George Sherman Batcheller

George Sherman Batcheller (July 25, 1837 – July 2, 1908) was an American soldier, politician, diplomat, and jurist.

Batcheller was born in Batchellerville, a small community in the town of Edinburg, New York named for his grandfather. His father was a nephew of Roger Sherman, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Batcheller graduated from Harvard Law School in 1857 and was admitted to the New York bar in 1858. He entered politics as a Republican, and was a member of the New York State Assembly (Saratoga Co., 2nd D.) in 1859. At the time he was the youngest member of the Legislature.

On October 8, 1861, Batcheller married Catherine Phillips Cook, the daughter of James M. Cook of Ballston Spa, New York. The couple had three children: Anna Cady Batcheller (b.1862) and James M. Cook Batcheller (b.1865) both died in infancy. A daughter, Katharine Batcheller, was born on May 19, 1870 and died in Saratoga Springs on January 4, 1943.

In 1873, Batcheller constructed a mansion at 20 Circular Street in Saratoga Springs, New York. Designed by the architectural firm of Nichols and Halcott the mansion was a Victorian masterpiece combining French Renaissance Revival, Italianate and Egyptian architectural influences and cost $100,000 to build. Batcheller named the mansion Kaser-el-Nouzha, Arabic for palace of pleasure. The mansion's tower is suggestive of a minaret.

At the outbreak of the Civil War "Batcheller raised a company of volunteers for the 115th New York Infantry Regiment, and was mustered in as lieutenant colonel of that regiment in August 1862." He participated in the operations in the Shenandoah Valley in September and October 1862, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Harpers Ferry in October. He was paroled and reportedly served with the 115th throughout the war, eventually receiving a promotion to brigadier-general. He "served in the 10th Army Corps as Deputy Provost Marshal General, Department of the South and participated in campaigns in Virginia and at Hilton Head and Charleston." He was one of the officers chosen to accompany the body of President Lincoln from Washington to Illinois.

...
Wikipedia