George Brotzman, who is engaged in farming in Auburn Township, Susquehanna, owning fifty acres of good land, was born July 9, 1830, in Blairstown, N. J., son of Samuel and grandson of Jacob and Susanna Brotzman, natives of Germany who died at Blairstown. Jacob Brotzman was a farmer by occupation.
Samuel Brotzman was born in Blairstown, N. J. and was married at Easton, Penn., to Miss Eliza Moser, a native of that town, daughter of George and Susan Moser, who were natives of Germany. The young couple took up their residence in New Jersey, and thence in 1837 came to Susquehanna county, Penn., locating in South Auburn, where they ended their days.
Their children were: George, whose name introduces this sketch; Jacob, a farmer in Auburn township; Gabriel, who died young; Edward, engaged in farming in Wisconsin; Susanna, wife of Lyman Carter, a retired farmer of Waverly, Penn.; Samuel, a farmer in Wisconsin and a soldier in the Civil war; Isaac, who died at Annapolis, Md., of diphtheria, while a prisoner, he too having enlisted in the Union service; William who joined Company L, 13th P. V. C., and was killed while in the service; and Anthony, farming on the old homestead in South Auburn. The father passed away in 1890, at the advanced age of 82 years, the mother in 1860, at the age of fifty-two; they were buried at South Auburn.
During his boyhood George Brotzman attended the common schools and assisted his father, remaining under the parental roof until he was of age, after which he worked for other farmers until coming to his present far, in the spring of 1857. He purchased the property from Nelson Roberts. On September 12, 1852, he was married in Auburn township, to Miss Adelia Bump, who was born September 26, 1830, in Bradford county, Penn., daughter of George and Theodosia (Beeman) Bump, the former of whom was born in Fishkill, N. Y., son of Jacob and Millicent (Waterson) Bump, natives of England and Connecticut, respectively, who died at Wyalusing, Penn.; Jacob Bump was a farmer by occupation. Mrs. Theodosia (Beeman) Bump was born in Rocky Forest, Wyoming Co., Penn., daughter of Nathan and Esther (Beekley) Beeman, of Connecticut, both of whom died in New York State. George Bump came to Susquehanna county in 1809, locating first in Forest Lake township, subsequently lived in Bradford county for a time, and finally, in 1838, settled in Auburn township where he passed the rest of his life. He was engaged in farming pursuits. He passed away April 3, 1862, at the age of seventy-seven, and was buried in the Camptown (Penn.) Cemetery; his wife, who died December 3, 1880, at the advanced age of eighty five, is buried in Bradford county. They were the parents of nine children, as follows: Lovisa, Mrs. Isaac Greek, deceased; Isaac and Esther both of whom died at the age of three years; Adelia, Mrs. Brotzman; Hannah, Mrs. Ransford Ford, deceased; Harriet who died at the age of four; Aaron, a farmer of West Auburn township (he was a soldier in the Civil war); Jacob who died at the age of two years; and Dennis L., a farmer of Evergreen, Penn. Mr. and Mrs. Brotzman have had four children, namely: Elmer P., who is a farmer of Foster, Penn. (he married Sarah Swackhammer); Harvey T., a farmer of LaPlume, Penn. (he married H. Eliza Warner); Emma E., who died at the age of twenty-three years; and George L., who lives with his parents (he served during the late war with Spain as a member of Company G., Thirteenth P. V. I.) The parents are members the M. E. Church. Politically Mr. Brotzman is a Republican.
This sketch would be incomplete without some mention of Mr. Brotzman’s war record. He enlisted, in September, 1862, for nine months, at Montrose, Penn., in Company A, 151st P. V. I., First Brigade, Third Division, and was honorably discharged July 29, 1863, at the expiration of his term at Harrisburg, Penn. On July 1, 1863, he was wounded in the right thigh at the battle of Gettysburg, being disabled for three months. On March 18, 1864, he re-enlisted, at Scranton, this time in Company H, 4th P. R. V. C. On September 19, 1864, he was wounded in the left breast by a fragment of a shell and was sent to hospital at Winchester, Va., being transferred thence to Wilmington, del., and he was unfit for duty for about five months. In October, 1864, he was given a twenty-six days’ furlough, and in February, 1865, at Chapin’s Farm, he was transferred to Company E, 54th P. V. I., being detailed as stretcher-bearer in the ambulance corps and serving as such for two months. In April, 1865, he was captured, at High Bridge, and he was paroled and sent to Annapolis, Md., where he was honorably discharged from the service on May 31, 1865. Mr. Brotzman took part in the battle of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lynchburg, Snicker’s Gap, Berryville, both engagements at Winchester, and the memorable Lynchburg raid, when his command marched 600 miles. His feet were swollen and covered with blisters, rheumatism set in, and the long and severe march would probably have proved fatal to him had it not been for the kindness of his comrades, who shared their provisions with him to keep him from starving. As it was he was so weak that they bid him goodbye more than once, never expecting to see him again, but he lived through all the hardships. He has engaged in farming since his return from the war, on his place of fifty acres in Auburn township, which yields him a comfortable living. He is highly respected in the community, where he is well known. On February 22, 1886, while drawing wood, he had his right leg broken, being incapacitated for about a year, and in the fall of 1892, while drawing wood, his sled tipped over when he was about a mile from home and he had his right shoulder broken; he unhitched however and drove the horses home.
Died – June 14, 1912
Buried at West Auburn Methodist Cemetery
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.
