My Genealogy Hound

G. W. EDINGER, farmer, post-office Avilla, was born in Venango county, Penn., March 10, 1837, and received a good education at the Jesuit College of Buffalo. N. Y. In 1852 he traveled overland to Colorado, from there to Oregon, and from there to Vancouver’s Island. While in the far West he engaged at mining and lumbering, and returned to Pennsylvania in 1859 and engaged at farming in Clarion county. He enlisted in the Union army in Company G, Third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in 1861, and was called into active service shortly after the inauguration of President Lincoln, and was among the very first troops at Washington City, and participated at the first battle of Bull Run, and was mustered out immediately after, their time having previously expired. He re-enlisted in July, 1862, in Company G, One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (Zouaves), and was attached to the Zouave Brigade of the Fifth Army Corps, and participated in all the great battles of Virginia. He was wounded several times, once very severely at Gettysburg; was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and mustered out June 8, 1865. Returning to Pennsylvania he engaged in oil speculations, and was at one time wealthy, but unfortunately met with many reverses. Mr. Edinger has held many prominent positions in civic societies; viz., Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the United States, A. O. U. W. He was married in 1869 to Miss Maria Alt, a native of Switzerland, who died the following year, leaving one child, John G. He was married again April 21, 1874, to Miss Kate Umstead, a native of Pennsylvania, from which union there is one child, Alma Grace, born Feb. 1, 1875. Mr. Edinger became a resident of Jasper county, Mo., in 1880.