Obit: Holeton, George W. (1840 - 1931)

Contact:  Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: HOLETON FERGERSON COLE JERDEE HOMSTEAD

----Sources: WEEKLY CLARION (Dorchester, Clark Co., WI) 05/15/1931

Holeton, George W. (9 JUL 1840 - 9 MAY 1931)

George W. Holeton, last Civil War veteran of the community, passed away at his home at Abbotsford Saturday afternoon, May 9th, 1931, at the age of 90 years and 10 months, after a brief illness with congestion of the lungs. He was born at Poland, Ohio, July 9th, 1840, the son of Richard S. and Mary Ann Holeton and was married April 4th, 1867 to Emily Ann Fergerson, at Niles, Ohio. Preceded by his wife in death on Feb. 19, 1922, he leaves to mourn his loss four children, Ralph C. of Wausau, George R. of Olds, Alberta, Canada, Gertrude Cole of Decatur, Ill., and Mary Maude Jerdee, of Arkdale, Wis. There are also eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Mr. Holeton was a Civil War veteran, enlisting at the age of 20 years as a private in Co. E., 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In the same regiment were two men who later became Presidents of the United States, Wm. McKinley, Captain of Co. G, and R.B. Hayes, Major of the regiment.

Private Holeton became Corporal June 8, 1861, Sergeant on April 13, 1863 and later was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant under Captain McKinley and Major Hayes. He participated in 22 battles and a number of skirmishes and was wounded in the right leg, Sept. 14, 1862, at South Mountain, Md. He lay in an orchard for two days at Middleton before found and was taken to a hospital in Philadelphia where he spent three months before recovering sufficiently to return to his regiment. He was slightly wounded on several other occasions and received his honorable discharge Aug. 3, 1865.

After his years of service, he returned to Niles, Ohio, where he resumed his trade as carpenter. In October 1871 he came with his family to Marathon Co., Wis., traveling by rail to Humbird, thence to Neillsville by stage, and on to Marathon Co. where he located on a soldier’s homestead of 160 acres about four miles southeast of Dorchester (Clark Co., Wis.). His homestead certificate No. 372, dated Aug. 1, 1874, was signed by Pres. U.S. Grant.

Always a good citizen vitally interested in affairs of the community, he had the first school district set off, District No. 1, April 15, 1875, and served as school clerk for 26 ears, also serving as town chairman and in various other official capacities during the course of years. In 1876 the township in which he resided was named for him. About this time Mrs. Holeton’s sister, now Mrs. Aug. Homstead of Dorchester, then a young girl of fifteen, came to live with them. Mr. Holeton helped in the building of a church in his community and of a grist mill here in Dorchester, Wis.

In 1910 he retired from active work, purchasing a home at Abbotsford where he and his wife moved and spent their remaining years.

Mr. Holton was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Abbotsford, also the Masonic Fraternity and order of Eastern Star and the last member of the G.A.R. Post at Colby.

Funeral services were held at the Abbotsford Armory, Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Chas. Wagner, Presbyterian minister from Athens officiating. Military honors were accorded him by members of the American Legion Post who served as pallbearers, and composed a firing squad at the final rites in the Abbotsford Cemetery, where burial was made.

A fine old man, beloved by his neighbors and townspeople we see him today proudly bearing the colors as was his privilege at the last rites for his Civil War brethren so often in the past years. We pay tribute to this "grand old man" of the "Army of the Repbublic" who so faithfully served his country and fellowmen, and believe that we who are here should emulate his example in "doing the right as God gives us to see the right."