THE HISTORICAL TIMES NEWSLETTER OF THE GRANVILLE, OHIO, HISTORICAL SOCIETY Volume VI Number 4 Fall 1992 `Multi-Tasking in the 19th Century: A Brief Life History of Willard Warner (Granville Native/Forty-Niner/Civil War General/United States Senator/Alabama Carpetbagger) n his The Philosopher of Mount Parnassus, Charles Militia. The family home was a brick house on East Browne White includes in his list of the famous College Street which is no longer extant. Several J men and women of Licking County, Granville na- reports of the era suggest that he was prominent in the tive Willard Warner Jr. Born in Granville in 1826, festivities for the ground-breaking ceremonies for the Warner achieved fame across the United States as a Ohio-Erie Canal in 1 825. He served in the Ohio Senate senator, a Civil War general, a noted industrialist, and between 1 844 and 1 846. The senior Warner died in a California forty-niner. Warner may be the only native 1 847, while travelling home from a plantation he son of Granville to be elected to the United States owned in Louisiana. One report indicates that he was Senate. One hears little about Warner today. This taken suddenly ill and died a short time later. famous son of Granville is noteworthy in many ways and this biography, albeit brief, brings his exploits and Willard was born in Granville in 1 826. His mother died successes to mind once again. in 1831, when young Willard was only five years old. Willard had an older sister, Helen, Family Barkground who married Willis Robbins, an Willard Warners father, Willard early Newark banker. A younger Warner Sr., was born in Vermont in sister, Ann, married William 1 787. Willards mother was Eliva Woods of Newark. Following his Williams. While both Willard Jun- mothers early death, he was placed ior and Senior were patriots whose in the care of an uncle who lived in commitment to the Union was never Muskingum County. questioned, Willards maternal grandfather, Judge Luke Knowlton, Marietta College Interlude wasa "loyalist" in the Revolutionary As a young man, Willard matricu- War. Not a popular person follow- lated at Marietta College. In 1 845, ing the War of Independence, even- Willard graduated from Marietta, tually, he was given land in Canada receiving at the same time two by the British Government. degrees, the BA and the MA. The History of Marietta College fea- Willard Warner Sr., came to Gran- tures a piece on Willards later ac- ville in 1807. He and Eliva were complishments. He was awarded married in 1 823 by the Rev. Ahab an honorary degree from his alma Jinks. He ran a hack line from mater in 1 885. From the time of his Granville to Newark and operated a graduation from Marietta to his de- tavern in Granville. Willard Sr. parture for California, Willard was served as Captain of the Granville engaged in agricultural work. Smitten with the gold rush fever, Willard joined a What pleasure I will have in joining the social "company of gold seekers" and journeyed to California circle again, and meeting kind sisters, aunts & in the great rush of 1849. He stayed in California for other friends around the family fireside. Many a three years, making his fortune. Willard travelled from long yarn I will have to tell you next winter, during New Orleans on the schooner, Iona, to Panama, then the long evenings, with a pan of apples on the crossed the isthmus by pack train. With several thou- stand. By the way, will you all eat an apple apiece sand others, he waited for space on a sailing ship to take for me. While you are eating, you may eat a few him to San Francisco. After a stay of almost two months, mince pies, apple pies, milk & potatoes for me & Warner secured passage on a sailing ship, the Cireasian. I will return the compliment by eating venison The trip by sail took over three months to reach the bear meat in any quantities for you. Golden Gate, but he and the others arrived in San Francisco on August 4, 1849. The following account, Return to Ohio descriptive in character, suggests the difficulty and perils Warner returned to Ohio in 1852. Several written of sea travel to California for the Gold Rush. reports suggest that he was the sole survivor of the mining company. It is unclear what happened to the We had a long, tedious, tiresome passage from others. Back in Ohio, Warner settled in Cincinnati and Panama of ninety days. You cannot conceive the embarked into the grocery and commission business. intolerable tediousness of being three months on He lived there for two years before returning to Newark board of a vessel with 130 souls, with scarcely in 1854. Once settled in