George W. Eachus
and Martha Bing Campbell.
George W. Eachus was the son of Rufus H. Eachus and his first wife.1 According to G.W.’s death record he died July 9, 1896 in Patriot, Gallia County, Ohio, aged 74 years, 4 months, and 17 days, [which means he was born February 22, 1822], in Pennsylvania. 2 This information is confirmed based upon the 1820 census showing his father Rufus Eaches living in Antrim Township, Franklin County, PA, and George’s October 1865 military discharge giving his age as 43 and his place of birth as “Franklin County, Pennsylvania.” 3 Based upon his sharing his birthday with George Washington, I’m going out on a limb and guessing he was George Washington Eachus, but I have no other proof at this time.
George does show up on the 1830 4 census with his family in Belfast, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He is one of the two slash marks for “males of five and under ten,” the other child was his brother Joseph C. Eachus.
By the 1840 5 census we find the family now in Patriot Town, Perry Township, Gallia County, Ohio. Here each slash mark is accounted for, except in the males born between 1820 and 1825 there is only one listed. Is that Joseph or George? Neither married prior to the taking of the 1840 census, unless there was a previous wife of which I'm not aware. I’m having difficulty finding Joseph in the 1850 census. Where was he? He married Caroline Beaver in Gallia County on December 9, 1849, one would think they’d show up in the 1850 census in Gallia, but I don’t see them.
George married twice, first to Polly A. Amos on August 31, 1845, 6 and on December 27, 1854 7 to Miss Martha Bing Campbell daughter of Elijah F. Campbell and Nancy Sawyer(s).
The American Civil War:
April 1861-April 1865
George joined up in short term regiments, but he did it three times. The first time he enlisted it was with a group of men known as the Squirrel Hunters. According to the Adjutant General's Squirrel Hunter Roster on microfilm George W. Eachus does not give an enlistment date, he was discharged on June 5, 1863. This doesn't mean that he was active all that time, in fact, the Squirrel Hunters were not gone from their homes more than 30 days, but the mere fact that they were not discharged meant that the Governor was keeping them ready for a minutes' notice.
Who were "The Squirrel Hunters" The term Squirrel Hunters comes from "squirrel hunts" that were organized in the early to mid nineteenth century. These squirrel hunts were based on a specific behavior pattern of gray squirrels that rarely occurs today--migrations. Squirrels would migrate like the proverbial lemmings, traveling in huge swarms, swimming rivers, and when a migration occurred in a specific area, the local men would hurry up and arrange a hunting party to take advantage of it, as well as to save their crops for the horde of oncoming squirrels.
In September of 1862, a horde of gray invaders (the Confederate Army) was making it's way into Kentucky. Governor Tod of Ohio feared that they were heading toward Cincinnati and called upon the loyal men of Ohio to come bringing whatever weaponry they had. Civilian men from all corners of the state (65 of Ohio's 88 counties) grabbed what they could and hurried to Cincinnati by whatever means they could find. General Kirby Smith, the Confederate General moving toward Cincinnati saw the defenses and changed his plans. It was good for Cincinnati, but not for Perryville, Kentucky where nearly 7,500 brave men from both sides would be killed or wounded in a single day.
Thus one can see a parallel in the 1862 military threat to Cincinnati, with a swarm of "gray squirrels" suddenly "migrating" up from Kentucky and preparing to cross the Ohio River, and men being called to bring their guns and go on a "squirrel hunt" to defend Ohio from Kirby Smith.
According to the 1890 census he joined up with Company F of the 141st ONG Infantry on June 4, 1864 and served until September 3, 1864.
He also enlisted with Company C of the 194th OVI on the 14th of February 1865 and was discharged on October 24, 1865. It was a one year regiment, but the war ended in April of 65 (though troops were still needed to keep the peace for a few months). When he was discharged he was a First Sergeant. When he enlisted he was 43 years of age, six feet, one half inches high, dark complexion, black eyes, black hair, and by occupation a mechanic.
