George W Damon
Rank: Pvt Co: G Age: 25 Residence: Baring, Maine Birthplace: Carroll, ME Occupation: teamster Married/Single: S Height: 5' 5.75 Eyes: Bl Hair: Br Complexion: Lt
Eliot quota
GEORGE WASHINGTON DAMON was born on 15 Apr 1837 [grave; death rec] in Baring, Maine [marr recs; seen as "Barrinly" in 32nd ME Descrip. Roll], the son of Seth G and Nancy (Basford) Damon. He died in Dover, NH on 27 Feb 1914 [NH death rec], aged 76, and was buried on 3 March in the Mt. Pleasant (aka Greenwood) Cemetery in Eliot, Maine [NH vr; YCCI, pg 619].
He was married in Portsmouth, NH, on 21 Feb 1864 [NH Marr Rec] to ANNIE MARY KEEN, the daughter of Josiah and Mary Ann (Lydston) Keen. She was born in Kittery on 23 Nov 1845, and died there on 12 July 1911 [ME death rec]. She was buried in Eliot's Mt Pleasant Cemetery, where her parents are also interred. Two of her brothers, Hamden C and Josiah E Keen, had also served in the 27th Maine.
A teamster at the time of his enlistment in 1862, with his residence listed as Baring, Washington, Maine, it is not known by me the circumstances on how he was in York County and filled the quota for Eliot. Both he and William T Carr were from northern Maine, the descriptive roll listing both of them as being born in Carroll, Penobscot, Maine (though it seems to be an error for Damon). Carr was a lumberman in Carroll (this town is about 50 miles from Baring with today's road system) - were they working together and had been in the area when the call for volunteers took place?
Following his service with the 27th Maine, George would reenlistment on 29 Feb 1864 (8 days after his marriage), when his former colonel raised a new regiment. He would be appointed a 2nd Sergeant and mustered into Co K, 32nd Maine Infantry, on 6 May 1864. During the Battle of the Crater at Petersburg, VA on 30 July 1864, he and over sixty others from his regiment were taken prisoner on Cemetery Hill. He was later exchanged, prior to 3 Oct '64, when he is listed as a paroled prisoner at Annapolis, Maryland. Though he was supposed to be discharged on 1 Dec 1864, when the remaining men of the 32nd ME were consolidated with the 31st Maine (their companies already having officers, the ones from the 32nd were mustered out), records show he served until 19 May 1865 (or perhaps 8 Aug, a date listed on the muster out record).
He lived the rest of his life in Kittery, Maine, working first as a watchman on the Navy Yard, and later seen as a baggage master for the railroad. His obituary [Ports. Herald, 2/28/14] said he was employed by the Boston and Maine RR, working at the Kittery Junction depot, and tended to the draw bridge. He was injured on the job there in Oct 1909 while operating the bridge for a passing tug, a line having come loose and dropping one end of the draw into the river. The force of this sent the handle of the hoisting apparatus backwards into Mr Damon and seriously injured him. He retired soon after, with nearly 25 years employed with the B & M RR. He was spending the winter at the house of his daughter, Mrs M. Gertrude Cutter of Dover, NH, when he passed away.
George and Annie had four children:
I. GEORGE EDWIN DAMON, b. 24 Aug 1864 in Kittery, Maine. He died on 8 Sept 1937 [Mason Memb. Card]. He married MABEL M BILLS on 29 Sept 1890. The daughter of George H and Eliza M Bills, she was born in Boston, MA. George lived in Melrose, MA, where he owned a stationary store. They had one child:
1. Leon Blanchard Damon, b. 6 July 1892 in Melrose, MA [MA vr]; d. 19 Oct 1923 in Jaffrey, NH [NH vr]. He was buried in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose, MA. His wife was Grace Stewart McKenzie, the dau of James E and Edith (Stewart) McKenzie, who he married on 23 June 1919 [Boston Herald, 6/24/19, pg 3] She was born in Somerville, MA on 23 Apr 1897, and died in Waltham on 23 Jan 1936. She was buried with her husband in Wyoming Cemetery. They had two sons:
i. George Stewart Damon, b. 1920 in Melrose [MA Birth Index]
ii. Leon Blanchard Damon Jr, b. 1923 in Melrose [MA Birth Index]
II. MILLIE A DAMON, b. 16 May 1868 in Kittery [obit]; d. 12 Sept 1953 in Kittery [obit]. She was married in Portsmouth, NH on 24 Dec 1912 [NH vr], to HENRY H HOBBS, the son of John B and Ellen (Jenness) Hobbs. They later divorced on 10 Dec 1917 [NH Div Rec]. She was a grammar school teacher, supervisor of the music department in the Kittery and Eliot schools, and had been an assistant principal of the Kittery High School. She moved to Quincy, MA prior to 1899, and was of Everett, MA at the time of her death, which occurred while she had returned to Kittery for a family visit [obit, Portsmouth Herald, 9/14/53, pg 3].
