George E. Northrop

 

George Elmore Northrop
B 2/17/1844 Chatham NY
D 3/17/1906 Southport, CT
served in Civil War
one of Northrop Brothers who constructed Carpenter Gothic houses in Southport and Greens Farms Volunteerd in the Union Army and served in Co A. 8th Regiment C.V. Infantry (1027 men?) date of muster 9/25/1861 discharged 9/25/1864 when his term expired. He was recruited at Camp Buckingham, Hartford, Ct and left for Annapolis 10/17/1861. They formed a part of Gerneral Burnside's division. They engaged in the BAttle of Newburne, N>C> arch 14, 1862 and at the Siege of Fort Macon, N.C> April 1862. They were at Antietam September 17, 1862 Fredericksburg=, VA Dec 11-13 1862. For 1863 transferred to Southeast Virginia where it remained until mustered out Fort Huger, VA April 11 and 19th 1863, Walthall Junction, VA May 7, 1864, Fort Darling, VA May 12-16 1864, Cold Harbor, VA June 1-10, 1864, Petersburg VA June 15-17 1864 and 17-28, 1864 and Fort Harrison, VA Sept 29 thru Oct 24, 1864. Total loss at Antietam was 194. Killed - 10 officers, 33 men. Wounded 10 officers, 129 men Missing 21 men. From Paper by Thomas W. Northrop 5/3/1962 for Socil Studies 8-5 "The folowing are letters written by George E. Northrop, a seventeen year old Connecticut volunteer, to his parents Alvin and Sarah Wakeman Alvord Northrop during the four years her served in the Civil War. George was the next to the youngest in a family of five living children - Julia, William, Frances, George and Louisa. The family originally lived in Kent and Cornwall and moved to Southport sometime before the birth of Louisa in 1850. I think that in reading these letters we should remember the age of the writer and the fact that he had lived at home all his life in a small town until he was suddenly flung into the midst of war. These lettters were copied as acccurately as possible in respect to the handwriting and spelling.George Elmore Northrop enlisted September 5, 1861, was mustered in on September 25, 1861 and was discharged with his regiment September 25, 1864. He enlisted at 17 and was discharged at 20. He married at 21. His father, among other trades was a boot maker. The Charles Northrop mentioned in some of his letters was the son of Gerritt Northrop, brother of Alvin, and a cousing of George. He served during the whole was and afterwards in a880 signed on a ship to Africa as a steward and was ost at sea and never heard of again. William Hempson was George's uncle. Mrs. Hempson was a sister of Mrs. Alvin Northrop. (also autoed from tom's paper)Constructed by the post-Civil War master carpenter and contractor George Northrop, the Northrop Cottage was built to the north of his own home to house his chief foreman. The Northrop Brothers erected or renovated most Southport houses built in the era. Although often taken from pattern book blueprints, all exhibit a handsome degree of detailing. The Southport Chronicle newspaper noted in 1869 that there was "no need to go abroad" for architectural inspiration when such excelled ingenuity was that produced by the Northrop firm was available at home. Northrop Brothers were builders as well as lumber, coal and building supply merchants. The picture above shows the proriietors in front of ther offices, a building that still stands nearby, adjacent to the railboad in the village of Southport, Connecticut.from hist society newsletters This was on Spruce Street, it's residents and houses. " William F. Northrop (1836-1904), a native of Kent, Ct came to Greens Farms in 1846 as a young farm worker. AT age 17 he was apprenticed as a carpenter working in various Connecticut towns. In 1858 he came to Southport to work for Sherman and Jeliff. When that firm was dissolved in 1865, William joined Frances Jeliff as a partner. Later William and his brother George founded Northrop Brothers. In 1899, he established Northrop and Son with his son Frederick E. Northrop. William Northrop ws not only one of Southport's most popular builders, but he was alson one of its most usccessful merchants. Northrop Bros/Northrop and Son, dealers in lumber, coal and building supplies, were located on Station Street for decades. Frederick E. Northrop, a graduate of Yale, married n 1895 and this Northop family lived at #62 Spruce Street until the middle of the 1930's. The 1906 picture ois belived to show the Legrand Sherwood house, the main Italiante block (four square, hipped roof) beign the original portion. The two-story bay at the right was probably added by William Northrop. Just when the house was remodeled to it's present form has not yet been determined. #62 Spruce Street