Essex County NJ Archives Biographies.....George Austin BEARDSLEY, 1836 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 8, 2008, 9:26 am

Author: Mary Depue Ogden, Editor  (1917)

BEARDSLEY, George Austin,
Civil War Veteran, Master Merchant.

  It is ever a great pleasure to record the lives and achievements of those who
have been ready to sacrifice, not alone their worldly wealth, but their very
lives for their country. Such a man was George Austin Beardsley, late a resident
of Newark, New Jersey, whose intrepid conduct exerted a beneficial influence in
a widespread circle during the troublous times of the Civil War. But it was not
only as a soldier that Mr. Beardsley earned merit. In business circles his keen
mind, great foresight and sound judgment were of inestimable value. He was a son
of Justice W. and Samantha (Riggs) Beardsley, of Sussex county, New Jersey, the
former having been president of the J. W. Beardsley Sons' Company, wholesale
grocers.

  Captain George Austin Beardsley was born in Hamburg, Sussex county, New
Jersey, June 27, 1836. His education was acquired in the schools of Paterson,
New Jersey, and he then learned the jewelry trade with the firm of Allen
Brothers, of Newark. He abandoned this occupation, however, in order to go to
Utah as assistant to Hiram Morrell, who had been appointed postmaster of Utah
City. About this time there was a supposed uprising of Indians who were
afterward proved to be Mormons attacking some of their own people who, tired of
the life, were attempting to go back East. Albert Sydney Johnson (who as a
Confederate army general fell in the battle of Shiloh, in the Civil War), was
sent to quell this insurrection. Mr. Beardsley enlisted and served three months,
during which time the troops cleared their way into Utah. He assumed the duties
of assistant postmaster, and in this capacity had charge of the first stagecoach
which took the mail to San Francisco, California. This was in 1857, and they
were in constant danger of Indian attacks while en route. One method of escaping
these was to make apparent preparations for camping at night, light a large camp
fire, and under cover of this ruse leave it burning while they made their way to
another section farther on, while the Indians in all probability attacked their
abandoned camp when they supposed the white men were sleeping soundly. When they
arrived at San Francisco they received an ovation as bringing the first mails to
that city. Mr. Beardsley remained there some months, and then took charge of a
train of wagons loaded with dry goods for Salt Lake City. They encountered a
number of dangers on the way, but so eagerly were their wares looked for that
they readily sold all from the rear ends of the wagons. He then returned to his
original home, his companion on this trip being a reporter of the New York
"Tribune" staff. On his arrival in Newark he became associated with his father
in the wholesale grocery business, which was carried on under the firm name of
J. W. Beardsley Sons of New York, of which he later became president, an office
of which he was the incumbent at the time of his death.

  The connection of Mr. Beardsley with the Civil War dated from, 1862. The
second commission issued in the Thirteenth Regiment, New Jersey Infantry, was
that to Second Lieutenant George A. Beardsley, who at once proceeded to organize
a company—Company D—July 17, 1862. This was filled by August 15, 1862, and on
August 22 of that year he was appointed captain. He was an active participant in
many engagements, the most important being those of Antietam, Chancellorsville
and Gettysburg. During the evening of May 2, 1863, at Chancellorsville, being in
the confusion separated from his regiment, he led a line of skirmishers 
composed of men from General Knipe's brigade, into breastworks constructed the
day before but then occupied by the enemy, and barely escaped capture. The
following day he had command of the regiment, all of his superior officers
having become incapacitated for active duty, and with words of encouragement
made the men under him fight with redoubled ardor and bravery. While the
regiment was encamped at Duck River bridge, Tennessee, Captain Beardsley was
detailed to take command of six companies of the Thirteenth Regiment, New Jersey
Volunteer Infantry, and One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment, New York Volunteer
Infantry, to collect an assessment of $30,000 in Lincoln county, Tennessee,
which had been levied by General George H. Thomas for the families of the
soldiers who had been killed in that county by bushwhackers. Upon his return to
his regiment he was advanced to the rank of major January 8, 1864, but his
impaired health would not permit active service in this capacity for any great
length of time, and he resigned his commission in April, 1864, and returned to
his home. He was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of New
Jersey, and of the Newark Board of Trade. His religious affiliation was with the
Clinton Avenue Baptist Church, in which he was president of the board of trustees.

  Mr. Beardsley married, in 1859, Henrietta C. Burnett, and they had children:
George A., now president of the firm of J. W. Beardsley Sons; Susan B., married
Joseph A. Whittaker; Henrietta B., married Augustus de Peyster Harlow.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

MEMORIAL CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW JERSEY

UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF MARY DEPUE OGDEN

VOLUME III
MEMORIAL HISTORY COMPANY NEWARK,  NEW JERSEY
1917

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