Civil War: Company A, 1st Battalion California Mountaineers
Knyphausen "Foss" Geer was the son of Israel Smith Geer, Jr.* (Jan. 1, 1798, Wells, Rutland Co., VT-1846, Fulton Co., OH) and Arlinda Holcomb (1802, OH-1847, Fulton Co., OH). His parents were married Dec. 20, 1820, at Portage, Summit Co., Ohio. "Foss" left home when he was 18, going to New York City, where he spent the 4th of July. He departed New York City July 7 aboard the "Star of the West" bound for the Isthmus of Panama. From San Juan, Colombia (now Panama), he took the steamer "Courtiss" to San Francisco, California. He headed for the gold fields in Amador County, where he remained until May 1854, before relocating to Humboldt County. He was 26 years old when he enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant at Fort Humboldt, California, April 27, 1863. He was commissioned into Company A, 1st Battalion, California Mountaineers, April 30. He was promoted to captain September 9, 1864, at which time he assumed command of Company A. Captain Geer was mustered out at Fort Humboldt, April 25, 1865. After the war he remained in Humboldt County (1866-68, 1880, 1888, 1892 Humboldt Great Registers; 1870, 1880 US Census). He married Ella Anna Sweet (Nov. 1852, Erie, NY-Aug. 11, 1912, Napa, CA) in Humboldt County July 6, 1867. They were divorced by 1876. "Foss" filed for a Civil War veteran's pension in Humboldt County January 28, 1890, and received application No. 751,609 and certificate No. 745,371. He sold his ranch to his partner Chamberlain in 1892. He was living at Mad River, Humboldt County, in 1900 (1900 US Census). He re-filed for his veteran's pension March 27, 1907. "Foss" was a resident at Blue Lake when he died at the home of his daughter Nora in Arcata.
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* Son of Israel Smith Geer, Sr. (Dec. 1, 1778, Brooklyn, Windham Co., CT) and Susannah Culver (Aug. 7, 1778, Wells, Rutland Co., VT). "Foss" siblings included: Sylvester (born April 14, 1815), Noble, Lucinda, Irora, Jesiah, Tryphena (born about 1832, OH), DeForest, Lucia, James, and Charles.
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Children (both born at Bear River, Humboldt County):
- Nora Adeline
- Hampton Smith
Biography by Steve
Knyphausen "Foss" Geer was the son of Israel Smith Geer, Jr.* (Jan. 1, 1798, Wells, Rutland Co., VT-1846, Fulton Co., OH) and Arlinda Holcomb (1802, OH-1847, Fulton Co., OH). His parents were married Dec. 20, 1820, at Portage, Summit Co., Ohio. "Foss" left home when he was 18, going to New York City, where he spent the 4th of July. He departed New York City July 7 aboard the "Star of the West" bound for the Isthmus of Panama. From San Juan, Colombia (now Panama), he took the steamer "Courtiss" to San Francisco, California. He headed for the gold fields in Amador County, where he remained until May 1854, before relocating to Humboldt County. He was 26 years old when he enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant at Fort Humboldt, California, April 27, 1863. He was commissioned into Company A, 1st Battalion, California Mountaineers, April 30. He was promoted to captain September 9, 1864, at which time he assumed command of Company A. Captain Geer was mustered out at Fort Humboldt, April 25, 1865. After the war he remained in Humboldt County (1866-68, 1880, 1888, 1892 Humboldt Great Registers; 1870, 1880 US Census). He married Ella Anna Sweet (Nov. 1852, Erie, NY-Aug. 11, 1912, Napa, CA) in Humboldt County July 6, 1867. They were divorced by 1876. "Foss" filed for a Civil War veteran's pension in Humboldt County January 28, 1890, and received application No. 751,609 and certificate No. 745,371. He sold his ranch to his partner Chamberlain in 1892. He was living at Mad River, Humboldt County, in 1900 (1900 US Census). He re-filed for his veteran's pension March 27, 1907. "Foss" was a resident at Blue Lake when he died at the home of his daughter Nora in Arcata.
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* Son of Israel Smith Geer, Sr. (Dec. 1, 1778, Brooklyn, Windham Co., CT) and Susannah Culver (Aug. 7, 1778, Wells, Rutland Co., VT). "Foss" siblings included: Sylvester (born April 14, 1815), Noble, Lucinda, Irora, Jesiah, Tryphena (born about 1832, OH), DeForest, Lucia, James, and Charles.
