Westmoreland County PA Archives Biographies.....George, Isaac October 4, 1822 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 13, 2018, 6:29 pm Source: See Below Author: See Below ISAAC GEORGE. The soldiers who marched over hundreds of miles of desert wastes, who stormed and carried the fortified heights of Sacramento defended by four times their own number, who won the unqualified praise of the hero of Buena Vista, and who contributed largely in adding the vast territories of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and the States of Nevada, California and Colorado to the American Union, were no common or ordinary soldiers. Of these soldiers one was Isaac George of Unity township. He is a son of John and Eleanor (Campbell) George and was born on the farm he now owns and occupies in Unity township, Westmoreland county, Pa., October 4, 1822. The George family of Unity township was founded by Adam George, paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Adam George emigrated from Germany, first settled in York county, Pa., and about 1769 came to what is now Westmoreland county and located at that place, known in frontier times as George's station. He served against the Indians, fought in the Revolutionary war under the immediate command of Washington and in 1771 was one of the petitioners from the county to Gov. Penn for protection against the Indians. He erected George's station to protect himself and neighbors from Indian raids and when Hannastown was burned over one hundred and fifty settlers were gathered at his stockade block-house. The brave old Indian fighter and patriotic Revolutionary hero died at an advanced age and sleeps in the beautiful burial place on the farm which he loved so well and on which so much of his life was passed. He had three sons: Conrad, who was in the fort at Hannastown when that village was burned; John and Peter, who became owner of the home farm. John George (father) was born in 1771, married Ellen Campbell, of Somerset county, Pa., about 1800 and lived in Mercer county, this State, until 1811, when he removed to the farm near Beatty station now owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch. He had a family of six sons and seven daughters, died September 4, 1863, aged nearly ninety-three years and his remains were interred in Unity church cemetery. His wife preceded him to the tomb by three years. She died March 19, 1860. Isaac George was reared on his father’s farm until he was eighteen years of age. He then learned the trade of carpenter and at twenty years of age he went to May’s Lick, Ky., where he worked for one year. From there he went to Lexington, Mo., where he followed his trade until the Mexican war occurred. He then (June 1, 1846) enlisted in Co. B (Capt. William Walton), first regiment of Missouri mounted riflemen, commanded by Col. Alexander William Doniphan. This regiment marched one thousand miles in fifty days over a trackless wild and captured Santa Fe, New Mexico, on August 18, 1846. From there Col. Doniphan made a march of seven hundred and fifty miles and subjugated the Navajo Indians, who were the “Mountain Lords and Scourgers” of New Mexico. On the 1st of November the regiment began its wonderful march for Chihuahua, Mexico, a march that will be known for all time to come as “Doniphan's March,” which meets not with a parallel in the annals of the world. On Christmas Day, 1846, Col Doniphan with five hundred men defeated Gen. Leon, who carried the black flag and attacked him with twelve hundred Mexicans. The next day after this battle Col. Doniphan captured El Paso, learned that Gen Wool, whom he was to meet at Chihuahua, had turned back with an army of thirty-five hundred men and gone to assist Gen. Taylor. Nothing daunted by Gen. Wool's failure to capture Chihuahua, Doniphan pursued his march through several deserts and on the 28th of February, 1847, fought the battle of Sacramento, which was the “New Orleans” of the Mexican war. With 1,164 he attacked the Army of Central Mexico, 4,220 strong under Gens, Hendea, Justiniani, Ugarte and Conde, ex-minister of war, and drove it from its intrenched position with a loss of 304 killed, 5OO wounded, 70 prisoners and all of its artillery. The American loss was one killed and twelve wounded. On March 1 Col. Doniphan took possession of Chihuahua, the strong hold of Central Mexico. The regiment received the warm thanks of Gen. Wool and the merited praise of Gen. Taylor for their magnificent victory and were complimented in the highest manner in public orders issued by both generals. Doniphan and his regiment in 1847 reported to New Orleans where they received their first pay, were discharged and a portion of them returned to Missouri by the Mississippi river. Isaac George served throughout this entire march of nearly 6,000 miles, endured all of its periods of hunger and thirst, participated in all of its battles and never was sick one day during the whole time. Doniphan’s men crossed one desert ninety miles long with but one pint of water to each man. American historians have never yet done justice to the men, whose courage and conduct accomplished the most wonderful achievement of modern times. For what can be more wonderful than the march of a single regiment of undisciplined troops through five populous States of the Mexican Republic, almost annihilating a powerful army and finally returning home after a march of several thousand miles graced with the trophies of victory. Col. Doniphan was promoted to the rank of general but returned to the practice of law and died at Richmond, Mo., August 8, 1887, at eighty-one years of age. In a letter written to a friend from Mexico he said: “ My men are rough, ragged and ready, have one more of the R's than Gen. Taylor himself.” Col. Thomas H. Benton said of Doniphan’s men: “You marched farther than the farthest, fought as well as the best, left order and quiet in your train and cost less money than any.” There was dug between 1852 and 1880 from the territory gained from Mexico the sum of one billion six hundred and seventeen million dollars in gold and silver. After the Mexican war Mr. George returned to Unity township where in order to fully care for his parents he purchased their farm, which he has ever since owned and upon which he still resides. On December 26, 1853, Isaac George married Mary Ann Mixon, daughter of Hon. Samuel Nixon (deceased), of Fayette, Pa., a man of prominence and usefulness, who served three terms in the Legislature of the State and thirteen years (1828 to 1841) as associate judge of that county. Mrs. George is an industrious, energetic and pious woman and has contributed much toward her husband’s success. They reared to manhood and womanhood a family of two sons and three daughters: John N., who married Lizzie L. Blair, died November 7, 1888, at thirty-four years of age and left three children: Homer J., Margaret H., and John N.; Alexander W. D., engaged in farming and stock-raising; Phebe H., wife of Frank R. Townsend, a successful farmer of Unity township; Sarah J., married to Halleck G. Baldridge, who is engaged in farming near the home farm; and Maggie E., wife of Milton Miller, a leading druggist of Blairsville, Pa. Isaac George in business is scrupulously exact, very correct and proverbially honest and has built for himself an enduring character upon the broad and sure foundation of honesty, sobriety and promptness. He and his wife and children are members of the Presbyterian church of Unity. As a friend Mr. George is sincere and faithful; as a companion pleasant and accommodating, while as a business man his ability, punctuality and rectitude stand unimpeached. As a man among men he is kind, modest and unassuming to a remarkable degree. He is a member of the Mexican Veteran Association, which was organized in 1876 at Washington City, D. C. Additional Comments: Extracted from Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Compiled and Published by John M. Gresham & Co. Samuel T. Wiley, Chief Assistant 1890 Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/westmoreland/photos/bios/george720gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/westmoreland/bios/george720gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 8.5 Kb