Background
George Washington Deitzler was born on November 30, 1826 at Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the son of Jacob and Maria Deitzler.
George Washington Deitzler was born on November 30, 1826 at Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the son of Jacob and Maria Deitzler.
At Pine Grove Dietzler grew to manhood with only a common-school education—“very common” he once said.
While still a young man Dietzler emigrated to the new West. After a short residence in Illinois and in California he went in March 1855 to Lawrence, Kansas, where he engaged in farming and real-estate dealing.
He soon took an active part in politics, so that when the plan to organize a free-state government, in opposition to the pro-slavery territorial government, was set on foot he was sent to Boston to see Amos Lawrence and other friends of the cause.
He at once received an order for one hundred Sharps rifles which were very soon on their way to Kansas in boxes marked “books. ”
Other shipments of “books” followed. Military companies armed with these new weapons were formed among the free-state men. In the so-called Wakarusa War in November 1855, Deitzler was aide-de-camp to the commander of the free-state forces and during part of the time was in full command.
A few months later, when the territorial judiciary began to function, Chief Justice Lecompte instructed a grand jury sitting at Lecompton that levying war on the authorities of the territory was treason against the federal government. Deitzler and several other free-state leaders were promptly indicted on a charge of treason. They were immediately arrested and kept in a prison tent at Lecompton for about four months.
In September 1856 they were freed on bail. Later their cases were nolle-prossed.
He served on committees, attended meetings and conventions, of which there were many, counseled with other leaders, and wrote for the press.
In 1860 he became mayor of Lawrence and in 1866 treasurer of the University of Kansas.
In August 1861 his regiment took a prominent part in the battle of Wilson’s Creek where he was severely wounded. Promoted to the rank of brigadier-general in November 1862, he served under Grant until October 1863 and then resigned on account of impaired health caused by his former wound. During all of these years he had remained a bachelor. His home was at the Eldridge House in Lawrence.
A month later Gen. Price led an invading Confederate army into Missouri and eastern Kansas. The entire militia of the latter state were called out—about 20, 000 in number— and Deitzler was placed in chief command with the rank of major-general. He directed the movements against the Confederates in the successful campaign that followed. Various enterprises engaged his attention after the return of peace.
He promoted the Emporia Town Company and was a director in the new Leavenworth, Lawrence & Fort Gibson Railroad Company. In 1872 he removed with his family to California. While in southern Arizona in the spring of 1884 he was thrown from a buggy and killed.
In September 1864 Dietzler married Anna McNeil of Lexington, Missouri, United States.
