HEATON, George 1839 - 1901

HEATON, GILLHAM, WHITNEY

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/27/2024 at 21:47:18

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, February 20, 1901
Page 3, Column 4

... George HEATON went to Chicago Monday night to enter a hospital for surgical treatment. ...

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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, February 27, 1901
Page 3, Column 5

Capt. George HEATON Is Dead.

Capt. George HEATON, one of Fairfield's best known citizens, died in a Chicago hospital last night, whither he wad gone a week or more ago for a surgical operation. Hiram HEATON, a brother, was called to that city yesterday by a telegram which indicated a serious condition of affairs, and it is not probably that he reached his destination before death came. No further particulars are obtainable at this time. Capt. HEATON had been a life long resident of Jefferson county, was a man of much intelligence and the highest standing. He had a fine military record, and had served as captain of Company E, Second Iowa Infantry in the Civil war.

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"The Fairfield Tribune"
Wednesday, February 27, 1901
Page 2, Column 4

Geo. HEATON Dead.

The sad news reached here last night that Capt. Geo. HEATON had died in Chicago, whither he had gone to have an operation performed. It is a heavy blow to the family and a cause of sorrow to the community.

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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, March 6, 1901
Page 3, Column 5

A Soldier's Burial.

The remains of Capt. George HEATON, who died in Chicago the 26th ult. from the effects of a surgical operation, were brought to this city for interment Friday. The services were held in the First Methodist church, with Rev. I. O. Kemble in charge. George Strong post, G. A. R., was present in a body, and the large audience room was filled with old soldiers and citizens who had assembled to pay the last sad rites to a splendid man. An address on the early boyhood of Mr. HEATON was delivered by Rev. Edward B. HEATON, a brother. Hon. Moses A. McCoid, who served under Capt. HEATON in the Civil war, delivered a touching eulogy upon his dead commander, while Mr. Kemble made a brief but excellent address. A quartet rendered the music of the occasion, and sang another other songs "The Star Spangled Banner" The remains were interred with military honors by George Strong post.

Mr. HEATON was born in Newark, Eng., March 15th, 1839, and came with his parents to the United States the same year. He grew to manhood in this county, and was married to Lucretia GILHAM in 1864. They have three living children--Lieut. Wilson G. HEATON of Company F, Thirty-fifth United States infantry, recently on duty in the Philippines, and possibly now on its return home; Mrs. Elizabeth WHITNEY and Miss Hayes HEATON. The family has resided in this city since 1881. Mr. HEATON was one of the first men in the county to offer his services for the protection of his country when the Civil war came, and he was always a man of the most intense patriotism. Mr. McCoid paid him high but most deserved tribute in his address. A man of far more than ordinary intelligence, a student and a thinker, Capt. HEATON was a man of stern conviction. He was honest almost to a fault and in his character there was practically every trait of the best type of manhood.

His death comes as a heavy blow to his family. It is but a few months since Lieut. WHITNEY, a soninlaw, died while serving with the army in Cuba. Last fall death took away the eldest daughter, Mary, and now has summoned the father home. The sympathy of the entire community will go out to the family in its heavy affliction.

In his remarks concerning Mr. HEATON Mr. McCoid said:

Because of the friendship that existed between us and my personal knowledge of him from the day that he enlisted in the army, April, 1861, I am requested, and cannot refuse, to bring to his bier some words of remembrance of his noble and heroic life. I wish that some one more worthy were here to do it, and hope it will not be deemed out of place in me at this time and place.

