STEUBEN REPUBLICAN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1894, page 1 GEORGE W. McCONNELL, M.D., 16 Mar 1816 - 05 Sep 1894 Death of Dr. Geo. W. McConnell Dr. George W. McConnell was born in Lovingston, Nelson county, Virginia, March 16, 1816, and died at his home in Angola, Indiana, Sep. 5, 1894, aged 78 years, 5 months and 20 days. Funeral services were held at the residence, Friday, Sept. 7, under the auspices of the G. A. R. assisted by the militia, Rev. J. E. Ervin, officiating. He came to the "Vermont Settlement," now Orland, in Steuben county in 1836, studied medicine with his brother James, and in 1838 began practice of medicine until 1844. On August 13, 1846, he was joined in marriage with Miss Eliza Bonar, of Pennsylvania, with whom he journeyed for nearly fifty years, she preceding him to the better world on May 29, 1894. Dr. McConnell has been closely identified with the interests of Steuben county from its earliest history. His life was one of rare activity, and perhaps very few men in private life are better known in the state and nation than he. He was sheriff of Steuben county from 1847 to 1849, and a representative in the state legislature in 1851. In 1860 he was a delegate to the national convention at Charleston, South Carolina, and attended every democratic national convention from that day to this and a greater share of the republican conventions. Mr. McConnell was a public spirited citizen, a good neighbor and a kind husband and father. He has (was)a moving spirit in the Old Settlers' Association from its inception, and he will be missed in its councils and at its meetings as no other person can ever be. He leaves four sons and a daughter. TRIBUTE FROM FRIENDS Dr. George W. McConnell was remarkably quick to observe and very decisive in action to do what he thought needful to accomplish any public enterprise or public safety. He declared certain things "must be" in advance, regardless of any opposition. This peculiarity was particularly displayed during the war of 1861-5. When the firing upon Ft. Sumpter in the spring of 1861 echoed over the land, Dr. McConnell, being in Toledo, Ohio, started immediately home, and at Waterloo telegraphed to Gov. Morton that Steuben county was ready with a company of soldiers to march at once. He arrived home in the night, and instead of going to bed, he aroused the citizens and called the first war meeting in the old court house, over which Hon. A. W. Hendry presided. All parties united and were enthusiastic in resolutions that "The Union Shall and Must be Preserved." Dr. McConnell urged all persons with any knowledge of military tactics to learn others, and drilling squads were organized by B. J. Crosswait, Dr. W. C. Weicht, L. D. Jones and others in preparing for war. Meanwhile `Dr. McConnell went frequently to Ft. Wayne, the better to keep in communication with Gov. Morton. Not being able to get Steuben county represented in the first call from Indiana, he bent his energy in assisting the first volunteers from this county to join the Fourth Michigan at Adrian. Fifty men left Angola for this regiment, among them being our present townsmen, George E. Young, Orville Carver, A. F. Day and John Richardson. When Company A, 29th Ind., was recruited Dr. McConnell was again very active and materially helped them along to their rendezvous at Laporte, Indiana. In September, 1861, being in Indianapolis, the Doctor was informed by Gov. Morton that another regiment would be recruited from his congressional district. He told the governor that a company would be ready in Steuben county on two days notice. He hastened home, and although arriving in the night, went at once to see B. J. Crosswait and told him he "must" commence in the morning to recruit a company, as the only man who could do it quickly, and promised to secure for him any position he wanted in the new regiment. Mr. Crosswait seemed reluctant on account of his health being greatly impaired by service in the Mexican War. On the ceaseless importunities of Dr. McConnelll that he must, Mr. Crosswait consented provided he could be commissioned lieutenant colonel and that Dr. McConnell should go as quartermaster, and that the company should be the first ranking letter in the regiment with Chas. F. Kinney captain. All these conditions were promised by Dr. McConnell, and all in the end were fulfilled by his determined "must" and again Steuben county secured letter A, and the honor of having the first company organized for trhe 44th Ind. Vol. The regiment rendezvoused at Fort Wayne and Dr. McConnell helped secure the free service of teams to transport the men there. He secured the music of drums and fifes. On the way they had to stop at Huntertown over night, and the Doctor rode ahead and electrified the town people by saying that they must immediately prepare entertainment for one hundred men, soldiers and teamsters, and feed for the teams. It was a surprise to the town, but by applying the word "must" it was ready upon their arrival. On nearing Ft. Wayne the men were surprised by meeting Dr. McConnell with a supply of black oil cloth caps, and these with a kind of denim shirt or blouse furnished the men before leaving Angola, made