CORPORAL GEORGE W. HOUSEHOLDER
CO C PA 102ND REGIMENT
George Householder son of Joseph and Eva Householder was born on February 04, 1842 in Elizabeth, Pa. (near McKeesport ) he was the youngest of three boys. The oldest, Joseph, born in 1838 and Jacob born in 1840. Prior to enlisting in the army George worked as a farmer and coal miner in or near McKeesport. On July 30,1861 at the age of 19 George enlisted in the army and was mustered into Co C of the Pa.102nd Regt Vol. Infantry at Pittsburgh August 16, 1861. On August 22, 1861 George left with his company for Washington D.C. where they were attached to Peck's Brigade, Couch’s Division of "The Army of the Potomac".
George was described having dark hair, dark eyes and was 6'2” tall. The picture of George shows him with the 6th Corp medallion on his blouse. While stationed in D.C. George became sick and was sent to the hospital in Georgetown in Nov.,1862 and listed as ''detailed to the Invalid Corps" until August 1863. In September, 1863 George is present for muster in "C” Co of the Pa.102nd. George re-enlisted on March 18, 1864 in Halltown, Va. and received a bonus of $400. This was accredited to the 6th ward, 6th sub-district of the 22nd Congressional District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Battle of the Wilderness Campaign on May 5th and 6th and the Battle of Spottsylvania, Va., May 8-21 proved to be the worst for George. He was wounded May 12, 1864 at Spottsylvania (and is thought to have been wounded twice during that period). According to the muster rolls George was detailed from Oct.,1864 thru Dec.,1864 as a" Division Teamster" possibly because of his injuries at Spottsylvania Court House. George was promoted to Corporal and mustered out with the Co on June 28, 1865.
George returned to McKeesport where he married Martha McClure on October 22, 1868 at Blacks Hotel in Greensburg, Pa. Martha was born in Elizabeth Pa. (near McKeesport). George and Martha had one son, James Addison, born October 4, 1869 in Apollo, Pa. Martha died in 1872. George married a second time, to Martha Black from McKeesport Pa. They were married on April 08, 1873 by Rev D. A. McClelland, a circuit riding preacher. They in turn had 10 children; Ira was born 1874, George 1875, lrene1877, Margaret 1878, Charles 1880, Wm.1882, Martha 1885, Albert 1887, David 1888 and Mabel in 1894. George was listed as an engineer as he was a stationary engineer who operated the rolls in steel mills. After returning to McKeesport in 1865 he resided on 4th St. in that city and worked at the mill. When that mill shut down he moved back to Apollo, Pa. and worked as a roller there until the 1890's. On July 18,1890 George appeared at a Justice of the peace and filed the necessary paperwork for a partial invalid pension due to the injuries he sustained during the war.
At about 1898 George and his family moved to Canton, Ohio where George worked as a roller at Stark rolling mills. They are living in a rented home at 1233 Harrisburg street, their son James A. lives at 204 Bedford St. George died on April 1,1907 at 2240 E. Lake St. in Canton of uremia and was interred in the SBE section, lot #533 at Westlawn cemetery in Canton, Ohio. George was 65 yrs.1 mo. 27 days at the time of his death. George's wife Martha Jane received a widows pension of $8.00 per month on May 18,1901 and and their daughter Mabel received $2.00 a month until she was 16. Martha died of pneumonia on Feb. 09 1917 at her daughter's home, Mrs. Irene Bannon at 605 Clarendon Ave. Canton, Ohio. Martha was interned at Westlawn cemetery.
In June of 2003 I decided to find Georges grave and at that time Westlawn denied that George was buried there but when I came back from Graves Registration with documents they came up with the location of SBE # 533.1 found the grave site but there was no marker on the grave. (Click on thumbnail to the left to read the obituary of George Householder). (Click on thumbnail below to see the signature of George Householder).
This information has been generously provided by George Householder's, Great grandsons, Cliff V. Householder & Edward R. Householder