History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with
Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious,
Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons
and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co.,
Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 489, Buckheart Township
George W. Horton was born in Licking County, Ohio,
September 27, 1840, a son to Robert Horton, who was a native of
Culpepper County, Va., and who married Polly Smith, a native of the
same county, and of German descent. George W. came to this county
in the fall of 1855, and in the following spring he went to Iowa; but
in 1859 he returned to Fulton County to remain. In August, 1862, he
enlisted at Canton in the 103d Ill. Vol. Inf., Co. C., as Corporal;
served until July, 1865, being under General John A. Logan during the
whole time; was sick only two or three months, and that was with the
measles, and never wounded; engaged in 28 or more battles and
skirmishes; went through with General Sherman to the sea, and closed at
Bentonville, N.C.; was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, and
received his discharge papers at Chicago. Returning to this county, he
married Mary E. Bauman July 25, 1867, daughter of Peter Bauman.
Have had 6 children, 4 living, as follows: Minerva Evaline, July 6,
1868; Thomas T., Oct. 7, 1869; Hattie Amanda, Feb. 3, 1872; Mary
Matilda, Oct. 26, 1873; Lovina Amelia, Feb. 9, 1875, died March 13,
1875; Georgia Ann, born August 19, 1876, died November 6, 1877. The
family are living on the old Thomas T. Bybee homestead, Section
35. Mr. Horton is a Democrat, and has been School Director
several terms.
Note: Randy Horton wrote: George Washington Horton died March
27, 1922. George and his wife, Mary Ellen Bauman Horton are
buried in High Bridge Cemetery, Fulton County, IL
Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois:
containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent
and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and
biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors
of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 738-739;
Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
George W. Horton, a member of the County Board of Supervisors, is one
of the leading citizens of Astoria. He is a native of Ohio, the place
of his birth near New Castle, Coshocton County, and the date thereof
October 11, 1837. His father, William Horton, was born in the same
county, and his father, whose given name was Thomas, was born either in
New York or Virginia. He was a son of Ezra Horton, a native of
Maryland, who emigrated to Ohio and was a pioneer of Coshocton County,
where he spent his last years, dying at the venerable age of ninety
years.
Thomas Horton resided in New York and also in Virginia prior to his
removal to Ohio. He was one of the early settlers of Coshocton County,
where he bought a tract of forest-covered land two miles east of New
Castle. He cleared and developed a good farm, on which he lived until
the fall of 1853, when he came to Fulton County. Here he bought an
improved farm one-half mile south of Summum, and that was his home
until death called him hence. His wife, whose maiden name was
Elizabeth Butler, was reared on the bank of White Woman’s River in
Coshocton County, Ohio, and died on the home farm in Summum. Her
father, great-grandfather of our subject, was Thomas Butler. He was a
Welshman by birth, and after coming to this country settles first in
Virginia and from there removed to Coshocton County in the early days
of its settlement. There his pilgrimage was brought to a close at the
venerable age of eighty-five years by his accidental death, caused by
his being thrown from a horse.
The father of our subject learned the trade of a carpenter, and was
engaged in it in Ohio until 1853, when he came to Fulton County, and
settled in Woodland Township. He bought a tract of one hundred and
sixty acres of wild land two miles east of Astoria. He rented a house
for a time an then bought forty acres more land adjoining his first
purchase, on which there was a double log house, which the family
occupied until 1868. Mr. Horton then sold that place and bought one in
Hancock County, three and one half-miles southwest of Augusta. Four
years later he returned to this locality and resided on the land he
first bought until his death in March, 1882. He had married in Ohio,
taking as his wife Sarah Dennis. She was born in Washington County,
Pa., and was a daughter of Philip Dennis, who, so far as known, was
also a native of the Keystone State. He removed from that State to
Knox County, Ohio, where he bought a tract of land and engaged in
farming thereon until death rounded out his life. The maiden name of
his wife was Elizabeth Horn, and she was born in Pennsylvania and died
in Knox County. The mother of our subject now makes her home with her
son, T. J., on the home farm. Nine of the ten children born of her
marriage are living.
George W. Horton was sixteen years old the day the family arrived in
Fulton County. He had attended the public schools in Ohio, and was a
pupil in the winter schools of this county three terms after coming
here. When but a boy he commenced work at the trade of a carpenter
with his father, and followed that calling part of the time when not
engaged in farming until 1861.
Our subject was one of the brave officers of the late war, and his
valuable services won him a military record of which he and his may
well be proud. After the war broke out he watched its progress with
intense interest, and as soon as he could arrange it, enlisted to
defend the honor of his country. August 13, 1861, he became a member
of Company H, Third Illinois Cavalry. He was mustered in as Orderly
Sergeant, and for bravery and excellent soldierly qualities was
promoted to be Second Lieutenant, December 31, 1861, and May 12, 1862,
was advanced to the position of First Lieutenant of his company. For a
few months in 1862 he was Regimental Quartermaster and Commissary.
Lieut. Horton veteranized in February, 1864, and served until the
close of the war. His regiment took part in eighteen regular battles,
and in many minor engagements. The most important battles in which our
subject fought were those of Pea Ridge, Chickasaw Bluffs, Tupelo,
Miss., Franklin and Nashville, Tenn. In May, 1865, the war having
closed, he resigned his commission and returned home.
After his experience of military life our subject quietly resumed
farming in Woodland Township, remaining there until 1868. We next hear
of him in Hancock County, where he purchased a farm, on which he dwelt
until 1872, when he sold it and went to California. There he was
employed at his old trade of a carpenter, working in San Francisco six
weeks, and then in Goshen the same length of time, and from there he
went to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where he was employed on the
Central Pacific Railroad in building snow sheds and bridges until
January, 1873. After that he visited his old home for a few months,
and in April went back to California, where he resided until the month
of July. He then returned eastward as far as Georgetown, Colo., where
he engaged in mining two years. At the expiration of that time he came
back to this county and bought a home in Astoria, and has resided here
ever since.
The first marriage of our subject, which took place May 1, 1864, was
to Mary Ann Saffer, a native of Woodland Township. She departed this
life October 18, 1871, leaving four children – William S., Oscar J.,
Clara E. and Albert S. Mr. Horton was married a second time April 23,
1879, taking as his wife Miss Sallie J. McKim, a native of
Steubenville, Ohio. Mr. Horton is one of the substantial citizens of
Astoria; he is a man of large experience, possesses firmness of
character, fore-thought and sound common sense, and his
fellow-citizens, recognizing the value of these traits in a civic
official, have often called him to fill positions of trust and honor.
He is at present serving his third term as a member of the County Board
of Supervisors, representing Astoria Township. He has served on the
Village Board of Trustees and has been Collector two terms. Socially,
he is connected with Astoria Lodge, No. 112, I. O. O. F. In his
political affiliations he has always been a Democrat, and he cast his
first vote for Stephen A. Douglas. While a resident of Woodland he was
elected Justice of the Peace in 1866, and in 1867 he was appointed
Postmaster at Summum.