it the first uniformed company that marched into Fort Wayune and the camp rendezvous of the early 44th. While in Fort Wayne camp everything needful was secured and delivered by the Doctor's magic word, "It must go." By the peculiar persistence of Quartermaster McConnell no red tape orders or lack of funds were permitted to interfere or stop the distribution of food, clothing, or quarters. As an incident of his manner this is related: Some of the boys complained of bad boots, or perhaps he noticed they had poor footwear. However, the Doctor ordered from one of the larger business houses a supply of their best boots for the regiment and got them on his own order as quarter master. Later this way of getting boots could not have been done. The boys were glad even to get shoes, but this was Dr. McConnell's manner through the winter of 1861 and spring of 1862, while in the field. Marvin B. Butler, of Co. A. says the Doctor was doing some service for the boys continually, going back and forth from his regiment to headquarters where if he failed he would go on to Indianapolis, without leave of absence, to Gov. Morton, and return with his errand accomplished. Frequently on his way north he would find some Steuben county boy sick and by some excuse bring him home to get well. Dr. McConnell's furloughs were quite common and recognized especially if he was along. As an illustration of his ability to get whatever was in sight for the comfort of the 44th, comrade Butler relates the following: "During the siege of Ft. Donelson, Quartermaster McConnell met some government teams coming in loaded with good straw. The Doctor inquired whom it was for, and on being told that it was for some division headquarters, he answered, 'Oh, yes, yes, I know all about it, follow me, I will direct you where to unload;' and piloted them to the 44th position, and they had clean dry straw to sleep upon that night. Soldiers were grateful fof straw those days." Thus it was his disposition to always look out for the best for his regiment even if the result made a loss to himself. Though his procurement of army supplies was not always in strict regulation method, he had the faculty of finding and appropriating military stores for his regiment; but the red tape details he could not or would not understand or endure. He collided with his colonel and his superior subsistence officers quite frequently and but for his quartermaster clerk, Lawrence Gates, would have lost several thousand dollars in the settlement of his quartermaster accounts; his generous nature prompted him to draw and issue supplies regardless of obstacles, if they were needed then; settlements and red tape came afterward at their leisure. After Mr. Gates left him he procured through Gov. Morton from the secretary of war permission for the transfer of George E. Young, of the 4th Michigan, to be his quartermaster sergeant, but Mr. Young having become attached to his own command declined to accept. Mr. Young has the appointment now in his possession. Dr. McConnell wanted either one or the other of these young men, Gates or Young, for they had been in his employ prior to the war and he was well acquainted with their business faculty in accounts and books. Many instances could be related to show the generous fullness of his heart for the welfare of his men and his work was continuous in their behalf during his stay with the regi- ment. After the siege of Ft. Donaldson his particular friend, Lieut. Col. Crosswait died, and his own health becoming impaired he tendered his resignation, but was not relieved until after the battle of Shiloh, although his resignation was dated nearly two months previous. However, Dr. McConnell's patriotic work continued at home until the close of the war as eager and earnest in his efforts to advance the interests or relieve a soldier, his family or orphans. His manifest enjoyment in his regimental reunions was great, and now how seemingly appro- priate was the calling of the last 44th reunion at Angola last October, it being the last he attended. How prophetic the words of Mr. Bratton in his address to the 44th, that they were welcome to the homes and hospitality of the people of Angola, more particularly so as it was the home of the aged and vener- able Dr. McConnell, the first quartermaster of the 44th and per- haps it might be the last opportunity to meet and greet him at his own home, in his own town. The old soldiers and citizens present will now recollect the voluntary tributre that came from the mouths of the 44th veterans: "THE ST QUARTERMASTER THE 44th EVER HAD." At last within the twelfth month, old comrades that were with him in 1861-62 laid him to rest, his body honored by the draping salute over his grave of the same tattered, torn and time-aged old flag of his old regiment. JESSE CARPENTER - - - - - That no obituary can do justice to Dr. McConnell is proved by an intimate acquaiantance with him for over half a century. His like will not appear again. To him might well be applied the poet's couplet: "Nature never formed but one such man, And broke the die in moulding Sheridan." His bold, aggressive manhood made him a most useful citizen. Energy, such as his in pushing forward