Biography of

George Stivers, Co K

George Stivers was born about 1816. The exact date and location are as yet unknown. He is to be found in the 1850 census living in Salisbury, Meigs County, Ohio with his wife Elizabeth (who preferred the name, Betsey) Rice who he married on January 1st, 1836 in Meigs County, Ohio. The first child was Harriett born about 1840. She was followed by Cyrena who was born 2 years later in 1842. Olive was born about 1845. There may have been other children born between 1845 and the birth of Mary W who is listed as having been born on September 23, 1854. The last child listed was George R. born July 19, 1856.

George Stivers was enlisted into the service on October 21, 1861 at Camp Dennison and assigned to be the Captain of Company K of the 18th Ohio Volunteers under Colonel T. R. Stanley. Captain Stivers appears to have been a well liked officer in his company and regiment. He led his company throughout the early campaigns of 1862. He was leading his company in the Battle of Stones River on the fatal afternoon of January 2, 1863. Company K was heavily involved in the charge across Stones River which broke up Confederate General john Breckinridge's attack which sealed the union victory at Murfreesboro. A Confederate Sharpshooter's bullet found Captain Stiver as depicted in the pencil drawing by Harper's Weekly artist, Henry Lovie, and fell mortally wounded in the chest near the railroad bridge over Stones River. In a coma, he lay in the makeshift hospital attended by Dr. William Parker Johnson where he succumbed to his wound on January 4th, 1863. He is buried in the Stones River National Cemetery at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

His widow, Betsey, applied for and received a pension $20.00 per month on August 23, 1863. Later, Betsey moved to Indiana where her image fades from history.

("Widow Pension of Betsey Stivers," Fold3, www.fold3.com/image/#232534486), Tombstone photo by Glenn S. Davis