III. MINNIE GERTRUDE DAMON, b. in Kittery on 2 Sept 1876 [obit, Ports. Herald 1/14/1974, pg 3]; d. 13 Jan 1974 in Somersworth, NH [obit]. She was married to CHARLES HENRY CUTTER on 11 Apr 1912 in Melrose, MA [NH vr - rec in Madbury, Charles' residence]. He was the son of Albert O and Lizzie S (Rand) Cutter, born in Wakefield, MA on 21 July 1878 [MA vr]. He died in 1933 [grave] and is buried in Lakeside Cemetery, Wakefield [Find a Grave].
1. Robert S Cutter, b. 1914; d. 2004 [grave]. Bur Lakeside Cem, Wakefield.
2. Charles Damon Cutter, b. 1920 in East Milton, MA [MA Birth Index]
IV. ASHER BASFORD DAMON, born in Kittery [obit] on 15 Feb 1880 [obit; grave]. He died on 15 Sept 1970 at Portsmouth, NH Hospital [obit], and was buried with his parents in Eliot. He was married, on 4 Oct 1902 in Kittery [ME vr], to EVA H DAME. She was born in Kittery on 13 July 1882 [grave], and died on 30 Oct 1957 [grave]. She is buried in Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Eliot. Asher was employed as an electrician at the Shipyard, retiring in Feb 1950 after 45 years of service. They lived in Kittery Point.
1. Sarah Louise Damon, b. 14 May 1903 in Kittery [ME birth rec]; d. in Kittery 15 May 1994 [ME Death Index]. Marr to Charles Freeman Plaisted on 2 Apr 1924 [ME Marr]. He was the son of Henry and Adelaide (Anderson) Plaisted, b. Limerick, ME on 29 Nov 1884. He died in Kittery on 24 Feb 1953. She was living in Kittery in 1970 [father's obit]. Charles had a son, Charles F Jr, from a prior marriage.
2. Belle Basford Damon, b. 27 Apr 1905 in Kittery Point [ME birth rec], d. 2 Mar 2001 in West Paris, ME [Ports Herald, 3/4/2001]. Marr Richard Slater in Oct 1924 [Ports. Herald, 10/16/24]. He was b. in 1890 and d. 1959. They are buried with her family in Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Eliot. They lived in Kittery Point, where he worked at the shipyard, following his 30 plus years in the US Navy. They didn't have any children.
Additional Source Data:
1850 Township 4, 1st Range, Penobscot, ME census: hh 17/17
1860
1870 Kittery, York, ME census (pg 4)
1880 Kittery (pg 39)
1890 Kittery Veteran Schedule: 27th ME (9/30/62-7/17/63), 32nd ME (2/29/64-5/19/65)
1900 Kittery (pg 13A)
1910 Kittery (pg 11B): hh 292/314; liv on Government St
He was married in Portsmouth, NH, on 21 Feb 1864 [NH Marr Rec] to ANNIE MARY KEEN, the daughter of Josiah and Mary Ann (Lydston) Keen. She was born in Kittery on 23 Nov 1845, and died there on 12 July 1911 [ME death rec]. She was buried in Eliot's Mt Pleasant Cemetery, where her parents are also interred. Two of her brothers, Hamden C and Josiah E Keen, had also served in the 27th Maine.
A teamster at the time of his enlistment in 1862, with his residence listed as Baring, Washington, Maine, it is not known by me the circumstances on how he was in York County and filled the quota for Eliot. Both he and William T Carr were from northern Maine, the descriptive roll listing both of them as being born in Carroll, Penobscot, Maine (though it seems to be an error for Damon). Carr was a lumberman in Carroll (this town is about 50 miles from Baring with today's road system) - were they working together and had been in the area when the call for volunteers took place?
Following his service with the 27th Maine, George would reenlistment on 29 Feb 1864 (8 days after his marriage), when his former colonel raised a new regiment. He would be appointed a 2nd Sergeant and mustered into Co K, 32nd Maine Infantry, on 6 May 1864. During the Battle of the Crater at Petersburg, VA on 30 July 1864, he and over sixty others from his regiment were taken prisoner on Cemetery Hill. He was later exchanged, prior to 3 Oct '64, when he is listed as a paroled prisoner at Annapolis, Maryland. Though he was supposed to be discharged on 1 Dec 1864, when the remaining men of the 32nd ME were consolidated with the 31st Maine (their companies already having officers, the ones from the 32nd were mustered out), records show he served until 19 May 1865 (or perhaps 8 Aug, a date listed on the muster out record).
He lived the rest of his life in Kittery, Maine, working first as a watchman on the Navy Yard, and later seen as a baggage master for the railroad. His obituary [Ports. Herald, 2/28/14] said he was employed by the Boston and Maine RR, working at the Kittery Junction depot, and tended to the draw bridge. He was injured on the job there in Oct 1909 while operating the bridge for a passing tug, a line having come loose and dropping one end of the draw into the river. The force of this sent the handle of the hoisting apparatus backwards into Mr Damon and seriously injured him. He retired soon after, with nearly 25 years employed with the B & M RR. He was spending the winter at the house of his daughter, Mrs M. Gertrude Cutter of Dover, NH, when he passed away.
