George Williams

He went from Ohio to Salem, OR with his parents as a small boy. In 1860 he was a 21 year old lawyer's son living with his parents and younger siblings in South Salem. He may have been sponsored for an appointment to the US Military Academy by Senator Edward Baker, but did not attend. Instead, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Company I, 4th US Infantry on 14 April 1862. He was present at Gaines' Mill and Malvern Hill, VA on the Peninsular Campaign and at 2nd Manassas.

He was with his Company at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

He was at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. At Gettysburg he was temporarily assigned to Company H, which was short of officers, and was severely wounded there on 2 July 1863, his right leg "shattered" and possibly amputated. He was brevetted Captain for his actions there. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in July 1863, and asked to remain in service, but was retired by a medical review board in November 1863.

He was living in Salem, OR by 1872, and served at least one term as Mayor. He went to Portland after his bank failed (1895), in about 1898.

Basic information from Powell1 and Heitman.2 His presence at Antietam from Captain Dryer's Report, as George S. Williams. Personal details from family genealogists, the US Census of 1860, the Oregon Historical Quarterly, Volume 4, No. 2 (June 1903), and his obituary in the Portland Oregonian of 9 July 1910. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Emma Adams (1851-1935) in April 1872 and they had 3 children.

04/05/1839; Findlay, OH

07/08/1910; Portland, OR; burial in Wilhelm's Portland Memorial Mausoleum, Portland, OR