Wisconsin River, he worked in sawmills, and often went down the river with a cargo of lumber as far as Cairo, Ill.  When making a permanent settlement, he located in the northwestern part of Wilson Township, on section 6.  His farm of eighty acres was wild land, entirely unimproved.  He erected a log cabin and lived the life of a pioneer.  It was a thing of frequent occurrence to be able to shoot deer and other wild animals from the window or door of their humble home.  His wife was a native of New York, born September 26, 1822.  She was a member of the Methodist Church, and was called from this life July 15, 1877, and laid to rest in the Sheboygan Falls Cemetery.

    Philip George remained at home until his sixteenth year, when, his country being in peril, he nobly responded to the call of duty, enlisting in Company F, Twenty-first Wisconsin Infantry, March 29, 1864, at Fond du Lac.  His regiment was under the command of Col. H. C. Hobart, and with him they proceeded at once to the front, joining the regiment to which they were assigned.  They became a part of the First Brigade, First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, of the Army of the Cumberland.  Our subject took part in a large number of important battles and engagements, including the battles of Lookout Mountain, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Altoona, Kenesaw, New Hope Church, Pumpkin Vine Creek, Chattahoochee, Peach Tree Creek and the siege of Atlanta.  He was afterward a participant in the battle of Jonesboro.  In the engagement of Pumpkin Vine Creek he received a flesh wound in the left arm, while in the skirmish line.  In the battle of Kenesaw a shot passed just in front of, or between, his legs, striking a man by the name of Kennedy.  The bullet passed through both of the latter's legs, and owing to the loss of blood he died in fifteen minutes.  At the battle of Resaca, his comrades on the right and left had were both killed, but our subject was fortunately spared.  After the Atlanta siege, he remained in the vicinity of that city for one month, when he started after Gen. Hood, who had been cutting off the Union supplies.  He marched for two whole days with his regiment, the soles of his shoes being worn entirely through, and on account of disability he was forced to remain in the rear.  he was sent to the Thomas Hospital, where he remained for a month, and as he did not get better, was sent to the Chattanooga Hospital.  On account of an accident he did not reach his destination, but was sent to Bridgeport, Ala., where for three weeks he was obliged to do garrison duty, being later detailed for the same work in Charleston, Tenn., for one month.  He then joined his regiment and next, by way of Nashville and Parkersburgh, went to West Virginia and thence to Alexandria, VA., where he embarked on a transport-boat, bound for Wilmington, N. C.  He was next sent to Goldsboro to guard an ammunition wagon and was soon sent on the Raleigh campaign.  With his regiment he was the first to enter that city, where the Union flag was placed by them on the State House.  From that time until the close of the war, he was on detached duty, and was present at the Grand Review in Washington, D. C.  Being then transferred to the Third Wisconsin Infantry, he went to Louisville, Ky., and was mustered out of service July 20, 1865.  During his arduous service he was never absent from duty when able to be at his post, and all honor is due his noble service in defense of the Stars and Stripes.

    Returning to the old home, Mr. George passed the following two years, after which he went to work for the lumber firm of Richardson Bros., of Sheboygan Falls, in whose employ he continued for five years.  Since that time he has been engaged in farming, and owns eighty acres of valuable land, which he has greatly improved since becoming its owner.  As might be expected of so true a patriot and supporter of the Union cause, he cast his first vote for the Soldier President, Gen. Grant, and has since upheld the principles of the Republican party.  Officially, he has been connected with the public schools, and is now Clerk of the Board.  Socially, he is a member of Richardson Post No. 12, G. A. R., of Sheboygan Falls, and has held every office in the same.