George
Washington Burris
by Bethany Warthen
George Washington Burris (or G.W. Burress) was born
to Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Burris on December 1, 1840. He was born
and raised in Delaware and Coshocton counties. Before enrolling
in the army in 1862, George worked on the family farm. At the age
22, he entered the army for a term of three years service. He
became a solider in the 80th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company B,
organized at Camp Meigs, near Canal Dover in Tuscarawas County.
He enrolled in the army along with his father, Jerermiah and his
brother John. Both his father and brother served for almost a
year before George joined them at Camp Sullivan. During George's
tenure in the war, his regiment took part in several conflicts,
including battles at Corinth, Raymond and Jackson, Mississippi, the
siege of Vicksburg, and battles at Salkahatache, SC, and Bentonville,
NC. He completed his military career during Sherman's March to
the Sea. He was mustered out on May 29, 1865 in Washington, D.C.
by the War Department. During the war, the highest rank he
reached was corporal.
Upon returning from the war, George married Mary E.
Coder on February 21, 1867 in Coshocton County. In 1869, they had
a son named Landon. According to the 1870 census on Linton
Township, George owned real estate valued at $600 and his
personal estate was worth $200. During the 1870s, he worked as a
store clerk and his wife worked as a homemaker. In addition to
their son Landon, I believe Mary's younger sister Tammy may have lived
in their home as well. George died on October 2, 1911. He isburied in
Burnside Cemetery located in Genoa Township. At some point GW Burris
was affiliated with Otterbein College. Although his name appears on the
monument in front of Towers, his name does not appear on the roster of
students. This leads me to believe that he was neither a student or a
faculty member. It is possible that he was employed by the university,
but again I was unable to locate any information that substantiates
this claim.
Bibliography
Coshocton County. Marriage Records 1811-1930. Coshocton Public Library.
Ohio Census Report 1870. Linton Twp. Coshocton County. Microfilm. Big
Walnut Library. Series 11. Roll 85.
Ohio Death Certificate # 52890. Microfilm. Ohio Historical Society.
Roster of Soldiers: Civil War 1861-1865. Volume 6.
Microfilm. Ohio Historical Society.
Whitelaw, Reid. Ohio in the
War-Volume II. Cincinnati: Wilstach & Baldwin, 1868.