Col. (USA) Samuel Henry Sturdevant

OBITUARIES.

BY WESLEY E. WOODRUFF, HISTORIOGRAPHER.

COL. SAMUEL HENRY STURDEVANT.

In the death of Col. Samuel Henry Sturdevant, which occurred at his home on North Washington street, this city, February 24, 1898, Wilkes-Barre lost an honored and a useful citizen. These two adjectives are often used in our speech, and often, let us acknowledge, misapplied. But justly used as they are used here, they convey an epitome of remembrance well worth the while of any man.

Colonel Sturdevant was a native of Braintrim township, Wyoming county, and he was born March 29, 1832. He came of Revolutionary stock, and his great-grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier, from the first echoes of musketry at Lexington. It was here that he entered the Continental Army as orderly sergeant, and he did not leave the army until the British had evacuated New York. The subject of this sketch remained at the public schools of his township until he was thirteen years old; then he entered Wyoming Seminary and took a thorough course there. Then he spent two years, or until 185 c, in the lumber business, chiefly operating in the vicinity of Harvey's Lake and with the firm of Hollenback, Urquhart and Sturdevant. In 1853, November 9, he married Leah, daughter of John Urquhart. The children were: John Henry, George Urquhart, Samuel H., Jr., Winthrop Ketcham, Robert, Ellen Urquhart, Florence Slocum and Ruth. Of these Winthrop, Florence and Ruth are dead, and the beloved wife also preceded her husband to the final rest.

After a few years in business there came to Samuel H. Sturdevant the call of his country, and he did not fail. He was mustered into the United States army August 3, 1861, as commissary of subsistence. A year later he was attached to Slocum's Brigade of the Sixth Army Corps, and he soon afterward became chief commissary of the left grand division of the Army of the Potomac, attached to General Slocum's staff of the Twefth Corps and with the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1864 he was chief commissary of the Army of Georgia with the rank of colonel. He was mustered out in October, 1865. Colonel Sturdevant saw a great deal of the severest fighting and the hardest general service. He was at the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and a number of lesser engagements. It often fell to his lot to endure hardships and to pass through great dangers in the discharge of his duty, but those who knew him thoroughly learned to know that he quailed before nothing that had "duty" marked upon it. He was not merely a faithful officer—his soldier life, to use the expression of a veteran who knew, was "lustrous with many brilliant achievements." There are those who do their duty as well as they know how, and there are those who know how. Colonel Sturdevant both knew how and he did it.

This might apply and did apply as well to his business life as to his life as a soldier. After the clash of arms had ceased he returned here to resume "the trivial round—the common task." And his career was destined to last somewhat longer than the allotted tie of one generation, even after the interruption of the war—thirty years and more of hardwork, which he always enjoyed; thirty years and more of success justly won; thirty years of unsullied integrity. There was never a stain upon his honor or his word. His was one of those rare natures that does not reveal itself at once nor to all alike. To appreciate him one had to know him, and a better knowledge always added to the appreciation. And yet it could scarcely be said that the few had a monopoly of his friendship. He had many friends because he was by nature a friendly man, but the best and rarest qualities of his nature lay deeper. Few of the atmospheres of that sweet word home have ever been sweeter than the atmosphere of his home. The children, loved and loving, went their several ways into the world, but the old home was always their home, the dearer because of their less frequent visits. And sorrow came to it in the death of beloved children and of the wife who was always the queen of his heart. After that blow the days seemed rather to be endured than enjoyed, and yet he always maintained that refined cheerfulness and that sympathy that comes from suffering when the spirit is strong to bear and patient. And as a Christian his life was encompassed about with charity of word, of deed and of thought. He was elected a member of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, December, 1896, was a director of the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Lumber Company, was president of the Harvey's Lake Transit Company, was a member of and for a considerable time chaplain of Wilkes-Barre Lodge of Elks, and a Mason.

His loss is a hard one for the community, the church and the social life to fill, and for the home it is impossible to fill. https://books.google.com/books?id=qEEuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA243&lpg=PA243&d...

• John Henry 'Harry' Sturdevant
• Ellen Sturdevant (Mrs. Charles Webber)
• George Sturdevant
• Samuel Sturdevant Jr.
• Ruth Sturdevant
• Winthrop Ketchum Sturdevant
• Robert Sturdevant
• Florence Slocum Sturdevant

"Col Sturdevant had a most interesting war record and was present at some of the most important battles of the Civil War, notably at the Gettysburg conflict.

...to be continued* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Sep 8 2019, 4:45:33 UTC

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Sep 8 2019, 4:57:37 UTC