---
Children (both born at Bear River, Humboldt County):
- Nora Adeline
- Hampton Smith
Biography by Steve
Civil War: Company A, 1st Battalion California Mountaineers
Knyphausen "Foss" Geer was the son of Israel Smith Geer, Jr.* (Jan. 1, 1798, Wells, Rutland Co., VT-1846, Fulton Co., OH) and Arlinda Holcomb (1802, OH-1847, Fulton Co., OH). His parents were married Dec. 20, 1820, at Portage, Summit Co., Ohio. "Foss" left home when he was 18, going to New York City, where he spent the 4th of July. He departed New York City July 7 aboard the "Star of the West" bound for the Isthmus of Panama. From San Juan, Colombia (now Panama), he took the steamer "Courtiss" to San Francisco, California. He headed for the gold fields in Amador County, where he remained until May 1854, before relocating to Humboldt County. He was 26 years old when he enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant at Fort Humboldt, California, April 27, 1863. He was commissioned into Company A, 1st Battalion, California Mountaineers, April 30. He was promoted to captain September 9, 1864, at which time he assumed command of Company A. Captain Geer was mustered out at Fort Humboldt, April 25, 1865. After the war he remained in Humboldt County (1866-68, 1880, 1888, 1892 Humboldt Great Registers; 1870, 1880 US Census). He married Ella Anna Sweet (Nov. 1852, Erie, NY-Aug. 11, 1912, Napa, CA) in Humboldt County July 6, 1867. They were divorced by 1876. "Foss" filed for a Civil War veteran's pension in Humboldt County January 28, 1890, and received application No. 751,609 and certificate No. 745,371. He sold his ranch to his partner Chamberlain in 1892. He was living at Mad River, Humboldt County, in 1900 (1900 US Census). He re-filed for his veteran's pension March 27, 1907. "Foss" was a resident at Blue Lake when he died at the home of his daughter Nora in Arcata.
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* Son of Israel Smith Geer, Sr. (Dec. 1, 1778, Brooklyn, Windham Co., CT) and Susannah Culver (Aug. 7, 1778, Wells, Rutland Co., VT). "Foss" siblings included: Sylvester (born April 14, 1815), Noble, Lucinda, Irora, Jesiah, Tryphena (born about 1832, OH), DeForest, Lucia, James, and Charles.
---
Children (both born at Bear River, Humboldt County):
- Nora Adeline
- Hampton Smith
Biography by Steve
Knyphausen "Foss" Geer was the son of Israel Smith Geer, Jr.* (Jan. 1, 1798, Wells, Rutland Co., VT-1846, Fulton Co., OH) and Arlinda Holcomb (1802, OH-1847, Fulton Co., OH). His parents were married Dec. 20, 1820, at Portage, Summit Co., Ohio. "Foss" left home when he was 18, going to New York City, where he spent the 4th of July. He departed New York City July 7 aboard the "Star of the West" bound for the Isthmus of Panama. From San Juan, Colombia (now Panama), he took the steamer "Courtiss" to San Francisco, California. He headed for the gold fields in Amador County, where he remained until May 1854, before relocating to Humboldt County. He was 26 years old when he enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant at Fort Humboldt, California, April 27, 1863. He was commissioned into Company A, 1st Battalion, California Mountaineers, April 30. He was promoted to captain September 9, 1864, at which time he assumed command of Company A. Captain Geer was mustered out at Fort Humboldt, April 25, 1865. After the war he remained in Humboldt County (1866-68, 1880, 1888, 1892 Humboldt Great Registers; 1870, 1880 US Census). He married Ella Anna Sweet (Nov. 1852, Erie, NY-Aug. 11, 1912, Napa, CA) in Humboldt County July 6, 1867. They were divorced by 1876. "Foss" filed for a Civil War veteran's pension in Humboldt County January 28, 1890, and received application No. 751,609 and certificate No. 745,371. He sold his ranch to his partner Chamberlain in 1892. He was living at Mad River, Humboldt County, in 1900 (1900 US Census). He re-filed for his veteran's pension March 27, 1907. "Foss" was a resident at Blue Lake when he died at the home of his daughter Nora in Arcata.
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* Son of Israel Smith Geer, Sr. (Dec. 1, 1778, Brooklyn, Windham Co., CT) and Susannah Culver (Aug. 7, 1778, Wells, Rutland Co., VT). "Foss" siblings included: Sylvester (born April 14, 1815), Noble, Lucinda, Irora, Jesiah, Tryphena (born about 1832, OH), DeForest, Lucia, James, and Charles.
---
Children (both born at Bear River, Humboldt County):
- Nora Adeline
- Hampton Smith
Biography by Steve
Inscription
"KNYPHAUSEN GEER
CALIFORNIA
CAPT CO A 1 BN MT CALIF INF
INDIAN WARS
OCT 20 1836 FEB 4 1922"
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