Newark, he became the room to turn round, with bad provisions, badly secretary, treasurer and then general manager of the cooked, eating like hogs, washing our own dishes, Newark Machine Works. in salt water, without soap under a tropical sun, and short of water & a thousand other inconven- On March 4, 1856, Warner married Eliza Wood of iences. Newark. She was the sister of Charles and William Woods, famous residents of Newark. Life as a Miner Arriving in California, Willard settled in Touloume County, east of San Francisco near the present Yosemite National Park. Warner ' s letters home from California are extraordinary insights into what the life of a gold-miner was like in the middle of the last century. He appears to have written often to his aunt, uncle and cousins in Ohio. About San Francisco, where eggs at the time were selling for four dollars a dozen, Warner wrote the following: Of S.F. I need only say that I think it one of the most detest- able places I ever saw, foggy, damp & cold from 4 p.m. until the next day and Civil War Experience then a hot sun with a steady N.W. wind & dust for In 1861, following the attack on Fort Sumter, Warner the middle of the day. This is the routine, as regular was active in raising recruits for the Union Army through- as the sun rises. out the Newark area. In December, 1861, Warner was made a Major in the 76th Ohio Infantry. He had earlier One letter from Warner indicates that his camp at refused a higher position in the Army on the grounds of Sullivans Diggings includes "...eight of us here together what he judged to be inexperience on his part. On from Newark." Yet he fails to mention who his fellow February 9, 1862, Warner left Ohio with his regiment. Newark 49ers were. Warner was somewhat homesick for Ohio, as the following letter suggests: The regiment arrived at Fort Donelson in Tennessee and 2 engaged in the Saturday fighting and Sunday surrender. On relieving Warner of duty in his own Army, General Warners regiment continued its battle participation at Sherman thanked him graciously in special orders for his Pittsburgh Landing, the siege of Corinth, Vicksburg and zealous and intelligent service. In addition, Sherman Jackson campaigns. It also was involved in the capture complimented Warner "on his good sense in preferring of the Confederate steamer Fairplay. service with troops to staff duty." Throughout the rest of his days, Warner would show evidence of commitment Warner led his regiment from Vicksburg to Chattanooga. and devotion to his general, William Tecumseh Sher- Here the man, for whom he was a faithful aide and confidant. regiment Certainly the Central Ohio connection assisted in the fought in the development of this affection and devotion. Battles of Lookout In January, 1865, Warner went to North Carolina with Mountain, his new regiment. After the capture of Fort Fisher, Mission Warner and his troops participated in the Battle of Ridge and Kingston and following the capture of the city, he was Ringgold. named Provost-Marshal of the place. After the surrender The battle of of Johnstons army, Warner was placed in command of Ringgold the post at Charlotte. He continued in this position was signifi- during the rest of his service in the Union Army. cant for Warner and A General of the Union Army his troops. Upon the recommendation of Generals Cox and Scho- With two field, his corps and department commanders, Warner hundred sol- was brevetted Brigadier-General in July, 1865. Shortly d i e r s, after this, he was mustered out of service with the Warner additional honor of Brevet Major-General. This rank broke the line of Confederate general Pat Cleburne, a was given to Warner for "gallant and meritorious con- line which one Civil War account emphatically states duct during the war." His new rank was post-dated to be was "strongly posted." In this battle, Warner lost in thirty effective from March 13, 1865. Granvilles son was now minutes one third of his troops, killed or wounded. One known as a "General" of the Union Army. account notes that Warner, "though constantly exposed, escaped unhurt, but all bespattered with the blood of his Returning to Newark in the fall of 1865, Warner was fallen comrades." [W. Reid, Ohio in the War, Vol. I, p, chosen State Senator from the 16th Senatorial District in 8391 Ohio. One commentator notes that "...he soon proved himself as efficient in the council as in the field." Devotion to His Troops Warner appears to have been devoted to his troops. At this time, Warner also owned and operated a cotton Prior to the terrible battle at Ringgold, Warner had plantation in Alabama.