George HEATON was an original member of Co. E, Second regiment, Iowa volunteer infantry, in the war for the preservation of the Union. He was one of the first to enlist, even before the call of his country came, and served until its close in 1865. He passed through all the grades and ranks from private to captain of his company, and during the last few months of the war was acting major of the regiment, and should have been brevetted as such. During a large part of the time he was orderly sergeant of the company, Amos Wimer, who was orderly sergeant before, having been killed on the field at Shiloh. HEATON took his place. He was in the charge of the Second at Fort Donelson, the battle of Shiloh, the siege of Corinth, the second battle of Corinth, the battle of Bear Creek, the battle of Resaca, the battles around Atlanta and on Sherman's march to the sea and around to Washington at the grand review. At Atlanta, on the day that General McPherson was killed, when Logan led the great assault, he was wounded. At that time he was captain, and received his wound while leading his company through the storm to victory. He was disabled and diseased in the service of his country, and so great was his pain while in the field and on the march that he expessed a wish that death might end it. His private life since leaving aside the uniform, in our midst, has been one of continued, languishing pain. But no one ever heard him complain. Of himself and his sacrifices he had little to say. Diseases contracted in his country's service, their complications and results, caused his death. He lies before us the victim of that war for the preservation of the Union. He gave his life for his country as directly and certainly as if he had fallen when wounded on the glorious feild, amidst the roar and crash of that great assault under Logan before the defenses of Atlanta.

The first startling shot on the flag of Ft. Sumpter brought those willing feet from the farm at Glasgow to Fairfield, and his name was boldly written on the roll of volunteers. He was a lad of twenty-one. Around the square, up and down these streets, and yonder upon Franklin school block, then vacant, those feet that now press the casket drilled and made ready for the sacrifice of war. It is said, "How beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings." The picture is a true one; but how beautiful the feet of him that runneth to his country's defense.

In all the qualities which make up a good soldier he was above criticism. He was brave, self sacrificing, loyal, steadfast and true. A large part of the time he was, as orderly sergeant, directly in charge of the men of the company, and never was there a better man to look after their wants and comfort. He was more than a soldier. He was a patriot in arms for the defense of his country. A patriot in arms is a soldier, but a soldier is not always a patriot in arms. I can hear his voice now as through those months and years it ran along that line of the company's tents, "Company E, fall in." It was a call for roll call, or drill or for battle. He was a stern, unwavering disciplinarian. Commands give to him were certain to be carried out. Through all the service he was an exemplary man, unsullied by the evils of camp life. We can testify that at all times he was a christian soldier.

No taint of evil ever tarnished his armor. As we have known him at home, so in camp, on the march, under great trials, in the fierce charge, on the field of battle, in the face of almost certain death, he was the same, quiet, modest, unassuming follower of his conscience and his convictions. Simple as a child in his innocence and purity of purpose, he was a man of strong convictions, and he followed them without regard to consequences.

He was of English birth, and something in his personality led the boys of Company E, his comrades, to call him the Duke of Wellington, and he went as a title of affection, by the name of "Duke."

He was the friend of all that was good and the enemy of all that was bad. He was a man of superior mind and ability and would have become conspicuous and strong in any position in civil life. But he was too modest, and had convictions which prevented him from seeking them.

We may not know it, many of us may not realize it, no glamour of place of power has made us feel it, but we are today in the presence of the casket of one of earth's great, heroic and noble men, and when we meet him again we will find it so.

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"The Fairfield Tribune"
Wednesday, March 6, 1901
Page 2, Column 4

CAPTAIN GEORGE HEATON DEAD

After Long Years of Patient Suffering he Goes to his Reward.

Last Tuesday evening from the Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago, came the startling news to friends and relatives that George HEATON was dead. He had gone thither for medical treatment and submitted to a surgical operation which proved fatal. Heart rending was the news, sent by the brother, who had hastened to his side, to the waiting relatives and anxious friends that he was dead.

Captain George HEATON was born March 16th, 1839, at Newark, England. He was brought to America while yet an infant and lived in Ohio until he was about nine years of age, when his parents removed to Jefferson County, Iowa, which place has since been his home.

He was married in 1864 to Lucretia GILLHAM, who survives him. To them were born five children, three of whom are still living: Mrs. Elizabeth WHITNEY, Wilson HEATON, First Lieutenant of the U. S. Volunteers, in the Philippines, and Miss Hayes HEATON, teacher in the public schools, of Britt, Iowa.

The remains of the deceased were brought home and funeral services conducted last Friday afternoon at the M. E. church, where a large concourse of friends were assembled to pay tribute to the heoric (sic) dead.

The following is an extract from an address delivered by M. A. McCoid:

"Because of the friendship that existed between us and my personal knowledge of him from the day that he enlisted in the army, April, 1861, I am requested and cannot refuse, to bring to his bier, some words of remembrance of his noble and heroic life. I wish some one, more worthy, had been here to do it, and hope it will not be deemed out of place in me at this time.

