****************************************************************************
File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format 
without the written consent of the author at http://fulton.ilgenweb.net.

****************************************************************************

Principal research on George Tyre was conducted by Bill McKibben of Kokomo, IN with assistance by Connie Tyree, Francis Jones, and Martha, John, and Walter Evans. 

Submitted by: Walter Evans, evans@groupz.net 

****************************************************************************

George Tyre of the 85th Illinois 
A Part of the ILGenWeb Project

Fulton County -- Civil War 

Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. Vol. 5, page 191 Tyra, George; private; res.: Duncan's Mill [Fulton Co., IL]; mustered in: Aug. 1, 1862; remarks: mustered out June 5, 1865. [Duncan's Mill is in Fulton Co., Ill., near the Illinois River, s.w. of Peoria.] 

The 1850 Madison Co. IN census (p. 27, D/F 820/820) lists in Richland Township George (sometimes misread as Gray) Tyre, blacksmith, age 24 (b. abt 1826), born in Indiana. George Tyre is listed with Rebecca 18, presumably his wife, William Carhunter, laborer 32, and Thomas Badell, 40, of Ohio. There is a male named Carroll Badell age 14 living in the house next door with Samuel Garratian (probably Carl Bodle, identified in a later census as deaf and dumb). 

We have not identified George in the 1860 census. 

1862, August 27, George was mustered into service at Peoria, IL as a private in Company I of the 85th Illinois Volunteers. 

The 85th Illinois Infantry Volunteers was organized at Peoria, Ill., in August 1862 by Col. Robert S. Moore, and mustered into service August 27, 1862. Ordered to Louisville, KY, September 6, 1862, and assigned to 36th Brigade, 11th Division, 3rd Army Corps, Col. D. McCook commanding brigade, Brig. Gen. P. H. Sheridan commanding division and Major Gen. Gilbert commanding corps. The 85th marched in pursuit of the enemy under General Bragg October 1, 1862 and was engaged in the battle of Champion Hills at Perryville, KY, October 8th, and moved with the army to Nashville, Tenn., arriving November 7, 1862. Regiment mustered out June 5, 1865, at Washington, D.C. and arrived at Camp Butler, Ill., June 11, 1865, where they received final payment and discharge. (The History of Peoria County, IL [Chicago: Johnson, 1880], page 387) 

1864, August 28, in Atlanta, GA, George Tyre was shoeing a mule when the mule kicked his right leg below the knee; an abcess developed with soreness and tenderness that led to varicose veins. Three days later, near Jonesboro, GA, Wilson Bodle and Lafayette Tyler, both serving with the 130th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, saw George sick from his wounds. 

1865, June 5, he was discharged from the army at Springfield, IL. 

In 1866 on June 1 in Howard County, Indiana, George Tyre married [Mary] Catherine (nee Tyler) Bodle. The marriage record identifies them as George Tyre and Catharine Bodle. The license was issued and they were married on June 1, 1866 by Wm. E. Burns (Min. Gos., presumably Minister of the Gospel). The marriage was recorded on August 11, 1866 by D. C. Metsker, clerk. (BK 2, p. 385) 

George appears on the 1870 census in Waupecong, Clay Township, Miami County, Indiana (page 24, 25-119-113). George Tarry 30 IN blacksmith Mary C. 26 IN Joseph 8 IN Sarah A. 3 IN George W. 9/12 IN 

George filed for a pension on June 5, 1878; his widow Mary C. filed on April 24, 1891 from Kansas. Pension # 211,750 (or 211,150, copy is blurry). 

