Two-time Civil War veteran

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November 20, 2009

Richard Copeland - HISTORY BUFF Pharos-Tribune Fri Nov 20, 2009, 05:30 PM EST

Three of John Morrow Groninger’s children lived in Logansport. Reed Groninger, who was superintendent of the Logansport school system, Mrs. William Platt and Mrs. Charles Hopkins. Mrs. Bert Newer and Mrs. Edith McClosky lived in Camden, Mrs. Blanch Stafford lived in Ottawa, Ill., and Ronald lived in Deer Creek.

John Morrow Groninger was born in Pennsylvania. He came to Carroll County when he was just 4 years old. He lived and worked on the family farm. John was 18 when he enlisted in Company K, 15th Indiana Infantry, on June 14, 1861. John served out his enlistment and returned home. Soon, a call went out for more men, so John enlisted in Company B, 41st Indiana Infantry and served in the Washington, D.C., area in the Army of the Potomac. When the Union Army was planning to fight the Confederate Army for middle Tennessee, Gen. Hooker took 15,000 troops to assist in the Battle of Murfreesboro or Stones River. This battle took place Dec. 31, 1862, to Jan. 3, 1863, and had the highest percentage of casualties of any major battle during the Civil War.

John always claimed to have voted for Abraham Lincoln and actually shook hands with him while stationed in the Army of the Potomac in Washington.

He was in the battle of Mission Ridge that was part of the Battle of Chattanooga, Tenn. During the hand-to-hand combat in that battle, he was hit on the head with a rifle butt by a Confederate soldier and left on the field for dead. His skull was fractured quite badly. Thankfully, his sergeant, who was also injured in that battle, checked on John and saved him from sure death on the battlefield. He insisted that John’s unconscious body be taken to a field hospital. Before Mission Ridge, John had taken part in the battle of Shiloh and Stony River.

John returned to Deer Creek and followed his profession as a blacksmith for the next 60 years.

John Groninger helped organized the GAR in Deer Creek, Carroll County. After the membership became very small, the organization decided to join the Logansport GAR.

John attended the Deer Creek Presbyterian Church until his strength waned.

He received a 75-year membership pin from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The IOOF also gave him a paid up membership card for the rest of his life.

John also attended the Masons in Logansport.

John married Elizabeth Wright of Camden on June 3, 1868. John and Elizabeth celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1918. Mrs. Groninger died July 4, 1925.

After Mrs. Groninger’s death, Ronald Groninger and his wife, Mary, moved in with John to help care for him. Ron went for a walk and was struck by an automobile on Highway 29. Mary remained in the home caring for John until his death on Feb. 12, 1941. John had lived for 97 years.

• Richard B. Copeland is a Cass County historian and may be reached at ptnews@pharostribune.com. The material for this article came from Chalmer Condon’s scrapbook and the Cass County Historical Society archives.

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