George Frederick Wiselogel

George Frederick Wiselogel was born on June 1, 1840, in Massillion, Stark County, Ohio, the son of George (b. 1815) and Elizabeth (Hunsberger, b. 1818).

Baden native George married Bavarian native Elizabeth, possibly before immigrating to the United States. In any case, by 1840 they had settled in Ohio where they resided for some years before moving to western Michigan. In 1860 George was working as a farmer and living with his parents and siblings in Sheridan, Calhoun County.

George (younger) stood 5’10” with gray eyes, brown hair and a light complexion and was a 20-year-old engineer possibly living in Ionia County when he enlisted in Company E on May 13, 1861. George was wounded by gunfire in the left arm just below the elbow on May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Virginia, and subsequently hospitalized through July. He returned to the Regiment, and was a standard-bearer in September and October of 1862, at the Brigade bakery in May of 1863.

According to Andrew Kilpatrick, also of Company E, George was a Private present for duty in late May of 1863. And indeed he was awarded the Kearny Cross for his participation in the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia on May 3, 1863. He was on detached service outside of the department from July of 1863 through September, and on recruiting service in Michigan from October through February of 1864. He rejoined the Regiment and was wounded on May 5, 1864, at the Wilderness, Virginia.

On May 11 George was admitted to Mt. Pleasant general hospital in Washington, DC, with a gunshot wound, and apparently returned to duty soon afterwards. He was mustered out on June 20, 1864, at Detroit.

After he left the army George returned to Michigan where he reentered the service as a Sergeant in Company A, Twenty-eighth Michigan infantry on September 18, 1864, at Marshall, Calhoun County for 3 years, crediting Albion, Calhoun County, and was mustered on October 20 probably at Marshall where the regiment was organized and mustered in October. The regiment left Michigan for Louisville, Kentucky October 26-29 and remained on duty there until November 10. George was reported as Color Sergeant from October through November, but was listed as absent sick at Keokuk, Iowa from December 20, 1864, through April of 1865. (The Twenty-eighth never served in or near Iowa. It is quite possible that George was transferred from the Twenty-eighth to a Veteran Reserve Corps unit late in 1864.) He was reduced to the ranks on January 1, 1865, for being absent from his company without permission, but nevertheless he was honorably discharged on May 18, 1865, at Davenport, Iowa.

After the war George returned to Michigan, possibly to his family in Calhoun County.

George was probably married twice, first to Sarah and second to Michigan native Mary Jane Butters (1848-1921) on January 1, 1869, in Pulaski, Jackson County; they had at least one child: Rose Ethel (b. 1874, Mrs. Knowles).

According to his second wife George had never been married before.

In 1870 his parents were living in Sheridan, Calhoun County. They were living in Michigan in 1874 when their daughter was born.

George was living in Pulaski, jackson County in 1873 and by 1880 George was working as a stone mason and living with his wife and daughter and his in-laws, John and Sarah Butters (both born in England) on their farm in Pulaski, Jackson County. George F. lived for a time in Nepaluna, Jackson County and was living in Pulaski, Jackson County in 1883 when he was drawing $6.00 per month (pension no. 114,089, dated October of 1871). He may have been living in Springport, Jackson County in 1888, and was residing in Nepaluna in 1890.

He was a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association.

George died of Bright’s disease on April 26, 1908, at his home in Pulaski Township, Jackson County. Funeral services were held at the farm in Pulaski on April 30 and his remains were buried in Pulaski cemetery.

In May of 1908 Mary was living in Michigan when she applied for and received a widow’s pension (no. 656216). By 1910 Mary (listed as “Jennie” or “Jannie”) was living with or next door to her daughter Ethel and (Rose E.) and her husband Albert Knowles in Pulaski, Jackson County. By 1920 Mary was living with her daughter Ethel and her husband Albert in Pulaski, Jackson County.