George and Annie had four children:
I. GEORGE EDWIN DAMON, b. 24 Aug 1864 in Kittery, Maine. He died on 8 Sept 1937 [Mason Memb. Card]. He married MABEL M BILLS on 29 Sept 1890. The daughter of George H and Eliza M Bills, she was born in Boston, MA. George lived in Melrose, MA, where he owned a stationary store. They had one child:
1. Leon Blanchard Damon, b. 6 July 1892 in Melrose, MA [MA vr]; d. 19 Oct 1923 in Jaffrey, NH [NH vr]. He was buried in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose, MA. His wife was Grace Stewart McKenzie, the dau of James E and Edith (Stewart) McKenzie, who he married on 23 June 1919 [Boston Herald, 6/24/19, pg 3] She was born in Somerville, MA on 23 Apr 1897, and died in Waltham on 23 Jan 1936. She was buried with her husband in Wyoming Cemetery. They had two sons:
i. George Stewart Damon, b. 1920 in Melrose [MA Birth Index]
ii. Leon Blanchard Damon Jr, b. 1923 in Melrose [MA Birth Index]
II. MILLIE A DAMON, b. 16 May 1868 in Kittery [obit]; d. 12 Sept 1953 in Kittery [obit]. She was married in Portsmouth, NH on 24 Dec 1912 [NH vr], to HENRY H HOBBS, the son of John B and Ellen (Jenness) Hobbs. They later divorced on 10 Dec 1917 [NH Div Rec]. She was a grammar school teacher, supervisor of the music department in the Kittery and Eliot schools, and had been an assistant principal of the Kittery High School. She moved to Quincy, MA prior to 1899, and was of Everett, MA at the time of her death, which occurred while she had returned to Kittery for a family visit [obit, Portsmouth Herald, 9/14/53, pg 3].
III. MINNIE GERTRUDE DAMON, b. in Kittery on 2 Sept 1876 [obit, Ports. Herald 1/14/1974, pg 3]; d. 13 Jan 1974 in Somersworth, NH [obit]. She was married to CHARLES HENRY CUTTER on 11 Apr 1912 in Melrose, MA [NH vr - rec in Madbury, Charles' residence]. He was the son of Albert O and Lizzie S (Rand) Cutter, born in Wakefield, MA on 21 July 1878 [MA vr]. He died in 1933 [grave] and is buried in Lakeside Cemetery, Wakefield [Find a Grave].
1. Robert S Cutter, b. 1914; d. 2004 [grave]. Bur Lakeside Cem, Wakefield.
2. Charles Damon Cutter, b. 1920 in East Milton, MA [MA Birth Index]
IV. ASHER BASFORD DAMON, born in Kittery [obit] on 15 Feb 1880 [obit; grave]. He died on 15 Sept 1970 at Portsmouth, NH Hospital [obit], and was buried with his parents in Eliot. He was married, on 4 Oct 1902 in Kittery [ME vr], to EVA H DAME. She was born in Kittery on 13 July 1882 [grave], and died on 30 Oct 1957 [grave]. She is buried in Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Eliot. Asher was employed as an electrician at the Shipyard, retiring in Feb 1950 after 45 years of service. They lived in Kittery Point.
1. Sarah Louise Damon, b. 14 May 1903 in Kittery [ME birth rec]; d. in Kittery 15 May 1994 [ME Death Index]. Marr to Charles Freeman Plaisted on 2 Apr 1924 [ME Marr]. He was the son of Henry and Adelaide (Anderson) Plaisted, b. Limerick, ME on 29 Nov 1884. He died in Kittery on 24 Feb 1953. She was living in Kittery in 1970 [father's obit]. Charles had a son, Charles F Jr, from a prior marriage.
2. Belle Basford Damon, b. 27 Apr 1905 in Kittery Point [ME birth rec], d. 2 Mar 2001 in West Paris, ME [Ports Herald, 3/4/2001]. Marr Richard Slater in Oct 1924 [Ports. Herald, 10/16/24]. He was b. in 1890 and d. 1959. They are buried with her family in Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Eliot. They lived in Kittery Point, where he worked at the shipyard, following his 30 plus years in the US Navy. They didn't have any children.
Additional Source Data:
1850 Township 4, 1st Range, Penobscot, ME census: hh 17/17
1860
1870 Kittery, York, ME census (pg 4)
1880 Kittery (pg 39)
1890 Kittery Veteran Schedule: 27th ME (9/30/62-7/17/63), 32nd ME (2/29/64-5/19/65)
1900 Kittery (pg 13A)
1910 Kittery (pg 11B): hh 292/314; liv on Government St