Pvts Henry, Gilman, Doran, and George aka Solomon Houseworth
Information provided by Pat Houseworth
Great, great grand nephew
Henry Houseworth (listed as missing in action), and Gilman were Great, Great Uncles of mine. The family Bible and history list Henry as killed on or about 9/19/63, his body was never IDed or recovered. He was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga at the Viniard Field area where the 26th OVI suffered its bloodiest day of the War. Henry Houseworth was not alone as the the intense and back and forth fighting left many soldiers on both sides missing in action at the close of the day.
Gilman meanwhile was listed in his pension records as wounded twice, at least according to his documentation in his pension records (which I have copies). I might add Gilman was a colorful character, whom I'm not positive you could believe all he said or wrote. Later he was to be involved with a brother-in-law in the death of a man in Waldo in February 1880. Enoch Young was convicted of murder, Gilman meanwhile took a change of venue to Kenton and was acquitted of the bar room death of one Israel Bensley. Gilman died a peaceful death in Kenton in 1915 widowed by his second wife.
Gilman Houseworth(1843-1915) died of Bright's Disease on April 11, 1915 and is buried in the Grove Cemetery @ Kenton, Ohio. His second wife Elizabeth Shelton Houseworth died in 1927 and is buried along side. His first wife Mary Minerva Ward Houseworth died shortly after child birth in 1877 at Waldo. Gilman was left a widower with 6 children. He married Elizabeth in 1882; they had another daughter together. Gilman was a horse trader while living in Waldo, his death record lists his occupation as 'Expressman".
I am in possession of his military pension files and records and his death certificate.
Doran Houseworth was a cousin of the men above....really don't know much about him or his death. However, according to the Official records, he died on February 8, 1863 at Gallatin, Tennessee. He may have died from one of the numerous diseases that inflicted the camps at that time. He may have died from exposure or from wounds suffered in the Stones River battle that took place barely 5 weeks earlier. There is no record of the 26th OVI engaged in any skirmishes that day, though skirmishing was a frequent occurrence in the weeks following the Stones River battle.
George Houseworth enlisted with Gilman on 6/15/1861 and claimed to be 19. Here is what the family history and the history of Marion County has to say about "George". He was a complex and interesting 'character' to say the least. "George" was a first cousin of Gilman and Henry, his father was named George.
"George" was really Solomon "Maish" Houseworth, born in 1846. Maish lived a long life and died in 1944 at the age of 98, he is buried in the Waldo Cemetery. Maish enlisted (according to his story) along with cousin Gilman in the summer of 1861...Maish was but 15 and stood at a mere 5' 1" tall...given the size of the man, he was discovered and booted out of the 26th. Maish claimed to have re-joined at the age of 18 and served until the end of the war with another unit of the OVI. Maish said he was still the diminutive one and because of his size he was selected as a drummer for his unit. As I mentioned, he lived until deep in to the second World War.
Solomon B. "Maish" Houseworth (1846-1944) Maish lived his entire life (except for the war years) in Waldo. He is buried beside his wife at the Waldo Cemetery (lot number not known, but stone is located beside the "middle" or main road about 75 yards from entrance). His wife Marie (1843-1926) has a seperate stone next to Maish.
According to my files, Maish enlisted along with his cousin Gilman Houseworth on June 13, 1861, Maish joined under his father's name, George Houseworth, he was discharged from the 26th OVI a short time later when it was discovered his was only 15. Soon after Maish turned 18 he re-enlisted in the OVI, this time it was with the 174th Co. H. Maish was made a drummer for the Company. He joined August 21, 1864, and was mustered out with his unit on June 28, 1865, at Charlotte, North Carolina.
From the Bicentennial Celebration of Waldo, Ohio July 23-24, 1976.
"Waldo citizen Leo F. Groll recalls a little short fellow by the name of Maish Houseworth, who was nicknamed "Frosty". He claimed he lied about his age to join up (with the Union). When asked if got to carry a gun in any battles or skirmishes, he said he did not because the first time he marched after he was furnished a rifle, he almost shot the soldier's ear off behind him. He said they made a drummer boy out of him after that, and he didn't get to carry a gun again. Maish became quite the celeb around the town of Waldo in the 1930 and early 40's. Maish lived to be 98 years old and was the last surviving Civil War Veteran living in Waldo for over a decade. Maish was given a dinner and the women of town baked him cakes every birthday until he passed away in 1944.
I was born in 1949, wish I could have known him personally.