George and Polly's children were:1. Martha Jane Eachus b. abt. 1846, she married Thomas H. Neal, May 1, 1866 I2. Cordelia M. Eachus b. abt. 1848/49, she married Henry Beck on November 16, 1873 IIGeorge and Martha's children were:1. Mary Emily Eachus was born on May 14, 1860 III in Patriot, Gallia County, Ohio, and married William George Tope on April 19, 1887. IV Mollie passed away February 14, 1942 at the home of her daughter near Centenary, Green Twp., Gallia County, Ohio.2. Thomas Sawyer Eachus was born September 14, 1867 in Patriot. He married Ina Romaine Wallace on February 17, 1900 V and died January 14, 1941 in Gallipolis. Tom Sawyer was named after his pioneer grandfather and not after the fictional character.3. Ida Eachus was born in March 1869. She never married and died September 15, 1930 after being struck by a car. Her death occurred at Holzer Hospital in Gallipolis.4. Frank Foster Eachus was born November 30, 1872. He married Rosa Allison on April 5, 1893. VI He died October 28, 1953 in Gallia Co.
On the left from left to right Mollie Eachus, Thomas S. Eachus, Frank F. Eachus, and Ida Eachus.
On the right Thomas, Mollie and Ida.
Eachus George W 1822-1896
Martha B. Eachus Died May 18, 1906
1. Gallia County Court Records (estate of Rufus H. Eaches) October term 1847 Chancery Record #3 and Gallia County Chancery Records Civil Record A 1856.
2. Gallia County Death Records
3. G. W. Eachus' Military Discharge.
4. Ancestry.com 1830 Federal Census "Rufus Eaches" Pennsylvania, Bedford, Belfast page 3 of 18
5. Ancestry.com 1840 Federal Census "Rufus Eachus" Ohio, Gallia, Perry page 1 of 11
6. Gallia County Marriages Vol 2 page 16
7. Gallia County Marriages Vol 2 page 284
I Gallia County Marriages Vol 3 page 141
II Gallia County Marriages Vol 3 page 427
III Tope Family Bible and W.G. Tope's account book, both owned by cousins in Gallia County.
IV Gallia County Marriages Vol 6 page 297
V 1900
VI Gallia County Marriages Vol 7 page 361
Mollie Eachus, Martha Bing Campbell, Thomas Sawyer Eachus, Frank Foster Eachus, George W. Eachus, and Ida Eachus.
The Eachus Home in Patriot.
Mollie possibly taken on her wedding day.
"Know ye, that George W. Eachus Sergeant of Captain Benjamin Martins Company C, 194th Regiment of Ohio Infty Vols. Volunteers, who was enrolled on the Fourteenth day of February one thousand eight hundred and Sixty Five to serve one years or during the war, is hereby discharged from the service of the United States this 24th day of October, 1865, at Washington D.C. by reason of S[pecial] O[rder] 255 Ad Gen. Dep. Washington (no objection to his being reenlist is known to exist.) Oct. 16th, 1865 Said George W. Eachus was born in Franklin Co in the state of Pennsylvania, is Forty three years of age, Six feet, One half inches high. Dark complexion, black eyes, black hair , and by occupation when enrolled, a mechanic. Given at Washington D.C. this 24th day of October 1865 Benjamin Martin Capt. Comdg. Co Dept of Washington R.H. Wilber Major and A.C.M."
Mound Hill Cemetery, Gallipolis.
Mollie E. Eachus Tope 1860-1942.
Some have said Mollie was born in 1860, others 61 or 62, I've even seen 64 or 68. But I believe that it was indeed 1860. Not only do we have William's account book that shows May 14, 1860, but we also have their family Bible. The only problem with the Bible was that apparently it was recorded as 1861 and then someone came back and put a 0 over the 1. We were unable to determine which was right so went with the 1861, which I now believe was in error. Mollie consistently shows up as born in 1860 in all but the 1900 census where she's listed as born "May 1862." The problem is people don't take the time to look at the enumeration date so they always take her age and subtract it from the year of the census.
In 1870, 80, and 1900 census the enumeration date was in June, so Mollie had her birthday that year, thus she's 10, 20, and should be 40 (on the 1900 census). In the later census records they were all done before May, so her last birthday was in the previous year. Thus when she's 49, in the 1910 census, her last birthday was May 14, 1909, which means she was born in 1860. In the 1920, 30, and 40 census she's 59, 69, and 79 respectfully -- or born in 1860.
