George Benton Dausman letters
Collection — Folder: S0333
Identifier: S0333
Scope and Contents
The folder and bound volume contain the same letters written by George B. Dausman from July 26, 1862 until February 18, 1863. After his last letter, there are three additional letters written in March 1863. On March 5, Jo. W. Snider wrote to his sister to tell her that her son George was sick at Murfreesborough, Tennessee. He wrote that “Bent cannot live long. The disease is the result of sleeping on the damp ground.”
On March 12, Amanda Dausman wrote to “Mr. and Mrs. Bickel, Dear Brother and Sister” to tell them that George died. Mrs. Mary E. Bickel was their sister who lived in Elkhart.
The third letter is by Captain William McGinnis, who wrote to Amanda at her request for information about her brother’s death. He tells about George being “taken with diarrhea and could not get it checked until he became much reduced and nearly lost the use of his legs and arms.” The captain told about burying George near Murfreesborough on the Wood-Berry Pike where hundreds of other soldiers are buried.
In 1934, Kate Milner Rabb reprinted George Dausman’s letters in her column “A Hoosier Listening Post” from August 13 to October 11 in the Indianapolis Star. These eight newspaper clippings are enclosed in an envelope and have also been photocopied. Ms. Rabb writes that the letters were provided by Miss Ina Dausman, daughter of the late Judge Ethan A. Dausman.
On March 12, Amanda Dausman wrote to “Mr. and Mrs. Bickel, Dear Brother and Sister” to tell them that George died. Mrs. Mary E. Bickel was their sister who lived in Elkhart.
The third letter is by Captain William McGinnis, who wrote to Amanda at her request for information about her brother’s death. He tells about George being “taken with diarrhea and could not get it checked until he became much reduced and nearly lost the use of his legs and arms.” The captain told about burying George near Murfreesborough on the Wood-Berry Pike where hundreds of other soldiers are buried.
In 1934, Kate Milner Rabb reprinted George Dausman’s letters in her column “A Hoosier Listening Post” from August 13 to October 11 in the Indianapolis Star. These eight newspaper clippings are enclosed in an envelope and have also been photocopied. Ms. Rabb writes that the letters were provided by Miss Ina Dausman, daughter of the late Judge Ethan A. Dausman.
Dates
- 1862-1863
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
George Benton Dausman was the son of Jacob Dausman, who came from Germany at the age of 18. Jacob was born about 1820, and came first to New York City, then to Canton, Ohio, and finally settled in Elkhart County, Indiana. The 1860 federal census for Concord, Elkhart County, lists the following nine members of the Dausman Family: David, age 39; Margaret, age 38; George B. 18; Mary, 15; Amanda, 13; Elthia, 11; Margaret Ann, 9; Regino, 5; and William, age 1.
George Dausman served in Company H, 75th Indiana Volunteer Regiment. He died on February 28, 1863 of diarrhea, and is buried in the National Cemetery at Murfreesborough, Tennessee, in section J, grave number 3715.
The folder contains copies of the same letters which are in the bound volume. On the title page of the bound volume, it states: “The following letters were copied from the originals on August 1913 (signed) E. A. Dausman.”
Judge Ethan Allen Dausman was born in 1861 to Jacob and Sarah Dausman. He married Mary Alice Stauffer in August 1884, and was a representative, senator, and judge. Ethan Allen and Mary had three children: Gertrude (b. 1885); Guy Winfred (b. 1887), and Ina Marie (b. 1889).
Source:
Information Found within Collection and Ancestry.com accessed on Oct. 3, 2013.
George Dausman served in Company H, 75th Indiana Volunteer Regiment. He died on February 28, 1863 of diarrhea, and is buried in the National Cemetery at Murfreesborough, Tennessee, in section J, grave number 3715.
The folder contains copies of the same letters which are in the bound volume. On the title page of the bound volume, it states: “The following letters were copied from the originals on August 1913 (signed) E. A. Dausman.”
Judge Ethan Allen Dausman was born in 1861 to Jacob and Sarah Dausman. He married Mary Alice Stauffer in August 1884, and was a representative, senator, and judge. Ethan Allen and Mary had three children: Gertrude (b. 1885); Guy Winfred (b. 1887), and Ina Marie (b. 1889).
Source:
Information Found within Collection and Ancestry.com accessed on Oct. 3, 2013.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from the Dausman family on 1936/04/07 and the Elkhart Historical Society on 1969/10/01.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing and finding aid completed by Nikki Stoddard Schofield during October 2013. EAD finding aid completed by Bethany Fiechter on 2018/05/12.
- Title
- George Benton Dausman letters
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
