Civil War Veterans in Australia

The story of George Washington Hoyt begins with his grandfather, whose entire family began in the State of Connecticut.

In 1803, Jonathan Hoyt, George’s grandfather, had bought 213 acres of land and improvements from a man named Simpson for $1,050, getting with the it a potash-kettle. As soon as practicable, Jonathan acquired the fee-simple, which cost him about an additional $1000. He was then a married man, with two or three children and lived in Norwalk, Connecticut. In April 1804, he started with his wife and children for his new home. He brought with him a span of horses, a yoke of oxen, and an immense butterfly cart. In the flaring box of the cart were bestowed his household goods, and an assortment of other articles which were deemed necessary, including sundry small canvass-bags which were filled with silver coin, and placed inside the family chest. On the top of all, when on the road, were perched the wife and children, who climbed to their elevated position by ladder, which was an indispensable piece of equipment for the vehicle, as without it, no one could surmount its funnel-shaped sides.

The family, with their belongings, proceeded to the settlement of Old Well, where they got aboard, or were put on board, a sloop and proceeded to New York city and the Hudson River. In due time they reached Newburgh, New York where they disembarked, and where the more serious dangers and sufferings of their journey began. The horse and oxen were attached to the cart, and they started westward on the Newburgh and Cochecton road. The turnpike, so far as it was completed at that time, had only been made and the road bed was composed of surface soil. The frost was gone but partially from the track, which was but little better than a mass of mud, and a succession of bottomless slough-holes. Often one wheel of the cart would stand firm on the partially thawed track, while the other would sink nearly to its axle, causing the elevated wings of the vehicle to lurch with the energy of a catapult. So forcible was this sidewise movement that their chest was broken to pieces, and the silver money it contained scattered out over the bottom of the cart-box. Fortunately, it had been made of tough
material and by a good workman, so there were no crevices through which the coins could drop into the mire of the road. The money was all still in the bottom of the cart-box when they reached the Neversink.

In two weeks Mr. Hoyt had a new house so far completed that he could move his family in it. Mr. Hoyt continued to occupy that place until his death, and it is still in the possession of one of his descendants. .His children were seven in number; Elnathan, Squires M., Jonathan, Sarah, Leander, Sally, and Walter. George's father, Jonathan, was one of the small
children that made the journey from Connecticut. That was how George Washington Hoyt, whose ancestors were from Connecticut, came to be born in the State of New York.

George Washington Hoyt was born on November 10, 1836 in Bridgeville, New York to parents Jonathan and Maria Rundel Hoyt.

In 1850 George at age 13 was living in the Town of Thompson, Sullivan County, New York with his parents Jonathan who was 52 and Maria who was 44 years of age. Children listed were Alfred at age 24, Henry R. at age 22 and John at age 16. All but their father were born in New York; Jonathan was born in Connecticut and they were earning a living as farmers.

In the 1860 census, George was still living in the Town of Thompson, Sullivan County with his parents, Jonathan who was then 61 and Maria now being 54. The siblings were listed as Alfred age 30 and George at age 23 and they were still listed as farmers.

George enlisted as a private in Company H, 28^th. New York Infantry for a period of two years on April 30, 1861. He served as a military male nurse in a hospital at Hancock, Maryland from January 11 to February 25, 1862; and was then listed as a Quatermasters Department clerk on April 1, 1862. He was formerly discharged on April 26, 1862 by order of the President at Harrisburg, Virginia; the reason given was “by way of favor”. During his period of service his regiment served near Martinsburg, Virginia in July 1861, participated in an expedition to “Point of Rocks”, Maryland on August 5, 1861 and served guard and outpost duty along the Upper Potomac until February 1862.

It appears George somehow may have developed a business enterprise in Japan, because according to notes from his father’s bible, George W. who was born on November 10, 1836, once lived in Yokohoma, Japan and owned a ship called the “City of Yeddo”. That may have been one of his reasons for leaving the service.

In any case, some six years after the war was over George Hoyt and his wife Sarepta Ann Clark were married by an uncle, Rev. J.C. Hoyt, at Bridgeville, Sullivan County, New York on May 22, 1872 and returned to the life of farming in Sullivan County, New York.

They had six children, Lillian who was born in 1874 at New York, married in 1891 to Peter Edward SCOTT and had three children (two survived) after which she died in 1918; ) Grace Mary who was born in 1875 and died in 1895; Alfred Grant born in 1877 in the U.S., married to Ilma Ada Chrystal in 1902 and had three children; Leslie Clark born in 1879 in the U.S., married in 1905 to Eliza Ottrey Perry and who died 1913; Ralph Rundle born in 1882 in the U.S. married to Catherine Mary Hunter in 1903 and had five children and died 1963 and Cora Hannah born in 1886 in the U.S. and returned there with her mother after 1895, where she married a Mr. Fryer.

In the 1880 Census, George, now 44 years of age was still living in the Town of Thompson, Sullivan County, New York, having been married to Sereptia, now at age 25. They were still farming and he had his children listed; Lillian age 5, Grace age 4, Alfred age 3 and Leslie a boy at age 2 months. Also living with them was George's mother, Maria, who was now 75 years of age and a son-in-law, Isaac Crawford, who was 1 year of age. According to the census all were born in New York.

The 1860 Census reveals that Serrepia Clark was then living in Monticello, New York at age 5, her father Jehial was 43 years of age and mother Hannah M. was 38 years of age. Siblings were Daniel S. at age 18, Deborah M. at age 16, Asahel at age 14 and Corrah E.( at age 8/12. All born in New York and still farming.

George and Serepta were recorded in the “Rockhill History and Directory Bicentennial” under the section “Heads of Households” as living in the First Election District of the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York on June 1, 1875. Nothing could be found relating to them in New York after 1880.

It appears George Hoyt was influenced by his brothers, Henry Kirk Whit Hoyt, who was born on July 25, 1826, and Charles James Hoyt, born on May 7, 1831, who were operating a successful business in Victoria, Australia; to emigrate to Australia. So, in 1886 George and his family arrived in Australia and made their home in Bairnsdale, Victoria; a large provincial town on the Mitchell River in Gippsland, east of Melbourne.

Unfortunately, George Washington Hoyt contracted typhoid fever and died at Alexlea Station, Lindenow, on June 2, 1887 at age 51; and was buried in the Bairnsdale Cemetery in Victoria. Lillian Scott, daughter of George Hoyt who died at Sale on May 2, 1918 at 43 years of age, is buried in the same plot as George. His obituary was carried in the “Bairnsdale Advertiser” news on Saturday, June 4, 1887. The town of Lindenow, Australia even has a street named after the Hoyt family. George was survived by wife, Serepta and six children. She received from the U.S. Pension Board a sum of $10 a month after his death, which it is said she used to return to her home in Sullivan County, New York. Sarepta Ann Hoyt then remarried, to a Mr. Bill.

Lillian Scott, daughter of George Hoyt who died at Sale, Victoria on May 2, 1918 at 43 years of age last lived at Lindenow at what is thought to have been the same residence as George, and is also buried in the same plot. The town of Lindenow, Australia also named a street after the Hoyt family. There are descendants of Lillian and Peter Scott in Victoria, and probably of Ralph and Catherine Hoyt. Alfred Grant Hoyt may have gone to Western Australia and his family may be in that state, although his wife died in Victoria in 1957.