George P. Savage
George P. Savage, deceased.
In Amherst County, Virginia, on the 23d day of December, 1776, Mr. Savage was born. When at the age of twenty-one years, or in 1797, he left home for a trip south, and one year later found him at Fort Massac, on the Ohio River, where a part of the United States troops under the command of Captain Thomas Pastuers was stationed. When he reached that place he found himself far from his friends and destitute of money. The Captain offered him sixteen dollars as a bounty, eight dollars per month as wages, and a commission of sergeant of the company, providing he would enlist for five years. He accepted the Captain’s offer, and in September, 1798, he enlisted and entered the service of the United States. He served as sergeant of the company until the expiration of his term of enlistment, which expired in Sept. 1803, when he was honorably discharged from the service. He then continued his journey southward, and a few months later found him at Natchitoches, on Red River. Here a part of the U. S. troops were stationed, under the command of Captain Shamburgh. Here he again entered the service of the U. S. as orderly sergeant of an artillery company, and served as such until discharged from the service in 1807—in all making near nine years of his life spent in the U. S. Army. After leaving the army he determined to return to his native home in Virginia, so he turned around and began to travel northward. After wandering from one place to an other, stopping for awhile at different places, he reached home in 1810, after an absence of fourteen years. Shortly after he left home in 1797 his parents received word that he had been killed by the Indians and buried near Crab-apple Orchard, Kentucky, and as they had not heard from him after he left home, they supposed the report to be true. The reader can imagine the surprise and joy of the parents at the return of their son whom they had supposed to have been dead for several years. Dec. 27, 1812, he married Miss Elizabeth Miller, of Virginia, born Nov. 21, 1787, by whom he had five children, viz., Catharine, John J., Nancy, Wilson, and Margaret, all of whom are now dead except John J. Savage, who resides in DeKalb County, Missouri. He came to Ohio with his family and located in Montgomery County. where his companion died, leaving him with five small children. August 7, 1823, he married Miss Catharine Miller, of Virginia, where she was born April 1, 1792. By this union he reared four children, viz., Elizabeth, Moses, Washington, and Hannah, all of whom are now dead except Washington, who now resides in Turtle Creek Township, on the old home farm. In 1825 or ’6 he came to Shelby County with his family, and settled in Washington Township, on the farm now owned by John Alexander, on the canal. Here he engaged in keeping a public house in connection with farming, which he conducted successfully for several years, or until 1839, when he purchased the farm in section 33, Turtle Creek Township, now owned and occupied by his son, Washington Savage, on which he passed the remainder of his days. He. died May 13, 1847. His companion died July 21,1852.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883