Full Unit History
2nd MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 6/1/1861 Ft., Snelling St. Paul, MN
Mustered Out: 7/11/1865 Louisville, KY
Soldier History
SOLDIER:
Residence: Winona County, MN. Age: 18 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 6/29/1861 Austin Mower Co., MN Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 6/29/1861 Austin Mower Co., MN
Mustered Out: 7/11/1865 Louisville, KY
Highest Rank: Sgt.
Rank At Discharge: Sgt.
Family History
PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
George Harvey Ames was born 9/3/1849. His parents were Ezra Ames and Phoebe (nee Medcaff) Ames. The place of his birth was within the state of New Hampshire.
In 1860, George was listed as living in Winona County, MN. The following year he enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army serving with the 2nd Minnesota Infantry. He re-enlisted 12/14/1863, was wounded (9/19) during the battle of Chickamauga, GA (9/18 – 20/1863), but remained in the 2nd until The War’s end. While in the 2nd he rose from the rank of private to that of corporal and, then, sergeant.
Circa 1877 George married. We know his bride only as Lydia E. Ames.
By 1900 the Ames’ had removed to Seattle King County, WA. Here George, 57, and Lydia, 60, were living with married daughter Lydia and her husband. At that time George’s occupation was noted as “hotel keeper.”
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As of 1910 George and Lydia were residing in Whatcom County, WA. The same held true a decade later, in 1920.
George died 3/12/1922 in Seattle King County, WA. The burial was/is in Bayview Cemetery located in Whatcom County near the City of Bellingham.
Newspaper Notice: (Bellingham Herald 3/14/22)
George H. Ames, once treasurer of the City of Fairhaven and for thirty years or longer a resident of Bellingham died in Seattle Sunday at 1 a.m. at the age of 79 years. Mr. Ames had lived in that city for about a year. He was a veteran of the civil war and a member of the C. R. Apperson post and Ladies of the G. A. R. on the South Side. One of his sons, Walcott, is a captain in the American army, receiving that commission in the world war. He is now serving in Hawaii. Other survivors are the widow; one daughter, Mrs. Lydia McCane and one stepson, Melvin Parker, of Seattle. The funeral was in Seattle this morning and in charge of the G.A.R.
On 7/30/1877 George had applied for a U.S. Government disability pension based on his days of Civil War soldiering. After his passing his widow applied to continue receiving at least a portion of that stipend.
When and where Lydia died and unknowns. Also not known is her final resting place.
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NOTE: The preceding courtesy of the Whatcom County Genealogical Society, Bellingham, WA. For additional information check out our Links page and the dvd Civil War Veterans of Whatcom County with June, 2014 update.
Posted:1/8/2024
Updated:
Cemetery
Buried at BayView Cemetery Whatcom Co.