John Weber - G.A.R., Bishop Post

JOHN WEBER

of

Tiffin Township

This Civil War veteran, John Weber, was one of several men with the same name in Defiance County.  Born in Germany to Jacob and Doratha Weber on September 9, 1839, he came to America with his parents when he was quite young. 

In 1860, they were settled in German Township in Fulton County, Ohio.  John was the only child enumerated with them and he was 19.  His father did not own a farm, but he worked as a farm laborer.

John worked on a farm with his father until John enlisted into the 67th Ohio Infantry, Company I, on December 5, 1861.  He served three years until the same date in 1864 when he was discharged. The 67th Regiment, Company I, was made up of men mostly from Fulton County, and they participated in some of the worst battles of the war.  They began in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, but were soon moved under McClellan's command along the eastern coast to Charleston.

The Battle of Fort Wagner was one of their bloodiest battles.  The Ohio 67th fought alongside the 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry, and the Union losses were great.  This battle was depicted in the movie, "Glory."  

The regiment reenlisted in February 1864 and were then released for a thirty day furlough home.  Upon their return, they fought around Richmond and Petersburg and lost 76 men at the Battle of Cartlett's Station.  Near Petersburg, at the Battle of Deep Bottom, John was wounded in the side and arm in July, 1864.  

First Battle of Deep Bottom Battle Facts and Summary | American Battlefield Trust (battlefields.org)

Efforts to find this John Weber after the war in the 1870 and 1880 Fulton, Williams and Defiance County censuses were unsuccessful. A possible match was in an 1880 agricultural census of Franklin Township, Fulton County, Ohio. This John Weber had 45 tilled acres with 14 acres of wood.  Two acres of apple orchard with 100 trees graced this farm, valued at $3000.  

He next appeared in a marriage record in Defiance County when he married Mrs. Eliza Brown on April  17, 1887. John would have been about 48 years old. According to the 1910 census, Eliza was married three times, John being #3.

Around this time, he located to Evansport, Defiance County, Ohio, where he set up a furniture store business. 

 In the 1890 Veterans' Census of Tiffin Township, Defiance County, John Weber is listed as a member of the 67th Regiment, Company I, serving for three years.  His wounded side and arm are mentioned on this document.

John and Eliza remained in Evansport, owning a home there and running their furniture store. Eliza died in 1917, leaving John who was enumerated as a widower in the 1920 census. He was 79 and not employed.  John Weber passed away in 1923, leaving no children to survive him.

"EVANSPORT RESIDENT DIES AT ADVANCED AGE

John Weber Conducted Furniture and Undertaking Establishment 

Until Retirement

John Weber, resident of Evansport for thirty-five years, died at his home there last night, 84 years, due to infirmaties of age.

He came from Germany to this country with his parents when a year old.  He resided in Stryker and Archbold till 1890, when he moved to Evansport, where he conducted a furniture store and undertaking establishment until 1905, when he retired from business.  His wife died about seven years ago.

Mr. Weber was a Civil War veteran and member of Bishop Post G.A.R.  

A nephew, John Keller, of Millersburg, is the only survivor.

The funeral will be held Friday at 1 o'clock from the house and at 1:30 from Evansport M. E. church in charge of the G.A.R.  Services at the grave will be in charge of Evansport Lodge No. 408, I. O. O. F., of which he also was a member."