Company A
Lieutenant
"GEORGE HARTER, farmer, was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, January 9, 1835, son of Michael and Mary (Slone) Harter, the former a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and who immigrated to America in 1828. He was married in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, which was the home of Mary Slone. Six children were born to this union--Ann, George, Margaret, Sarah, Andrew and Thomas Slone. The family settled in Jefferson Township, Wells County, Indiana, in October, 1852, locating on the farm now owned by John B. Ady. The parents lived upon this farm several years, and in 1876 removed to Ossian, living a retired life. Both reached a ripe old age, the father being eighty-two and the mother eighty-four. Their deaths occurred within a few months of each other. They had reared a family who were a credit to their ancestry, had a comfortable home and an ample income for their declining years. Both were zealous members of the Presbyterian church and were retiring in disposition, though firm in principle.
Their sons were imbued with patriotism inherited from their Revolutionary sires on the mother's side, and all enlisted during the progress of the late war. Our subject enlisted August 31, 1861, as a private in Company A, Thirty-fourth Indiana Infantry. March 1, 1862, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and one year later to First Lieutenant of his company. His regiment was engaged at the siege of New Madrid, battle of Champion Hills, siege of Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi, and many skirmishes. At the battle of Champion Hills Mr. Harter acted as aid to General McGinnis, and carried to General Grant the dispatch from General Hovey asking for reinforcements. This incident is alluded to by General Grant in his Memoirs (vol. 1, page 517). July 19, 1864, Lieutenant Harter was discharged from the service for disability.
Andrew and Thomas shared the fate of thousands of brave men who fell on the battlefield. Andrew belonged to Company K, Seventy-fifth Indiana Infantry, and was shot dead September 19, 1863, while in line of duty at Chickamauga. Thomas, although a sickly lad, after his brotherÂ’s death insisted on taking his place. Although urged by his friends to stay at home, on account of feeble health, he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Indiana Infantry, for 100 days. He was unable to withstand the Southern climate, and died a few days before his term of service expired, at Tullahoma, Tennessee.
Our subject returned home, and in August, 1864, married Miss Martha, daughter of James and Rachel (Allen) Glass, of Jefferson Township. They commenced living on the farm, and Mr. Harter has followed that vocation ever since. He has also been an extensive breeder of stock. Previous to the war he was a teacher, and taught seven consecutive winters in this county. Dr. A. G. Gorrell and J. J. Todd, of Bluffton, Dr. C. V. Torrell, of New Haven, Hon. Joseph Ady, of Kansas, J. W. Wilson, of Fort Wayne, Dr. Frederick Glock, deceased, late of Adams County, Revs. Sherman McCorkle and Charles O. Robb, and other noted men of this and other counties were his pupils. He is a member of William Swaim Post, No. 169, G. A. R., and was a delegate from the Eleventh District to the Grand Encampment held at San Francisco August 3, 1886. For sixteen years Mr. Harter has served as one of the ruling elders of the Ossian Presbyterian Church, and teacher for a number of years of the adult Bible class.
Mr. and Mrs. Harter have had six children, only two surviving—-Mollie and Webner. The daughter is completing her musical education, and is quite an accomplished scholar. Mr. Harter is a self-made man in every respect, having commenced at the age of nineteen for himself as a farm laborer at 50 cents per day, and now, as a result of honest industry and wise economy, is in possession of a competence for present wants and future necessities." {Biographical sketch extracted from book titled " {Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana", Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. p. 679-680.}
Born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania on January 9th, 1835, George grew up under the guidance and principles of his parents, Michael and Mary (Sloane) Harter. He accompanied his parents when they migrated to Wells County, Indiana in October 1852 where they hoped cheaper land could be gained and their children could prosper. Once there, they settled on a farm and began to to realize their dreams.
George, raised in the Christian environment established by his parents, shared their views and was considered firm on principles. He received a sound education growing up both at home and academically. While in Ossian, he taught for seven years in the schools of Wells County.
As the United States inched toward civil war that threatened to rip it apart, the patriotism inspired by his parents rose. Like Michael and Mary, George was kind in heart and charitable by nature but fiercely loyal to the country his father now claimed as his own.
George enlisted on August 31, 1861 early during the American Civil War as a Private in Company A (The Morton Rifles), 34th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The regiment was organized at Anderson, Indiana from September 21 to October 10, 1861, to serve three years (or until the end of the war). He was described as 26 years of age with black eyes and hair, dark complexion and five feet, seven and one half inches tall. Assigned to the Department of the Gulf and after less than one years Service, he was promoted (22 February, 1862) to the rank of Second Lieutenant. Within the next year (1 March 1863), he obtained the grade of First Lieutenant of his company.
He was constantly with his regiment, taking part in General Grant's campaigns in forcing open the Mississippi River for the Union. That he saw active combat is not doubted as "as one could not be with Grant and not fight." Island No. 10, New Madrid, Champion's Hill, Riddle's Point, the Seige of Vicksburg, Fort Pillow, Grand Prairie, Carrion Crow, Yazoo Pass, Grand Chateau, Port Gibson, Black River Bridge, Jackson . . . the list of battles rolls on.
It was during the Battle of Champions Hill (May 16, 1863) at Edwards, Mississippi, Lt. Harter was acting as the aide to General McGinnis. McGinnis sent Lt. Harter carrying a dispatch from General Hovey to General U.S. Grant asking for reinforcements. The incident was considered critical to the Union victory there with Grant himself alluding to it in his memoirs (Volume I, page 517).
But the rigors of active campaigning and Army life itself had taken it's toll on his health. It eventually degenerated so badly, he was virtually incapacitated from sickness. Lieutenant George Harter was discharged on July 19, 1864 due to those disabilities inflicted by three years of war.
George Harter returned to Ossian, Wells County, Indiana where he wed Martha Glass, the daughter of James and Rachel Glass, on August 25th, 1864. They settled on the same local farm as his parents and raised a family until his retirement. Six children were born to George and Martha--Florence R., Thomas S., Charles C., John T.G., Mary Frances and Webner N. Unfortunately, only two--Mary Frances and Webner-- survived to adulthood.
Politically, it is safe to say George Harter's sentiments fell with the Republicans. In 1888, during the Indiana State Republican Coventon, George was nominated for a seat in Congress. Personally having little interest in the job, he did little so far as active campaigning. Despite this though, he was only narrowly defeated by a few votes.
He was a active member of the William Swaim Post No. 169 of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), and was selected as a delegate from the Eleventh District of the GAR to the 1886 Grand Encampment held in San Francisco, California. He was also a active member of the Presbyterian Church of Ossian as are all his family. While a member, he served for more than twenty years as a Ruling Elder and as a teacher in the adult bible class.
His beloved Mary passed away on March 26, 1903 in Ossian. George lived on to a ripe age dying on August 22, 1910. He finally succumbed to an illness that had plagued him the last years of his life. His physical debilitations had been accompanied by some mental aberrations requiring him to be kept under constant watch. For the final three to four weeks of his life, this restricted him to his bed with his daughter Mary bearing the bulk of the duty. He was laid to rest on Wednesday, the 24th of August alongside his wife, Mary, and four children in the Oak Lawn Cemetery in Ossian.