George Whitefield Carr, Jr. – Sergeant Major, United States Army

George Whitefield Carr, Jr. was born on 15 January 1844 in Carr Township, Jackson County, Indiana, the son of George Whitefield Carr, Sr.During the 1860 United States United States Census he was sixteen years of age and living with his family at Carr Township, Jackson Township, Indiana, with a year of birth of 1844.

During the Civil War his father, George Whitefield Carr, Sr., at the age of 55, personally recruited six companies of the 93rd Indiana Infantry and he was made Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment.  His son, George Whitefield Carr, Jr., enlisted as a Private in his father’s unit and was detailed as a clerk in the Adjutant’s office and as an Orderly in the Regimental Headquarters.  John W. Poole, who had previously served with the 25th Indiana Infantry, was commissioned Major of the 93rd Infantry.  Lieutenant Colonel Carr resigned in June 1863 due to a serious illness which affected his legs and Major Poole was promoted to his position.  Lieutenant Colonel Poole was wounded and then captured on 10 June 1864.  He was imprisoned at Macon, Georgia, where he died of starvation on 3 March 1865. Colonel Carr returned to Indiana where he resided until his death there in 1892.

George Whitefield Carr continued to serve in the 93rd Indiana until the conclusion of the war, by which time he had been promoted through the ranks to Sergeant Major.

Following the war, George Whitefield Carr, Jr. returned to Indiana where he married Gertrude Woody on 12 December 1869.  According to the 1860 United States Census, Gertrude Woody was six years of age and was residing with her family at Carr Township, Jackson County, Indiana, and her estimated year of birth was 1854.  Later records indicate that her date of birth was 6 November 1853 and that her parents were Washington L. Woody and Mary S. Murphy Woody.  The history of Jackson County, Indiana, reports: “Gertrude Woody Carr (Mrs. George W. Carr, Jr.) was an early resident and the oldest living student of Carr High School when she wrote in 1938, ‘The village was named for John A. Weddle, its first citizen, a handsome, courteous gentleman and a good businessman.’ From the reminiscences of Mrs. Carr.” Those records also indicate that she died at San Diego, California, on 22 February 1949 at the age of 95 and 69 years after her husband.

During the 1870 United Census, George Whitefield and Gertrude W. Carr were residing at Carr Township, Jackson County, Indiana.

During the 1880 United States Census it was reported that George Whitefield and Gertrude W. Carr were residing at Carr Township, Jackson County, Indiana, ana that he was a school teacher and that she was keeping house.  It was also reported that her sister, Bettie L. Woody, age 21, was residing with them and that she was employed as a School Mistress.

The Civil War Pension Files of 1893 indicated that George W. Carr, Jr., Sergeant Major, 93rd Indiana Infantry Regiment, or his spouse was receiving a Civil War era pension.  Presumably this was his wife since George died in 1893.

The records indicate that George Whitefield, Jr. died on 16 March 1893 at Washington, D.C. but there is no record indicating how he had relocated from Indiana to Washington or when this relocation had taken place, if at all.  Again, as indicated above, his wife apparently lived until 1949 and died in San Diego, California.  We have been unable to locate her burial location.

We are seeking additional information about both the Sergeant Major and his wife.  Should you possess such information please contact the webmaster at the link below.

CARR, GEO W

• SGT MAJ 93RD IND INF
• DATE OF DEATH: 03/16/1893
• BURIED AT: SECTION 13  SITE 9859
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard