Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - George Austin

12^th MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 6/26/61 Ft. Warren, Boston, MA
Mustered Out: 7/8/64 Boston, MA

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:

   The 12^th was a three-year unit known as the “Webster Regiment” because its members were recruited by Fletcher Webster, son of statesman Daniel Webster.  Following Federal muster the regiment spent the second half of 1861 on duty at various locations between Washington D.C. and Frederick, MD.

   1862 began with scouting duties in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.  In August the 12^th was engaged at the battle of Cedar Mtn. and at 2^nd Bull Run where, on the Chinn Farm, it lost 25 killed or mortally wounded including Co. Webster.  The year drew to a close with heavy losses suffered during the attack against the Confederate right at Fredricksburg.

   In May, 1863 the regiment suffered some loss at Chancellorsville then moved to Gettysburg where they suffered severely in actions on the extreme Union right near Oak Hill.  The year was capped by operations along the Rappahannock and the advance of the Army of The Potomac to Mine Run.

   Spring 1864 found the 12^th suffering dearly along the Orange Turnpike and the Plank Road in The Wilderness.  It again sustained heavy losses at Spottsylvania on the Alsop, Jones, and Spindle farms.  Its military history was closed with further losses along the North Anna River, at Cold Harbor, and in front of Petersburg. 

SOLDIER:
Residence: Haverhill, MA   Age: 23.6 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 6/26/61 Boston, MA   Rank: Pvt.
Discharged/Mustered Out: 7/8/64 Boston, MA
Highest Rank: Cpl.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:


NOTE: The original birth-to-death biographical profile of George O. Austin was written during the early years of the Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State project. As a result, it suffered from size and historical resource limitations. The profile below was created in May, 2018 and while much more detailed than its predecessor, lacks the depth and documental details from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. that more recent profiles feature.

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  George O. Austin was born 11/29/37 in Mt. Vernon, Kennebec Co., ME.  His parents were David (b. 1802 Windham Co. CT died 12/25/1860/Kennebec Co. ME) and Eliza G. (b. 1802 CT nee Gitchell died 7/21/1847/Kennebec Co. ME and is burried at Woodside Cemetery Belgrade Kennebec Co. ME) Austin. According to family David remarried to Betsey Farnham (1824/ME died 1903/ME) and had William H 1849/ME, Charlers 1856/ME, Sidney 1857/ME, and Ellen E 1859/ME. 

The Austins were a farm family, so George had many siblings. Those older than he were William (b. 1825 CT), Franklin “Frank” K.  (b. 1826 CT), Elizabeth (b. 1829 CT), Horace (b. 10/15/ 1831 CT served as 6th Governor of MN from 1/9/1870 to 1/7/1874) and Theresa (b. 1834 CT). Those younger were Louis Clark (b. 1839 ME) and William (b.1849 ME). As exemplified by the birthplaces of the Austin children, sometime between the birth of Theresa in 1834 and George in 1837 the family quitted Connecticut in favor of Maine. What prompted the move is not known.

  In 1861 while living in Massachusetts, George, by this time a 5’10 ½ “(est.) shoemaker, entered the U.S. Army.  Aside from several skirmishes with disease including bronchitis and malarial fever, his term of duty appears to have been uneventful.  If anything, it was a positive experience as the darkly complexioned infantryman rose from the rank of private to that of corporal during his tenure.

  While it is not documented, reportedly after leaving the military George returned to Massachusetts, but quickly moved on through  the states of  Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York and, by 1871, Minnesota where he stayed until 1904. In Minnesota. His communities of residence included Redwing, Goodhue Co. and St. Paul in Ramsey County.  At some point in his travels Mr. Austin married Ann Sophie Presler (b. 1849 NY).  The couple divorced 5/22/95 in Minneapolis leaving no living children.

  On 6/16/95 George remarried to the twice-wed Ellen F. Hurd/Schuyler (nee Googins) in St. Croix Falls, WI.  The Austins do not appear to have produced children.  In 1904 George and Ellen moved to Everett, Snohomish County, WA.  Documents are silent as to why the transition was made.

  It was in Everett on 2/17/16 that George O. Austin, a Union Civil War veteran died. He was aged 78.2 years at passing.  Cause: Apoplexy (stroke).  Contributory: Rheumatism and old age.  At death the former infantry corporal was receiving a $30 government disability stipend. Burial was in the Snohomish, Snohomish County, Washington’s Grand Army Of The Republic (G.A.R.) Cemetery.

 After George’s death Ellen continued to reside in Everett. She was successful in obtaining a portion of her late husband’s pension stipend, so continued to receive payments until her death on 12/28/26. She was/is buried beside George in Snohomish. 

Buried at Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery Snohomish
Row: 11
Site: 1

Todd Rodman
Redmond, WA