Willis H. Twiford

His mother died when he was seven, and he lived with various foster families in Ohio for the next ten years until his father remarried in about 1838. Although raised in many places, he got a good education. In 1842 he studied medicine with a local doctor, then completed medical school. He began a practice in Pleasant Valley, OH in 1845, then moved to Union City, IN in 1853. On 12 September 1861, by then a 41 year old physician in Union City, he mustered as Assistant Surgeon of the 27th Indiana Infantry.

He was with his Regiment in Maryland and performed surgeries in the field at Antietam all day on 17 September until 3 am the following morning, and was then ordered to a hospital.

He was promoted to Surgeon on 27 September 1862 and assigned as Chief Surgeon of the Division. He was hurt in a fall at Tullahoma, TN in April 1864 and resigned due to injuries on 14 July 1864.

He moved to Somerset, Steele County, MN in September 1864 and lived on a farm there, then practiced medicine. He represented Steele County in the State Legislature in 1867. In 1873 he moved his practice to Geneva, Freeborn County. Lastly, in 1897, he relocated to Owatonna, where he retired soon afterward, nearing 80 years of age.

Service from Brown,1 source also of his picture, and the Historical Data Systems database. His role at Antietam from Jones.2 Personal details from Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge's History of Rice and Steele Counties, Minnesota (1910) and Union Publishing's History of Steele and Waseca Counties, Minnesota (1887). His gravesite is on Findagrave.

05/12/1821; Fayette County, OH

10/13/1909; burial in Forest Hill Cemetery, Owatonna, MN