Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums

Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Sr.

HAYES-37

Introduction
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content
Inventory

Introduction
The Stiarwalt Collection was donated to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in 2015.

Biographical Sketch
Andrew Stiarwalt, Sr. was born in Columbus, Ohio January 9, 1816, the son of Frederic and Rachel (Ford) Stiarwalt. Frederic was of German descent and had come to Columbus with his father John between the years 1806 and 1812. The original German spelling of the name was Stegherwaldt. Rachel, born 1798, was the daughter of Frederick and Margaret Ford of Maryland. She was the granddaughter of Benjamin Ford of England. She died in 1863. Frederic Stiarwalt died in 1823 and his son Andrew made his home for some years with a family by the name of Putnam.

A tanner by trade, Andrew left Columbus in 1838 and settled in Bellefontaine, Ohio where he continued as a tanner, but eventually became a baggage master on the Indianapolis division of the Big 4 Railroad.  He married Martha McFadon on May 30, 1839 at Bellefontaine. She was born in “Old Carlisle,” Pennsylvania April 15, 1816. Andrew Stiarwalt, Sr. was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Eugene Reynolds Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. According to his daughter, Amanda Stiarwalt McColloch, Andrew was a “gifted sculptor, writer of verse, and a good singer.” Lacking an education, he continued as a baggage master, night watchman, and superintendent of the crossing of the Big 4 in Columbus until 1889. During the Civil War, he enlisted as a fife major in Company F of the 23^rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving throughout the conflict. He and Martha were the parents of eight children, of which five grew to adulthood: John, died in infancy; Andrew, Jr.; William; James, died in infancy; Annie, died at age three; Lida; Amanda McColloch; and Ada. Andrew Stiarwalt, Sr. died July 17, 1893. Martha McFadon Stiarwalt died in Bellefontaine September 23, 1901. 

Scope and Content
The collection dates from the time of the Civil War until 1912. The bulk of the collection is devoted to the Civil War service of Andrew Stiarwalt, Sr. who served in the 23^rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry and his son, Andrew Stiarwalt, Jr., who served with the Squirrel Hunters defending Cincinnati, Ohio and in the 194^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a musician. Original documents and a narrative written by daughter Amanda Stiarwalt McColloch about the history of the Stiarwalt and the McFadon families are also a  part of this collection. Perhaps most interesting are two hand drawn (presumably by Andrew Stiarwalt, Sr.) maps outlining the battles of Carnifex Ferry and Cloyd’s Mountain and eleven cartes de visite mostly of men who served in the 23^rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry with Stiarwalt.

A transcription (created at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center) of the handwritten original diary of Andrew Stiarwalt, Sr. has been added to this collection. The original is part of the Russell Hastings Collection (Hayes-25).

Inventory
Ac. 5920
¼ linear ft.

1. Civil War service of Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Sr.

• Hand drawn battle map of Carnifex Ferry
• Hand drawn battle map of Cloyd’s Mountain
• Cartes de Visite  of E. N. Day; Bird H. Mead; Captain Canby; George W. Penn; General Lyons; Captain William S. Rice; Major General Rosecrans; Dennis Potter; A. B. Carmichael; Captain W. P. Avery; Hugh Mullen
• Civil War pension material of Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Sr.
• Handwritten statement presumably by Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Sr., addressed to Dr. James Barrett regarding health during the Civil War

2. Stiarwalt and McFadon Family Material

• Birth, Marriages, Deaths, and Family History Events of Stiarwalt family
• Reminiscences of Amanda Stiarwalt McColloch regarding her father, Andrew J.
  Stiarwalt, Sr.
• Handwritten account by Amanda Stiarwalt McColloch of ancestry of Andrew Stiarwalt, Sr., son of Frederic Stiarwalt, who served in the War of 1812
• Handwritten account by Amanda Stiarwalt McColloch of ancestry of her mother Martha McFadon Stiarwalt

3. Eugene Reynolds GAR Post No. 441of  Bellfontaine, Ohio

• 35th Encampment Program, of Eugene Reynolds Post No. 441, dtd. May 1901, Bellefontaine, Ohio
• Resolutions of respect of Eugene Reynolds Post No. 441 of death of Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Sr.
• “Roster of Dead” Eugene Reynolds Post No. 441, dtd, December 17, 1894, listing death of Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Sr.
• Grand Army of the Republic Calling Cards
• Grand Army of the Republic Medal

4. Andrew J. Stairwalt, Jr.

• Recommendation, dtd. August 31, 1912 for position of clerkship in War Department
• Squirrel Hunter certificate for Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Jr.
• Squirrel Hunter resolution state of Ohio for Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Jr.
• Pension claim, n.d., Washington, D.C. for Civil War service of Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Jr.in the 194th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
• Discharge certificate for Civil War service of Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Jr. as 1st principal musician in the 194th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, dtd. October 21, 1865
• Civil War enlistment certificate of Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Jr., dtd., June 27, 1863 for 5 years’ service in the 38th Regiment Battalion, Ohio National Guard
• Application Andrew J. Stiarwalt, Jr. for restoration to position of printer in the Government Printing Office