In the 1880 Indiana census George (53) and Catherine (35) are in Howard County, Liberty Twp (V 15, ED 49, Sheet 18, Line 44; on my photocopy is written p. 118) with their children Joseph 19 (the son of Mary Catherine and her first husband), Sarah A. 12, George 7, Rosy 5, Henry 2. George is a blacksmith, Joseph a blacksmith apprentice. George is listed as born in KY, as are both his parents. All others are listed as born in IN. George and his family are living in the little town of Plevna, Howard Co., IN. Most of the people there were Germans. Bill McKibben found a reference in a Howard Co. Family History book: "Plevna...named for a town in Bulgaria....the town was enlarging, and the farmers around and in the area were progressing rapidly to the extent that they needed a blacksmith very badly, mostly for shoeing horses and repairing machinery. So Uncle John (not identified on photocopy), sensing the urgent need for a blacksmith, donated a parcel of land right at the corner of his farm to build a shop. So a new business was started. A Mr. Tyre operated the shop a few years then moved away." 

From June 1881 county records place George and his family in Vernon County, MO where he went to join his brother, William Frederick Tyree. 

George Tyre appears in the 1890 Civil War Veterans' Census and also in the Pensioner's List Vernon Co., MO: Tyre, George lives in Avola, certificate #211,150, injury to right leg resulting in varicose veins, monthly pension rate $6.00, date of pension allowance June 1882 

Vernon County, MO Birth Records, 1883-1904, Book 1, Record 9 (page 290): Frederick Tyree born September 9, 1883 in Avola. Eighth child of mother, maiden name Hannah [mistake for Mary] C. Tyler, age 43, born Ohio. Father age 55, born KY, blacksmith. Informant: M. Earhart, Milo, MO. 

Vernon County, MO Death Records, George W. Tyree (age 55, born in KY about 1828) and his wife Hannah [mistake for Mary] Tyler (age 43, born in Ohio about 1840), lost to cholera infantum Frederick Tyree, aged 14 days (born September 28, 1883), listed as the mother's eighth child. 

October 28, 1886, according to his widow's pension affidavit George died while they were living in a small house on Cogswell farm in Vernon Co., MO about two miles north of Ellis. W. Y. Robinson gave an affidavit that George died that date on the farm and that Dr. W. B. Harris attended George. He said George was quite poor, there was no undertaker or funeral, that neighbors turned out and buried him. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

From George's Pension Files: 

On May 20, 1878 George appeared before the Howard County, IN Clerk of Court to apply for an army pension. He gave his age as 43 and his residence as Kokomo; he identified himself as the: George Tyre who enlisted in the service of the United States at Peoria, County of Peoria, and State of Ills. on the 27th day of Aug. 1862, as a private in Company I commanded by Captain A. P. Collins in the 85th Regiment of Ills. Vols. in the War of 1861, and honorably discharged at Springfield, State of Ills. on the 5th day of June, 1865. That while in the service aforesaid, and in the line of duty as a soldier at or near a place called Atlanta, State of Georgia, on or near the 28th day of Aug., 1864, while shoeing a mule he received a kick, on right leg, below the knee. Said wound or kick, caused abcesses to form, with soreness of tendons and varicose veins. He asks the pension due him. He was never in any military or naval service of the U.S. other than that herein set forth. Received hospital treatment, 2nd Div. 14th A.C. Atlanta, GA. Since leaving the service he resided mostly at or near Kokomo, Ind. His occupation has been blacksmithing. When enrolled he was a blacksmith. Witnesses, Will G. Lane and Horace Cooper. 

On April 2, 1879, Wilson Bodle appeared before the Howard Co., IN Clerk of Court to swear: That he was well and intimately acquainted with George Tyre previous to the time said Tyre entered the service of the United States. That this affiant resided with the said Tyre for some two or three years, in the Town of Waupecong, Miami County, Indiana. That this affiant worked in the same shop at blacksmithing with him for two years before the war, and that said Tyre was free from any disease or hurts so far as is known to this affiant. That my acquaintance with said Tyre before he went to the army was such, that if anything had of been the matter with his leg I would of known of it. That this affiant was a private in Co. A 130th Indiana Volunteers and that I often seen and conversed with said Tyre whilst we were both in the army. I am convinced that he got his leg hurt in the army. My reasons for saying so, and my knowledge of said facts was derived from the following source, to wit: I visited said Tyre at the place he was at work, to wit: at the quartermaster Department of the 2nd Division of the 14th Army Corps, within three days after he was hurt and found him suffering from a hurt on his right leg below the knee, and the wound had all the appearance of being recently done, and affiant further says that he frequently seen said Tyre afterward and am confident that his leg was hurt in the army and in manner as alleged by said Tyre. That I have no interest in the prosecution of this claim for pension which this affidavit is sought to establish. That my post office address is Anoka, Cass County, State of Indiana. That my age is 45 years. 

