George Clark Post

George Clark Post was born on may 10, 1843, in Kent County, Michigan, the son of George (1815-1891) and Christen (1817-1873) or Adaline (Ware, 1821-1896).

(In South Boston cemetery, Ionia County, there is a family lot for the Posts. One stone is marked “Christen,” wife of George Post, died in 1873 at the age of 56 -- thus born around 1816. Two stones are found next: one marked “Mother” with the name of Adaline, died in 1896 at the age of 54, born in 1842, and one marked “Father” with the name of George Post, died in 1891. Another stone is marked “Eva,” probably a sister of George Clark, and two stones are unmarked. It is possible that George Sr. had at least two wives: Christen (George Clark's mother perhaps) and Adaline (George Clark's stepmother perhaps). However, in the 1860 census George Sr.’s wife is Idaline, age 38 (thus born in 1822). It is possible that either the headstone or census date is incorrect and that Idaline and Adaline are one and the same woman.)

His father was born in Connecticut and his mother (or step-mother) Adaline in Niagara County, New York. By the early 1840s George's family had settled in western Michigan, and by 1850 George was living with his family in Lowell, Kent County where he attended school and his father operated a farm; also living with them were two younger siblings Margaret (b. 1846) and Aden (b. 1849). By 1860 George Clark was a farm laborer living with his family in Lowell where his father owned a substantial farm.

George stood 5’11” with blue eyes, dark hair and a light complexion and was 19 years old and possibly residing in Ionia County (or perhaps in Lowell) when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company D on May 13, 1861. (Company D was composed in large part of men who came from western Ionia County and Eaton County. Lowell, Kent County borders on Ionia County.)

George was reported missing in action on July 24, 1861, at Hunter’s farm, Virginia, but soon returned to the Regiment. He was wounded slightly in the left elbow on May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Virginia, and discharged as a Corporal on October 6, 1862, at camp near Alexandria, possibly Upton’s Hill, Virginia, for chronic cystitis.

After he was discharged from the army George returned to Michigan.

He was probably living in Michigan when married his first wife, New York native Matilda A. Gilbert (1843-1878), on March 23, 1863, and they had at least three children: Hattie M. (b. 1867, Mrs. Garland), Melvina or Mina (b. 1871, Mrs. Olinges), and Ivon (1876-78). (Matilda was probably the same Matilda Gilbert who had been living with her family in Boston, Ionia County in 1860.)

He reentered the service in Company C, First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics on December 21, 1863, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Lowell, and was mustered January 4. (Robert Peck had also served in Company D, was from Lowell bordering on Ionia County and he also reentered the service in Company C First E & M at the very same time.)

George probably joined the regiment somewhere in the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee where it was on engineering duty, serving mainly on various railroad lines: the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, Nashville & Northwestern Railroad, Tennessee & Alabama Railroad and Memphis & Charleston Railroad building block houses, etc., till May, 1864. The Regiment was on duty on the Atlantic & Western Railroad building block houses, etc., until September of 1864 when it was ordered to Atlanta, Ga., September 25.

Old members were mustered out October 31, 1864.

The Regiment remained on duty at Atlanta September 28 to November 15; and participated in the March to the sea destroying railroad track, bridges and repairing and making roads November 15-December 10; in the siege of Savannah December 10-21, in the Carolina Campaign January to April, 1865; in the advance on Raleigh April 10-14, and occupation of Raleigh April 14; in the surrender of Johnston and his army.

The regiment then marched to Washington, D. C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 20, and was in the Grand Review on May 24. It was subsequently ordered to Louisville, Ky., June 6; then to Nashville, Tennessee. The regiment remained on duty at Nashville July 1 to September 22, 1865.

George was on furlough from July 10, 1865, returned to the Regiment on August 11 and was mustered out as an Artificer on September 22, 1865, at Nashville. The regiment was discharged at Jackson, Jackson County, Michigan on October 1.

George eventually returned to Michigan after the war (two daughters were born in Michigan). By 1870 he was working as a farmer (listed as “Clark” and he owned some $2500 worth of real estate) and living with his wife and daughter Hattie in Lowell, Kent County. (Next door lived a wealthy farmer, Connecticut-born Carter Post and his wife Julia.)

In 1874 George moved his family west and on October 13 they settled in Long branch, Norton County, Kansas. George was elected probate judge in 1876 and was justice of the peace for six years in Crystal Township. He was a Republican. George was living in Norton County, Kansas when Matilda died in 1878. By 1880 he was a widower working as a farmer and living with his two daughters in Rock Branch, Norton County, Kansas.

After Matilda died in July of 1878 (she is buried in Ray cemetery, Long Branch, Kansas) George married his second wife Mrs. Frances Stratton on November 10, 1881, at Long (or Rock) Branch, in Norton County, Kansas, and they had at least two children: Leland (b. 1885) and Teddy Nelson (b. 1891).

George probably lived the remainder of his life in Kansas, in either Decatur or Norton counties.

In 1889 he applied for and received a pension (no. 494361).

In 1893 there was a George C. Post living at the rear of 413 N. 8th Street in Leavenworth, Kansas.

George died of complications resulting from urinary disease on January 29, 1900, at Long Branch, Norton County, Kansas. He was presumably buried at Long Branch.

In 1900 his widow was still living in Kansas when she applied for and received a pension (no. 526621).