BAXTER FAMILY
Madison Daily Herald - October 4, 1919
PATRIOTIC FAMILY
Six of Seven Brothers Who Served In Civil War
Are Still Living-Residents Of Jefferson County-Sister, Mrs. Robert Williams, Lives in Madison
"Yes seven of us brothers served in the Union army during the civil war. We all lived through it and six of us are alive today."
That is the remarkable record of the Baxter family, says George W. Baxter, 1605 Olive street. The youngest soldier in the family,
Leonidas N. Baxter, also lives in Indianapolis at 433 Tacoma avenue. All seven brothers enlisted in artillery, cavalry and infantry regiments, which
served in some of the liveliest engagements in the war of the rebellion.
The family history is especially note-worthy in view of the fact that less than 271,391 Union veterans survive out of a total of
approximately 2,800,000 engaged in the civil war. Figures compiled June 30 also show that the war of the rebellion soldiers are dying at the rate of 2,500 a month.
"We didn't go at the same time", said George W. Baxter, "but just seemed to leave home one by one. None of us was in the same regiment neither
did we all get together until just this last summer. Then we met at Sharpsville, Ind., a short time ago, at Josiah K. Baxter's home and we had a picture taken. We also
took a picture of my grandfather and grandmother's headstone on the cemetery lot nine miles from Madison, Ind."
The oldest Baxter brother, Josiah K., of Sharpsville, Ind., is in excellent health at the age of eighty-eight, and the youngest brother,
Leonidas N. 433 Tacoma avenue, is also much alive. He is seventy years old, and is employed by the Big Four Railroad. Oliver H. P. Baxter, the soldier brother,
who is dead, died at the age of seventy-four, at Pueblo, Colo.
William K. and Jane Baxter, parents of the soldier brothers, had twelve children, ten boys and two girls. One girl died in infancy, and
the other sister, Mrs. Robert Williams, lives in Madison, Ind. One brother died before the outbreak of the civil war. When the call to arms came seven out of
nine surviving brothers responded.
Josiah K. Baxter, age eighty-eight, the oldest brother, served in the medical corps of the 138th Indiana volunteers. He spent most of the
war in the engagements on the Atlantic coast. His home is in Sharpsville, and he is a physician.
The second brother, Oliver H. P. Baxter, served as a captain with the 1st Colorado cavalry. He saw active fighting against the Indians for
the most part.
Wounded at the battle of Perryville with the 22d Indiana volunteers, Hiram B. Baxter, seventy-nine, third brother, refused to remain at the
rear and was sent to the front again with the 148th Indiana Volunteers. He was again wounded in battles in Georgia but recovered. He became a captain, rising from
the rank of a private. Baxter's home is in Ashland, Ill., and he is a farmer.
George W. Baxter, seventy-seven, who lives at 1605 Olive street, in this city, was the first brother to join the army. He enlisted with the
12th Indiana volunteers, but afterwards served in the 3rd and 7th cavalry regiments, The fourth brother was a second lieutenant in the heavy fighting when the union
forces were trying to free the mouth of the Mississippi river from the rebels. He also helped repulse Confederate General Pierce's raid into Missouri, fighting one
battle in sight of Kansas City. Later Baxter served on the Mexican border during the troubles with Maximilian and was not demobilized until 1866. The veteran is a
retired contractor. He lives with his wife and daughter, Miss Viola M. Baxter, a teacher in the public schools.
Also a retired contractor, Alonzo Hayden Baxter, age seventy-five, lives at Lajunta, Colo. He was on the lower Mississippi front and helped
in the reduction of the strong Confederate forts near New Orleans. His organizations were the 54th Indiana volunteers and the 1st Indiana heavy artillery.
Edward A. Baxter, age seventy-two, on account of his youth served only one year in an Indiana regiment. He is a retired stock farmer, living
in Pawnee, Ill.
Leonidas N. Baxter, age seventy, served for a time in the 33d Indiana volunteers. The youngest brother, a citizen of Indianapolis, enlisted
before he was sixteen years old.
Indianapolis News.
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