On April 9, 1879 Lafayette Tyler appeared before the Howard Co., IN clerk of court, stating: That he is a resident of Walton in the County of Cass and State of Indiana. That his age is 39 years. That he has resided at Walton and in the vicinity thereof for three or four years last past. That for the past fifteen years previous thereto he resided in, and in the vicinity of Waupencon, Miami County, Ind. and was well acquainted with one George Tyre who resided there, and who was a close neighbor to this affiant. I knew said George Tyre well and who is as I have been informed an applicant for a pension, during the time I resided in the town of Waupencon. I never knew or heard of anything being the matter with his leg, or of anything else being the matter with him before he went to the army. I was a member (private) in Co. A 130th Regiment Ind. Vol. and whilst our regiment was encamped close by when said George Tyre was at work affiant was informed that said George Tyre had got his leg hurt whilst shoeing a mule and affiant and Griffin Tyre, Wilson Bodle, and others whose names are not now remembered by this affiant did on several occasions visit said George Tyre, and found that he had a bad hurt on the leg, and the hurt looked as if it had only been done a short time, and affiant would say that he knows that said hurt was received by said George Tyre whilst he was in the army. 

On May 15, 1880 George appeared before a Howard County Justice of the Peace; he gave his home as Kokomo and testified: he is unable to furnish the testimony of an officer or of 2 comrades as to the time, place, and circumstances of receipt of his disability for the following reasons--he is unable to find any of his officers or comrades having frequently for the last year and a half both written to where he supposed they were and advertised for them through the columns of the public press; he also says that he thinks he has written as many as 75 letters to try to find them but has failed. Witnesses were Charlton Bull, Attorney, and Stephen Colescott (?), M.D. 

On October 18, 1880 the Adjutant General's office reported that Lafayette Tyler served in Co. A of the 130th Regiment of Ind. Volunteers, Co. A.: for the months of July & Aug., 1864, he is reported absent sick New Albany, Ind. May 14, 64. Lafayette Tyler was a Pvt. in same C. & regt; & is reptd. on muster roll for July & Aug. 1864 present. Station of Co. Decatur, GA, Aug. 31/ 64 & regt. near Jonesborn, Ga., Aug 31/64 

[May 21, 1891] Affidavit. State of Missouri, County of Vernon. In claim no. 071188 of Wid. Geo. Tyre of Co. I of the 85 regt. of Ills. Infy. Vols. Personally appeared before the undersigned duly authorized to administer oaths within and for said County, W. Y. Robinson age 35 years, whose P.O. is Nevada, County of Vernon, State of Mo, also J. B. Cogswell aged 22 years, P.O. Nevada, MO, who being duly sworn, states in relation to said claim as follows to-wit: In 1886 George Tyre with his family were living in a small tenant house, on the Cogswell farm in Lake Twp. Vernon Co., MO two miles north from Ellis. Affiants at that time were living on said farm and knew said Tyre and his family well. Was at his house frequently and helped take care of said Tyree. He died at his place of residence on said farm October 28, 1886. We know this from seeing him a few hours after his death and being at his funeral. We also know that Dr. W. B. Harris of Nevada attended him in his last sickness and that said Dr. Harris is now dead. There was no undertaker at the funeral. Tyre was very poor and the neighbors turned out and buried him. [signed W. Y. Robinson, J. B. Cogswell, Notary John G. Birdseye (?), dated 21 May 1891]