Age 85 years, 1 month, 24 days.

Son of Josiah and Mary (Creesy) Pickett.

Widower

From the "Springfield Republican," page 5, 15 January 1908:
Gen. Josiah Pickett Dead.
Was Colonel of 25th Massachusetts and Under Military Arrest for Most of His Life.
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Gen. Josiah Pickett, one of the most prominent officers commanding a regiment during the civil war, colonel of the 25th Massachusetts regiment, and one of Worcester's most prominent citizens, died at 9 o'clock yesterday morning at his home in Worcester of a general breaking down of his constitution.
During the war Gen. Pickett was placed under military arrest and this was never removed. The adjutant whose duty it would have been to record the arrest was killed in the conflict, and because of the heroism displayed by Worcester's soldier the charges against him were entirely forgotten. He was always rather proud of this distinction and refused to allow any movement to formally release him from the arrest ordered by Gen. Stannard but never carried into effect.

The announcement of Gen. Pickett's death was received with sincere regret by a host of people extending far beyond the ranks of the old Soldiers.
The flags on the Worcester city hall and on the copmmon were lowered to half-mast because of his record as a public official, and the flag on the Grand Army hall was also half-masted.
Arrangements for the funeral have not been completed, but the hour is fixed.... Burial will be in Rural cemetery.

Josiah Pickett was born in Beverly, November 22, 1822, the son of Josiah and Mary (Cressey) Pickett, and was the sixth decendant of Nicholas Pickett, who landed in Marblehead in 1647. He was married in Lowell in December, 1847, to Miss Elizabeth Burnham, who lived until two years ago.
He went to Worcester in 1855, and since that time his history had been a part of the history of the city.

When there a short time he joined thw Worcester city guards, then commanded by Capt.(later Col.) George H. Ward, for whom the Worcester Grand Army post is named.
He at once made a name for himself in this old company as a tactician, and in June, 1859, he was made 2d lieutenant of the company, and in April, 1861, when the war came, he was made 1st lieutenant.
At the time of the call for troops the city guards were in a semi-demoralized condition. Capt. Ward had been made a colonel, and the company was without an official head.
Lieut. Pickett was finally left the only officer in the company.
Lieut. Pickett recruited the guards up to 80 men, the pick of the city, and then, .... Lieut Pickett immediately started to recruit another company to be a part of the now famous 25th regiment.... in the battles of Drury's Bluff, Roanoke Island, Cold Harbor ....

Returning to civil life he was appointed to the postmastership of the Worcester office, where he made a record for himself....
He is survived by one son, William A. Pickett, who lives in the Pickett home, and was with his father to the end.