George P. Scranton

George P. Scranton was born in 1843 or 1845 in Romeo, Macomb County, Michigan, probably the son of Dennis (b. 1799) and Eliza Delia or “Detin” (Palmer, b. 1808).

New York natives Dennis and Eliza were married in 1829 in Macomb County, Michigan and by 1840 Dennis was living in Washington, Macomb County. In 1850 Dennis was working as a wagon-maker in Washington, Macomb County and George was residing at home with his family. In 1860 one George W. Scranton residing in Grattan, Kent County. (Albert H. Scranton was also living in Grattan in 1862; he too would join Company E.)

George stood 5’6” with blue eyes, light hair and a light complexion and was a 16-year-old farmer possibly living in Kent County when he enlisted with the consent of the Justice of the Peace in Company E on May 13, 1861.

George was shot in the right leg and reported missing in action in early September, when in fact he had been taken prisoner on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run, and was held briefly. He soon returned to the Regiment on September 28 at Upton’s Hill, Virginia, was absent in the hospital from September through December, absent on leave in January of 1863, and he remained on leave until he was discharged as a Corporal on May 2, 1863, at Detroit.

George listed Romeo, Macomb County as his mailing address on his discharge paper. Apparently he did return to Michigan where he reentered the service in the Second Regiment Veterans’ Reserve Corps on September 13, 1864, at Pontiac, Oakland County for 3 years, and probably never left Michigan. He was discharged on November 14, 1864, from Company B, VRC, at Jackson, Jackson County.

After the war George remained in Michigan.

He was married to New york native Anna (b. 1857) and they had at least two children: Daisy D. (b. 1877) and Ismond (b. 1879).

By 1880 he was working as a “station agent” (presumably for a railroad) and living with his wife and children in Charlotte’s Fourth Ward, Eaton County. He was living in Charlotte in 1883 when he was drawing $4.00 per month for a wounded right leg (pension no. 19,253, dated 1863), but by 1890 he was living in Lansing, Second Ward. He was residing in Lansing’s Third ward in 1894, and was working as a railroad agent in Lansing in June of 1900 when he joined the Grand Army of the Republic Foster post no. 42 in Lansing; he was also a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry association. George was suspended from the Foster post in June of 1903 and dropped in December of 1904.

George reportedly died on January 15, 1907, presumably in Lansing and was probably buried there.

In February of 1907 (?) his widow applied for and received a pension (no. 632790).