Baronett J. LaSure, an honored veteran of the Civil war and a leading farmer of Liberty township, Susquehanna county, was born September 27, 1840, in Sussex county, N. J., a son of Henry and Rachel (Shurt) LaSure, who were born reared and married in that State. The paternal grandfather, James LaSure, was a native of France and on his emigration to America located in New Jersey, where his death occurred. Beside the father of our subject, his children were Joseph, a resident of Owego, N. Y., and Jacob and Mrs. Eliza Talmage, both of New Jersey. The maternal grandfather of our subject was John Shurt, who at an early day removed from New Jersey to Liberty Township, Susquehanna county, Penn., where he died laving two children, Rachel, the mother of our subject; and Nelson, a resident of Toga county, Pennsylvania.
On first coming to Susquehanna county Henry LaSure, the father of our subject, took up his residence in the town of Susquehanna, but a short time afterward he move to Snake Creek, Liberty township, where for a number of years he followed the mason’s and shoemaker’s trades. He died in 1869. The mother is till living, at the age of eighty-one years, and now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Gansaulus, in Franklin township, Susquehanna county. Our subject is the eldest in their family of five children, the others being as follows: (2) Harriet, born in New Jersey, in 1843, was educated in the district schools near her childhood home, and first married James Hinchman, who was a member of Company H, 4th Pennsylvania Reserves, during the Civil war, and died from the effects of wounds received at the battle of Snicker’s Gap, Va. Later, she married Burdette Abel, now a resident of Binghamton, N. Y., where she died leaving a daughter, Hattie. (3) Catherine, born in New Jersey, in 1845, married Wallace Gunsaulas, of Liberty township, and they reside near Brookdale, that township. Their children are William, who is married and lives in Binghamton, N. Y.; Nellie, wife of a Mr. Wilcox, of Hallstead, Penn.; Barton, a resident of Binghamton; Carrie, wife of James Hinchman, of Brookdale; and Leroy, a resident of Binghamton. (4) Dorotha, born in New Jersey in 1847, married Virgil Gansaulus, of Liberty township. He was a member of Company H, 4th P. R. V.C., and took part in a number of battles during the Civil war. He is now a resident of Franklin Township, Susquehanna county. They have one son and two daughters, Leon, Cora, and Vanecie. (5) Mary A., born in Susquehanna county, in 1851, married Benjamin Sisson, of Brookdale, where she died, leaving no family.
Reared on the old home farm in Liberty township, Baronett J. Lasure was educated in the district schools of the neighborhood. Responding to his country’s call for aid during the dark days of the Civil war, he enlisted, in June, 1861, in Company H, 4th Pennsylvania Reserves, which was sworn into the United States service at Camp Curtin in July, and was first ordered to Washington, D. C. Under Gen. McCall, as corps commander, and Gen. Mead, as brigade commander, they did duty in the Shenandoah Valley. Their first engagement was at Dranesville, Va., and was followed by the battles of Mechanicsville, June 26, 1862, and Gaines Mill, on the Chickahominy, the following day. They were with Gen. McClellan on his Peninsular campaign, the engagement at Charles City Cross Roads, and Malvern Hill, on the James river, in July, 1862. At the latter place Mr. LaSure was taken ill with typhoid fever and sent to a New York hospital, where he remained until march, 1863, rejoining his regiment in time to take part in Gen. Burnside’s famous march through the mud. His brigade then returned to Washington D. C., where they were on duty at the convalescent camp for some time, or until Lee’s invasion into Pennsylvania. They were held in reserve during the battle of Gettysburg, and then under Gen. Cook went with the army into the Shenandoah Valley, where they participated in the battles of Martinsburg, Winchester, Berryville and Fisher’s Hill. In the fall of 1864 they joined Gen. Hunter and started for Lynchburg, taking part in the battles of Clyde Mountain and of Salem on the way, and the battle near Lynchburg. After Hunter’s raid around Lynchburg, in which they took part as an independent battalion under command of Capt. A. T. Sweet, of Harford, Penn., they re-enlisted at New Creek, Va. During that raid the regiment was surrounded by Rebels while they were covering Hunter’s retreat, and on their march from Staunton were pressed so hard by the enemy that they had to retreat all night, until reaching Martinsburg, in the Shenandoah Valley. They were with Sheridan on his raid down the Shenandoah Valley, and at Harper’s Ferry met Early’s army. That engagement was followed by those at Winchester, Berryville, Opequan Creek, Fisher’s Hill and Cedar Creek. In the spring of 1865 they were transferred to Bermuda Hundred, near City Point, Va., and were assigned to the 24th Corps, Army of the Potomac. After the engagement at Hatcher’s Run, in March, 1865, they broke the enemy’s lines and marched to Petersburg. They captured Fort Gregg, and then marched down the Weldon Railroad to the Appomatox river, Va., April 6, 1865, and were captured and marched to Farmersville, where they were held prisoners for four days before the surrender at Appomatox. They were then forced to march with Lee’s army on the retreat, and were finally sent to City Point and Annapolis. On May 31, 1865, Mr. LaSure was honorably discharged, and returned to his home with an army record of which he might be justly proud.
While at home on a veteran furlough, in March, 1864, Mr. LaSure married Miss Hattie Hinchman, of Liberty township, a daughter of Barton and Mary Hinchman, one of the old New Jersey families that located in Brookdale, Susquehanna county. On his return from the war, our subject and his wife began their domestic life on the farm where he still resides. Here she passed away in March, 1897, loved and respected by all who knew her. To them were born eight children, namely: George, born in 1866, married Effie Howard, of Liberty township, and they now reside on his farm in that township; Marshall, born in 1868, died at the age of nine years; Myrtie, born in 1871, is now the wife of Ezra Kunkle, of Binghamton, N. Y., and they have one daughter, Iva; Jessie, born in 1873, married Alfred Snow, of Franklin township, Susquehanna county, and died leaving one daughter, Bella; Rachel H., born in 1875, died when eighteen years old; Charles, born in 1877, is a well-to-do young farmer of Liberty township; Frank, born in 1879, is at home; and Etta, born in 1882, was educated in the district schools, and is now her father’s housekeeper. Mr. LaSure was again married, in April, 1898, his second union being with Miss Ellen Berg, of Liberty township, and to them was born on April 22, 1899, a son, Elbert B.
The Republican party always finds in Mr. LaSure a stanch supporter of its principles, and he has most efficiently served as school director of his township for several terms. Socially he is a member of Southworth Post No. 222. G. A. R., and in religious connection belongs to the Baptist Church, to the support of which he contributes liberally.
Currently a resident of Burke, Virginia - I'm originally from the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I have been a student of the Pennsylvania Reserves since 1997 and thoroughly enjoy telling their story. By trade I'm a former IT Professional but presently working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service.