public improvements and devisings means for their accomplishment, seldom falls to the lot of man. He was not graduated from the school of exact sciences but with honor leading in that larger class of a busy, bustling world. Perhaps deficient in the polish of the modern schools, he possessed that business exterior that gained for him admission wherever worth held sway. Hewing out for himself a home in the great west, he saw in the thickly dotted log cabins of the early settlers that which assured him these broad acres would one day produce food for the world's teeming millions, the log cabins transformed into lovely homes would shelter the generations of the future. Dr. McConnell, though a native of Pennsylvania, was a genuuine prodct of the west. His vigorous genius could be produced nowhere else. If a railroad, church, or school house were needed he knew where to look and had access to the means for its construction. A friend of his proposed to put $1,000 into the construction of a needed railroad. He replied, "Such men as you and I must put down $5,000 each for the double purpose of encouraging others, and completing the work." A. W. HENDRY - - - - - Dr. McConnell possessed a remarkable memory. He seemed never to forget a face he had once known. Circumstances of times long past he recalled and related with all the freshness of the events of yesterday. His imagination was never drawn upon to supply a vacuity in memory. I have frequently had occasion to test his memory regarding persons or transactions, to which in all probability his mind had not once recurred in thirty or forty years. If the facts were ever known to him they were detailed with circumstantial exactness, and very frequently his statements have been fully verified by the record. I do not think he gained much by patient or severe study, but possessed of wonderful perceptive powers, impressions were taken with the rapidity of the camera and once taken they seemed indelible. FRANK MACARTNEY - - - - - RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT The following resolutions were passed by B. J. Crosswait Post, No. 150, G. A. R.: Hdqrs. B. J. Crosswait Post, No. 150 G. A. R., Dept. of Indiana Angola, Ind., Sept. 7, 1894 RESOLVED, That as a signal token of respect to the memory of Comrade Dr. Geo. W. McConnell, his loyalty, his true comradeship and his discharge of official duties, that the station of Post Surgeon remain vacant until the next annual election, and that his chair be suitably draped. RESOLVED, That while this Post, the comrades and citizens of Steuben county will miss the genial, welcome greeting and clasp of conradeship, we do acknowledge it is his gain and promotion to rank and joys as promised by the Supreme Commander. RESOLVED, That the sincere condolence of the Post is extended to the sons and estimable daughter in the passing of their father and counselor, so soon after the great loss of their dear mother; yet he was ripe in years and labor, his work done, his reward sure and perfect. RESOLVED, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the family, and copies presented to the county papers for pulication and also entered upon the Post records. H. H. WEST, \ CLAY LEMMON, Com. ISAAC BEIL, / (Picture included with the obituary. A poem, "Thinking of the Living, Not of the Dead" by J. E. Ervin was also published by request of friends) ADDITONAL INFORMATION: Dr, George W. McConnell,16 Mar 1816 - 05 Sep 1894, on 13 Aug 1846, in West Alexander, Pennsylvania, married Eliza Bonar, 22 Aug 1828 - 29 May 1894. They are buried at Circle Hill Cemetery, Angola, Steuben County, Indiana. CHILDREN: James McConnell, 05 Nov 1848-18 Apr 1917, married Mary E. (Crain) McConnell, 04 Dec 1853 - 23 Mar 1883. They are buried at Circle Hill Cemetery. William B. McConnell, on 25 Nov 1879, married Emma (Vanercook) McConnell. Burial place unknown. William was alive in 1894. Joseph McConnell, 10 Mar 1852 - 16 Mar 1859, buried at Old Angola Cemetery, Angola, Steuben County, Indiana. Robert McConnell, died 07 Nov 1844 (1854?), buried at Old Angola Cemetery. George W. McConnell, 1855 - 1919, married Frances Agnes (McWhirt) McConnell, 1881 - 1965. Frances is buried at Circle Hill Cemetery. Alexander McConnell, -2 Sep 1857 - 23 Dec 1889, narried Jennie A. (VanAuken) McConnell, 1862 - 1913. They are buried at Circle Hill Cemetery. John L. McConnell, 27 Apr 1860 - 06 Jun 1877. buried at Old Angola Cemetery. Thomas Chalmers McConnell, 21 Feb 1862 - May 1937, buried at Circle Hill Cemetery. Samuel McConnell, died 17 Mar 186_ (age 5 years), buried at Old Angola Cemetery. Elizabeth J. (McConnell) Sheldon, 20 May 1865 - 11 Mar 1941, married Fred W. Sheldon, 15 Aug 1864 - 10 Oct 1928. They are buried at Circle Hill Cemetery. Mary McConnell, 31 Aug 1868 - 25 Jan 1877, buried at Old Angola Cemetery. Sarah M. McConnell, died 20 Sep 1870 (age _ days), buried at Old Angola Cemetery. "Cemeteries of Steuben County, Indiana, 1990" by Audree Siebel Lewis, Vol. II, pages 1210, 1211, 1634. "History of Steuben County, IN - 1885", biography of Dr. George W. McConnell, pages 428, 429, 430, 431. Biography of Dr. James McConnell, pages 432, 433. Submitted by: Mona Hilden-Beckwith e-mail: hilbeck123@att.net