Hall County
GEORGE W. CARR, one of Grand Island's substantial citizens, has been a resident of Nebraska since 1878. He brought form his Indiana home not only a well merited reputation for business integrity, but undeniable proof of loyal, honorable service in the Civil War. For more than a quarter of a century he lived on his homestead in Buffalo County. In 1907 he came to Grand Island where he had made investments, and since 1909 has been operating here rather extensively in real estate.
George W. Carr was born at Sardinia, Decatur County, Indiana, March 20, 1846. His parents were William and Jane (Standford) Carr, the former of whom was born in New Jersey. He was a son of David Carr, who served in the Revolutionary war. William Carr owned a farm in Decatur County and also was a shoemaker by trade. He was a member of the Baptist church. When the Republican party was organized he united with that political body. He was twice married, his second wife being Jane Standford, who was born in Pennsylvania. They both died in Indiana. To this marriage the following children were born: Eliza, the widow of Abraham Reves, lives near Hayden, Indiana; George W.; Margaret Ann, who is the widow of Lorenzo Darniger, a soldier in the Civil War, lives near Hayden; Hester, the wife of Charles Eastman, a veteran of the Civil War, and both died at Aurora, Nebraska; and Julia Frances, who died at the age of seven years.
George W. Carr was reared on his father's farm and had but few educational privileges in boyhood. In fact he is mainly self educated, having studied while in the army. He first attempted to enter the service in the Eighty-second Indiana regiment in August, 1862, but was refused on account of his youth, but on August 28, 1863, one year later, he was accepted as a member of the Seventh Indiana cavalry and during his subsequent service of two years and six months, he participated in seventeen engagements, included in which number were the following: Iva Hills, Grand Gulf, Hollow Springs, Mississippi, Kansas, Osage, and Little Blue in Missouri, Arkansas, White Springs and Memphis, Tennessee. The regiment during this time brought to a close the career of several noted desperadoes. After the war Mr. Carr returned to Indiana and there he farmed. He was a member of a threshing crew, worked as a carpenter and for six years was a coal miner. About this time he decided to come to Nebraska and on October 28, 1878, reached Buffalo County. He homesteaded there for many years living a busy and contented life on his fine farm which he developed into a valuable property. He sold this place advantageously in 1907 and located in Grand Island. He is a Democrat in political faith and while living in Buffalo County served in local offices and for a long time was a justice of the peace. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Mr. Carr married February 3, 1867, in Jennings County, Indiana, Miss Hannah Jane Everhart, who was born in Scott County, Indiana. She is a daughter of John Barr and Huldah (Graves) Everhart. The father of Mrs. Carr was born in Carroll County, Ohio, and the mother in Genessee County, New York. They located in Indiana in the thirties. Mr. Everhart was a carpenter by trade and built one of the church edifices in Scott County. During the Civil War he was an assistant quartermaster of the 4th Indiana Cavalry and captured by the enemy at the battle of Lookout Mountain, and died shortly after exchanged, having been in Libby prison nearly three months where he nearly starved to death. Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Carr the following survive: Ida, the wife of William Everhart of Grand Island; Cora, the wife of Hon. L. L. Hile, a member of the state board of health for years and is grand commander of the Odd fellows in Nebraska; Nellie Gertrude, a graduate of Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, is engaged in practice at Fairmount (sic), Nebraska, is the wife of Dr. M. H. Deffenbaugh, who is with the American Expeditionary Force in France as surgeon; Jesse Myron, a graduate of Bennett College, Chicago, is a prominent physician and surgeon at Stockton, California; and E. Fred, who is also a graduate of Bennett College, is engaged in practice at Stapleton, Nebraska. Mr. Carr and his family belong to the Baptist church.