Calling all sleuths! I’ve done a cursory research for George B. Williams, the man who was cared for by D.J. Zent in his final days before death in Colville, Washington. Mr. Zent also paid for his funeral and burial plot at Evergreen Cemetery in 1899. I have not been able to verify Mr.William’s military service in the Civil War nor anything else about him.
The National Park Service has a website of Soldiers & Sailors who fought in the Civil War. It is an index that lists the Battle Unit Name, Company, which side he fought for, soldiers rank in & out and a detail biography of the regiment activities including soldiers wounded & died. Our George B. Williams supposedly served in the 12th Michigan Cavalry. Michigan had a 10th Michigan Cavalry but no 12th Michigan Cavalry. There is a George Williams in the 12th Michigan Infantry, Company K and one in Company B. Also a George B. Williams served in the 10th Michigan Cavalry, Company I. I ordered his Pension File #769131 from NARA only to find he died in Nebraska.
Our genealogical society now has over 460,000 entries in various databases with less than a dozen for George Williams, none of which point to our George. Our Washington State Digital Archives has only one potential entry for a George B. Williams, 1891 Seattle Polk Directory. This George is a carpenter and boards at 1421 3rd. Perhaps he showed up in the 1890 US Veterans Schedule. The fire of 1921 in the basement of the Commerce Building destroyed most of the 1890 Census and part of the veterans’ schedules. These veterans’ schedules are only available for states with letter beginning with “K” to the end of the alphabet plus the District of Columbia. The index spews forth a list of 650 for a query of George B. Williams, with half having the surname Williams and 4 with George B. Williams. None fought in any Michigan Regiment.
According to HistoryNet (http://www.historynet.com/civil-war-soldiers) about 2.75 million soldiers fought in the Civil War –2 million for the North and 750,000 for the South. According to historian Bell I Wiley, who pioneered the study of the Civil War common soldier, the average Yank or Reb was a ‘white, native-born, farmer, protestant, single, between 18 and 29.’ He stood about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed about 143 pounds. Most soldiers were between the ages of 18 and 39 with an average age just under 26. In the Union army, 80 percent of the men were in the infantry, 14 percent in the cavalry, and 6 percent in artillery. Over 360,000 died in service to the North, 110,000+ in battle and 250,000+ of other causes, primarily disease. Some estimates claim the totals were actually higher. Having no luck with finding helpful information here locally, I then looked at federal and state censuses for Michigan. With so little information to go on (he died here in Stevens County before 13 Apr 1899 and he fought in the Civil War, Union side for a Michigan Regiment), I again found no good candidate for our George. Northeast Washington Genealogical Society wants to erect a monument honoring those
heretofore unknown Civil War Veterans buried at Evergreen Cemetery with their names and Civil War unit information. We would like to add George but I would like to be able to verify his service. Can you help me find more about George B. Williams? I’m providing the only information we were given about George in the letter written to the Stevens County Commissioners. The rest is yours to discover.
“This certifies that this instrument was filed in the Auditor’s office of said county on this 13 day of April, 1899 by Jno A. Barry, Dep. Auditor. To the Honorable Board of Commissioners Gentlemen, As a veteran of the late war I with others have had the care during the sickness and death of George B. Williams an ex soldier of the Civil War and a member of the 12th Michigan Cavalry –And after his death I contracted for a lot in the Cemetery near Colville known as the Evergreen Cemetery agreeing to pay therefore – The lot contains room for 20 graves – And the price to be paid is ten ($10) dollars. I ask that money be appropriated from proper fund of the county and
warrant drawn for purpose of paying for this lot to be used as the burial ground for all old veterans who may be buried in the above cemetery and the decision be to bury in said lot.
Respectfully submitted
DJ Zent”
Please send information to: Lora Rose –
lorarose12@gmail.com