George Shadduck

George Shadduck was born in 1833 in New York, the son of Asa (b. 1809) and Aramintha (Rounds, b. 1815).

Asa was born in New Hampshire and married Massachusetts or New York native Aramintha sometime before 1833, probably in New York where they lived for some years before moving west. George’s family came to Michigan sometime between 1840 and 1850 when George was working as a laborer, attending school with his younger siblings and living with his family in Courtland, Kent County. By 1860 George was a farmer still living with his family in Courtland in 1860. (He may have been the nephew of Joseph Rounds Sr. and cousin of Joseph Rounds Jr. both of whom would enlist in Companies F and G respectively.)

George was 28 years old and probably still living in Courtland when he enlisted in Company C on May 23, 1861. He was probably wounded in the arm on May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Virginia, and by mid-July he was in Stewart’s Mansion hospital in Baltimore, serving as a nurse, and was reported by one observer to be “in fair health.” George remained hospitalized from July of 1862 through August, but soon returned to the Regiment where he was reported as a company cook in September and October of 1862.

He was a witness for the defense in the court martial of James Ayres, who was absent without leave for two days from the regiment during the battle of Chancellorsville.

He was shot in the right leg on November 30, 1863, at Mine Run, Virginia, the “ball entering on minor side 1 inch above ankle, extracted same place,” and admitted from the field on December 4 to the Second Division hospital at Alexandria, Virginia. He remained absent sick in the hospital until he was mustered out on June 20, 1864, at Detroit at Second Division hospital.

After he was discharged from the army George eventually returned to western Michigan. In September of 1869 he married New York native Mrs. Phebe Teft (b. 1833), and by 1870 George was working as a farmer and living with his wife and her two daughters: Marilla Teft (b. 1863) and Marty Teft (b. 1866) in Courtland, Kent County.

Sometime between mid-1870 and 1880 he married his second wife, New York native Martha Watson Tracy (1834-1892), and they had at least one and possibly two children: Charles (b. 1870) and Leroy (b. 1879). In any case, by 1880 George was working as a farmer and living with his wife Martha and two children on his parent’s farm in Courtland.

George was living in Cedar Springs, Kent County in 1881 and in 1883 when he was drawing $2.00 per month for a wound to the right leg (pension no. 205,205), but by 1888 he was residing in Muskegon, Muskegon County. Two years later he was living in Egleston, Algoma Township, Kent County and in Lowell, Kent County in 1894; he may also have lived at one time in Rockford, Kent County.

He was a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association as well as Grand Army of the Republic Jewell post no. 62 in Cedar Springs.

George was admitted to the Michigan Soldiers’ Home (no. 2751) on December 15, 1896, discharged on April 3, 1897, then readmitted on August 8, 1907, and discharged on July 30, 1908. He was admitted for the final time on February 11, 1909.

George was a widower when he died of “senility” at 7:10 a.m. on February 16, 1909, in the Home hospital. His remains were buried in Courtland cemetery.