GEORGE MORRIS PIPER came to Illinois in 1872 and settled in Chillicothe in 1873. VICTORIA, his wife, had Jacksonian Epilepsy. When her parents died she went to live with Cassimir and Sarah Caudron until her marriage.

PIPER GEO. M. beekeeper, ms. Chillicothe, was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, February 12, 1842. His parents were Geo. H. Piper and Elizabeth A. Thompson, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Indiana, and he is the second of their seven children. His parents come to Peoria in 1849, and his father went to California. Two years later removed to a farm in Medina township, and several years afterwards to a farm one mile north of Chillicothe, where he grew up to manhood. On September 19, 1861, he enlisted in Co. A, 17th I.V.I., and fought in the battles of Fredericktown, Missouri, in October of that year, Fort Donaldson and Shiloh. Was discharged from hospital at Keokuk, Iowa, owing to disability; December 18, 1862, and for a year attended school in Omaha; kept books for about nine years, one year for General Sheridan; was in the milling business for two years in Omaha, and was burned out with total loss in 1872. Settled in Chillicothe in 1873; kept books for two years for U.S. Express Co, which position he resigned in August, 1877, and has since been engaged in bee culture. He married June 20, 1865, in Keokuk, Iowa, Victoria Louise Griffin, who was born in Indiana, November 15, 1847, and was brought up in Illinois, by whom he has two children - Adrienne May, aged eight years, and Casimir Lee, aged four. He owns his residence and two lots in town.
History of Peoria County, Illinois, Published 1880, pages 781 and 782

George Morris Piper was in the war between the states. On one occasion he was on guard duty and while leaning against a tree he dropped a gold nugget his father had given him on the ground (his father had gotten this only piece of gold when he went west with the gold rush to California). George, believing this to be his good luck charm looked for it and didn't find it. They were called to arms for a battle, which they lost. Afterwards, he went back to the tree and found his nugget. Later he had it made into a stick pin.
He was discharged from the service in the south, and had to walk home. Coming through Oklahoma he saw oil floating on the creeks. Upon arriving home he wrote the Secretary of the Interior to find out what the mineral rights in the Indian Nation could be purchased for. The reply was $3,000. George could not borrow the money.
Upon his discharge he became chief clerk for General Phil Sheridan (due to his wonderful handwriting). He went west with the General. In Cheyenne, Wyoming, he married Victoria, whom he had met in a hospital in Hamilton, Illinois. She came across the country alone in the new train. They had a big military wedding with the crossed swords. Both were in the area when the golden spike was struck.
They returned later to Illinois where he became a teacher of penmanship.
From a conversation with Raymond Walton Power, 6 March 1977

COPY OF LETTER FROM GEORGE PIPER WRITTEN JUST AFTER BATTLE AT FORT PITTSBURG, TENN.

Fort Pittsburg, Tenn. April 13th, 1862
Dear Parents:
It is with pleasure that I take the present opportunity of addressing you a few lines to let you know that we, John and I, are both alive and kicking. You have undoubtedly heard all the particulars of the late battle, They attacked us on last Sunday morning about sunrise and harder fighting never was done than was done almost every hour in that day.
The firing never ceased during the whole day from sunrise until dark. Sometimes there were as many as fifteen thousand men all fighting at once. It has been a terrible battle and I fear it is not over yet, for it is reported that the enemy have only fallen back about ten miles and enlisting men for ten days to give us another trial . Out reg't. was In the fight both days, all day. There was not more than three hundred men of us able to go into the ranks on Sunday morning and about 126 of them were killed or wounded. There were seven wounded and two killed out of our company. One of them had his whole head blown off by a bomb shell . I tell you it was a hard sight to look over the battlefield after the fight. As you have no doubt heard, they forced our boys back all day Sunday, captured all our sulters stores, our commissary stores, our tents, and almost all our cannons. In short, they had us badly whipped on Sunday, but the tables turned on them Monday and our boys drove them at every charge.
There were two Kentucky Reg'ts. met on Monday and it is said there never was harder fighting done than they done. They were both good Reg'ts. It is said they stood face to face for about half an hour and poured the shot into each other. Then the Union reg't. charged bayonet on the Rebel Reg't. and routed them. The Secesh slept in our tents on last Sunday night. Our tents still show the effects of the battle. There is about one hundred bullet holes in our tent besides two or three cannon holes. When we got back to our tents we found them full of dead and wounded. Secesh and Union all mingled together. I cannot make any estimates of the killed and wounded. I only know there were thousands killed and tens of thousands wounded . It is reported that Generals Bragg and Johnson were killed. I don't know whether they were or not. I know that I seen one officer lying on the field dead who was dressed like a general . But I do not know who he was. Some said it was Bragg, but they had no proof of it. I must bring this to a close as I have to go on duty. So no more at present. Goodbye. I remain,
Your affectionate son,
Geo Piper
April ]4th
All right. John and I have been on fatigue duty all day Sunday burying dead horses killed in the battle. It is said there were over a thousand horses killed. We are both well .
Geo Piper

NOTE: John Piper, George Piper's elder brother, was killed by guerillas while on picket duty in 1862 or 3. Body not found and must have been taken out of hearing and hung or covered. George was on duty same time, when John disappeared. Grandparents tried to find him.

CHILLICOTHE LOSES PIONEER RESIDENT - George M. Piper died at Proctor Hospital - Built First House in Cheyenne
George M. Piper, for more than two generations a resident of Chillicothe, Ill., died Monday night at 7:30 o'clock at Proctor hospital, death being caused by general decline due to old age.
Mr. Piper was born 79 years ago in Jefferson City, Mo. He moved to Chillicothe with the family when he was a boy and with the exception of a few years, had made his home there continuously.
When the Missouri Pacific railroad extended it lines to the west, Mr. Piper was connected with its engineering department. He and several other engineers built the first dwelling place on the present site of Cheyenne, Wyoming. They built a log cabin, felling trees and cutting the timbers themselves.
Mr. Piper was a veteran of the Civil war, having served with credit in the Seventeenth Illinois Volunteers.
He was married in 1865 to Miss Victoria Griffin, who survives him. He also leaves four children: Mrs. Mabel Sipes, Houston, Tex.; Harold Piper, Chillicothe; Mrs. Ada Powers, Peoria; George C. Piper, of California. There are also eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Mrs. C. H. Thomas of Peoria is his sister.
For many years Mr. Piper had given his time to bee culture and a news and magazine agency. For the past 20 years and more he had been the Evening Star's circulation manager for Chillicothe and vicinity and his loyal faithful and scrupuiously honest dealings with the paper and its patrons were a great factor in the upbuilding of its circulation in the community.
Mr. Piper was one of the most conscientious of men and his rugged traits of honesty and fair mindedness won him the love and esteem of legions of stauch personal friends.
The funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 11 o'clock at the Weber undertaking rooms, Chillicothe, and burial will take place in that city.
11-1-1920, THE PEORIA STAR, pg 22

Sources: From the papers of Adrienne May Piper Power; 1900 census; Piper bible - property of Raymond Power; Harold Power Papers; Chillicothe Twp. Cemeteries; History of Peoria Co., IL, Johnson & Company; Jim Piper (katrina.piper@worldnet.att.net)117