FRUITS, George

George Fruits, aged 114 years, died at Crawfordsville, Indiana, August 6. He served in the latter part of the revolution, and subsequently became a famous scout under General St. Clair, Harmar and Wayne, and was wounded at the battle oft he Maumer, carrying the ball in his leg. He also served in 1812 under Harrison. He preserved most of his senses but little impaired, and within the last two years new teeth and new hair began to grow. [New Orleans Republican.(New Orleans, La), September 10, 1876, Page 4]

George Fruits died near Crawfordsville, Ind. on the 6th ult, in his 114th year, if, as claimed, he was born on the 2d of January, 1763. The evidence of his longevity, though generally satisfactory, would hardly satisfy Mr. Thoms, of skeptic notoriety. He was born near Baltimore, of Pennsylvania German parents, did some service near the close of the Revolution, though not regularly enlisted, went to Virginia in 1787, and was afterwards with Daniel Boone in Kentucky. He served in the Indian war between 1791 and 1796, and in the war of 1812. He was married at Hamilton, O., in 1806, and had lived in Montgomery Co., Ind., since 1821. His wife survives him at the age of 89. Thirteen children were born to them, of whom eleven survive. -- Gazette. [Perrysburg Journal., September 01, 1876, (Perrysburg, Wood Co., Ohio) – thanks to genealogytrails.com – others I had collected on my own in local newspapers but didn’t have one above

Source: Crawfordsville Star, Jan 18, 1876

"Alamo News" - George Fruits, Sen., better known as "grand-pap" Fruits, has been very ill for some time. Last Wednesday he had his will written by Uncle Santy Gray. He claims to have been 113 years old on the 2d of January, instant, and now thinks his time here on earth is very short. Of him it will ever be said that he has been the poor man's friend all through life

The New York Times Aug 10, 1876 -- -- George Fruits, aged 114 years died at his home, near Crawfordsville, Indiana on the 6th inst. Of his early life, the deceased had but a faint recollection. His parents moved from Baltimore and settled near Philadelphia a short time previous to the Revolutionary War. He first learned the German language and could not speak a word of English until he was over 12 years of age. He did some service under Capt. Kirkwood in the latter part of the Revolutionary War, but was not regularly enlisted. About the year 1787, he, with others, went to the eastern part of Ohio, and there assisted in building block houses for the protection of the frontiers. The same year he enlisted in Gen. Harmar's army in the war with the Miami Indians. In Harmar's army he w as in many skirmishes, but he was not in any regular battle. When Gen St Clair succeeded Gen Harmar in 1791, Mr. Fruits and others were detailed to build forts in different places in Ohio. While in St. Clair's army on detail, a part of the time he acted as a scout or Indian spy. He was not in the battle when St. Clair was defeated on the Miami River. After St. Clair's defeat he was driven to Ft. Washington which he had previously helped build where now is situated the City of Cincinnati. He remained in Ohio and lived a scouting frontier life until the Fall of 1792, when he returned to Pennsylvania and voted for George Washington the second time for President. He was then about 30 years of age. In the year 1794 he was in Gen. Wayne's army and was in the battle of Maumee, where the Indians were defeated and driven from their possessions. In that battle he received a wound from an Indian rifle. The bullet remained in one of his legs to the day of his death. He lived a rambling, unsettled life until about 1800, when he settled near Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio where he married Catharine Stonebraker Oct 4, 1806. They lived together in Butler County on a farm until he enlisted in the war of 1812. He was in Gen. Harrison's army and was in the battle of Fort Meigs, when Harrison and Clay whipped the British and Indians under Gen. Proctor. He was in the battle of the Thames; was an Indian spy in advance of Harrison 's army. After the war was over, he returned to this family and liv ed in Ohio until the Spring of 1819, when he moved to Indiana and settled where is now situated Knightstown in the eastern part of the state but shortly afterward he moved to Montgomery County and settled on a quarter section of land. When Mr. Fruits was in his prime he was tall six feet three inches in height and weighed 230 pounds. He was straight, athletic, and possessed almost superhuman strength. He lived a temperate life; his food had ever been plain and wholesome; he was never sick in his life. His eyesight was good, but he heard with great difficulty. From his forehead to a considerable distance back he had been bald for over 40 years but within the last two years that space had been covered with a fine growth of new hair. A new set of teeth were also making their appearance through the gums like those of a child after its shed its first teeth. His education was very limited. Although he has been married over 70 years, his wife still survives him. She was 89 years old the 6th day of last May. They have had 13 children born to them 9 boys and 4 girls, 11 of whom are still living.

George Fruits (January 2, 1762 - August 6, 1876) was allegedly the last known surviving soldier of the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland; his parents were George and Margaret Fruits, young immigrants from Germany. His father was known as "Flag Bearer George" during the Revolutionary War, and purportedly fought in numerous important battle s. Some of the exploits attributed to George Fruits may have been perform ed by his father.

In 1865 the U.S. government paid out the last claim for the American Revolutionary War. Fruits, however, did not apply for a war pension.

He died at the attributed age of 114 years, 7 months, and 4 days. He is buried in Bunker Hill Cemetery, two miles east of Alamo, Indiana. Commenci ng with the 1979 edition, the Guinness Book of World Records said "new research released by A. Ross Eckler in 1978 has shown him to be 17 years younger than the age shown on his gravestone."

George Fruits joined the militia belonging to Captain George Miars (of Washington County, Pennsylvania) as a private on November 2, 1781, aged 19.

Fruits's war record indicates he received pay in 1781 and 1783 while in t he Revolution. He states that he was not involved in any battles because t he war was almost over when he joined and that his service involved "ju st mopping up operations" in 1781-83.

In 1787, George Fruits joined a company under Captain Kennedy to fight the Indians in Kentucky and along the Ohio River. While in Kentucky, he became acquainted with Daniel Boone. During this service, Fruits was cut o ff from his company. To avoid capture, he purportedly swam across the Oh io River and swam to the other side with his boots on, not losing his knap sack or rifle.

George Fruits enlisted in the War of 1812 and was in the Battle of the Thames where the Indian chief Tecumseh was killed. In this battle, George Fruits was wounded by an Indian musket and carried to his grave the one ounce lead ball lodged in his hip.

There is some controversy over the identity of the last surviving veteran of the Revolutionary War. It is possible that George Fruits is the s on of a Revolutionary War veteran named George Fruit [1], and that the la st surviving veteran is Daniel F. Bakeman.

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