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Belgians in the Civil War

Emigrants arrival

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BELGIANS IN AMERICA:    Biographies of Belgian settlers  

Joseph GEORGE, a retired farmer and hotel keeper, residing at Frink's Corners, in the town of Sheldon, is a practical, intelligent man, whose diligent application to business in the years of his manhood's prime has placed him in easy circumstances for the days of his waning energies. He was born in Belgium in 1817, and came to this country in 1834 with the other members of the parental household. His father, Peter George, was born in Belgium in 1777, and in the year 1809 married Anna Kettle, who was born in 1783. After the birth of their nine children they left their native land, June 16, 1834, to come to America, being fifteen days on their journey to Havre, whence they sailed on a merchant ship for New York(Note : on ship Constellation : From Le Havre to New York, Aug. 12, 1834). Arriving in that city after a voyage of forty-two days, he proceeded by rail to Schenectady, over the first railway built in this country, the cars, then called fire-wagons, being the first they had ever seen. The journey was continued to Buffalo by the canal, thence to Wyoming County, where said Peter George bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, making the payment of fourteen dollars an acre out of his store of twenty-five hundred five-franc pieces which he had brought with him. He labored perseveringly and successfully to improve his farm and support his family, residing on his place until his demise in 1847. His widow survived him seventeen years, dying at the age of eighty-five years. One of their children has since passed to the higher life; namely; Catherine, who married Mr. Rohr.
The subject of this sketch was reared to agricultural labor, and in the days of his youth picked up a fair education, and was especially fond of mathematical studies. After his marriage with Hannah George, his cousin, he settled near the parental homestead, on fifty acres of unimproved land for which he paid two hundred dollars, beginning his wedded life in a log shanty. He cleared his land, raised good crops, and seven years later built a substantial frame house, at a cost of five hundred dollars. Mr. George subsequently paid three hundred and fifty dollars for another fifty acres of adjoining land; and this entire farm is now owned and occupied by his son, Nicholas. In 1857 Mr. George bought his present homestead of fifty-four acres, including the tavern; and nine years later he removed here. For about fifteen years he kept a public house, which was known far and wide as one of the best in the vicinity: and even now, although practically retired from active business, he occasionally entertains travellers.
Mr. George met with an irreparable loss in the death of his wife in 1883, in the fifty eighth year of her age. Their union was blessed by the birth of thirteen children, and of those living we record the following: John, a veteran of the Civil War, is in the Soldiers' Home at Bath, N.Y.; J. Nicholas, on the home farm, has seven children; Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Lindsay, of Bennington, has four children; Anna, wife of Mike Domenisy, has two children; Jane, wife of Fred Schwab, has five children; Margaret, wife of Joseph Wochtery, has two children; Theresa is the wife of James LaFuey; Mary, wife of Peter Wochtery, has one daughter; Joseph died at the age of three years from a burn; William lives at home with his father and his sister Catherine, who is the housekeeper. Mr. George has served his fellow-townsmen as Assessor, Constable, and as Collector, faithfully performing the duties of each position. Politically he is a sound Democrat, and religiously is a Catholic.
Source : Biographical review : this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Livingston and Wyoming Counties, New York; Boston: Biographical Review Pub. Co., 1895, 685 pgs.