Geo. HEATON was an original member of Co. "E" 2nd. Reg. Iowa Infty. Vols. in the war of Preservation of the Union. He was one of the first to enlist, even before the call of his country came, and served until its close in 1865. He passed through all the grades and ranks from private to Captain of his company, and during the last few months was acting Major of the regiment and should have been breveted as such. * * * He was wounded at Atlanta, the day General McPherson was killed, while leading his company on to victory. He was diseased and disabled in the service of his country. * * * His private life since laying aside the uniform, in our midst, has been one of continued languishing in pain. But no one ever heard him complain. Of himself and his sacrifices he had little to say. * * * He lies before us, the victim of that war for the Preservation of the union. * * * We may not know it, many of you may not have realized it--no glamour of place or power has made us feel it,--but we are today in the presence of the casket of one of earth's great, heroic and noble men, and when we meet him again we will find it so."

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"Jefferson County Republican"
Friday, March 15, 1901
Page 4, Column 5

CAPT. GEORGE HEATON.

A Faithful Prohibitionist and Worthy Citizen Passes Away.
A Tribute to his Memory.

Capt. Geo. HEATON was born in England March 16, 1839, and died in Chicago, Ill., Feb. 26, 1901, while undergoing a surgical operation for the removal of a cancer from which he had been a great sufferer. When three months old (in 1839) he came to America with his parents who settled in Trumbull county, Ohio. They came to Iowa in 1848, spent two years on a farm near Brookville and moved to Glendale in 1850. George attended school one year at Iowa Wesleyan university at Mt. Pleasant, then returned to the farm.

He was teaching school when the war began in 1861. But his patriotism arose above every consderation of ease, comfort or wages. So with the first call for volunteers he gave up the comfortable school room at $20 per month and enlisted in Company E, Second Iowa Inft. Vol. He was in the battle of Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, siege of Corinth, battle of Corinth, Resaca, Bear Creek and Dallas, and in all the movements about Atlanta until July 22, 1864, when he was severely wounded, on account of which he was absent from his company about two months. At the end of this time Sherman began his march to the sea, and Capt. HEATON was with him from that time until the close of the war.

In May, 1864, he was elected captain and received his commission soon after and was in command when he was wounded July 22. From February, 1865, to the end of the war he acted as major of the regiment, Second Iowa Infantry. He took part in the grand review at Washington, D.C., and was mustered out of the service at St. Louis in 1865 because of the termination of the war.

Capt. Geo. HEATON was a man of quiet habits, unassuming and somewhat reserved in his manner, so that to understand his nature it was necessary to be intimately acquainted with him and they who knew him best loved him most. In recent years when it became necessary for conscience sake to take a stand for or against the liquor traffic, he openly identified himself wite (sic) the cause of prohibition in its fullest sense, not secretly nor cringeingly, not hesitating and halting, but with the same manly courage that he went into the service of his country.

With drawn sword he stood at his post to fight for the protection of the home and against the drink evil which is the "destroyer of home and life and soul."

Just a few days before his death he expressed to the writer his joy at the progress of prohibition, his approval of the workers and their plans and his faith in the final triumph of the cause bechuse (sic) it is God's cause.

Not only did his sympathies and words and influence count on the prohibition side, but his vote as well, and of his means he gave liberally for the promotion of the cause and if all who voted for prohibition at the last election did as well there would be a fund of nearly $1,000,000 with which to press the battle for the right in the next presidential campaign.

Geo. HEATON was an earnest christian. While many did not understand him because of his quiet habits and bodily affliction, he possessed many most excellent qualties. He leaves a wife, two daughters and a son, Capt. Wilson HEATON, now on his way home from the Philippine Islands, together with myriads of friends and neighbors to mourn his untimely end.

The community has lost a good, christian soldier and citizen, whose place cannot be easily filled. But in the family circle, where, more than any place else, he will be missed, there will be the vacant chair, and there will be cherished the sweet memory of the departed one until they shall be reunited in the sun bright clime above.

--Geo. W. White in Commonwealth.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Lot 2nd.038. Wife Margaret died in 1918 and was buried with him.