Dr. George Towar

George Towar Jr. was born in Lyons, Wayne County, New York on December 14, 1835. He was the son of George W. and Hannah Towar. During his childhood, the family moved to Oxford County, Ontario where George began his schooling. He attended Oberlin College in Ohio from 1851-1855. He also attended Antioch College for a brief period during 1855. In 1856, George enrolled in the medical department of Harvard University from which he graduated in March, 1858. After his graduation, Dr. Towar practiced medicine in Longwood, Canada.

For a while George Towar experienced a period of wanderlust. He closed his practice and went to the Pike's Peak gold fields in 1859. He later practiced medicine in Mountain City Colorado, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Denver, Colorado all within a period of three years. Sometime in 1861 or 1862 George moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he again began to practice medicine.

The resignation of Dr. Charles Smith left a vacancy on the Medical Staff of the 24th Michigan. Ever mindful of his men's welfare, Colonel Morrow petitioned the Governor to have the position filled.

Dr. Edward Towar, a surgeon practicing in Detroit, was appointed as Assistant Surgeon on April 5, 1863 to rank from March 1, 1863. He joined the Regiment at its winter quarters at Belle Plain.

After the heavy fighting at Gettysburg Dr. Beech and Dr. Collar remained behind to care for the wounded. Dr Towar remained with the Regiment to see to the paltry few who were still in the ranks. Many of the men still with the regiment were suffering minor wounds, and a number were ill. At the time many of the officers believe there would be another battle once the Union Army caught up with Lee's retreating army. If so, the 24th would definitely need a surgeon. As it turned out, however, The next great battle was 10 months away.

After Dr. Beech returned to the Regiment in late August 1863, Dr Towar was assigned to duty with the New York Sharpshooters attached to the Iron Brigade, who at the time did not have their own medical officer. He remained with the Sharpshooters until November 1, 1863.

After the fighting in the Wilderness in 1864, it was Dr. Towar's turn to remain with the wounded. He was with the wounded from May 5 to May 29, 1864. He afterward returned to duty with the Regiment.

He mustered out with the Regiment on June 30, 1865. After mustering out, returned to his practice in Detroit. He is included in a list of physicians compiled in 1867. George Towar eventually felt the urge to move west again and relocated his practice to Jefferson City, Montana. He remained there for only a year. Perhaps there just weren't enough people in the area to support him. In any event, he joined the regular army in 1869 in the capacity of acting assistant surgeon. He served at various army posts during the Indian Campaigns, and then later in the Rocky Mountains. He remained in the regular army until 1882.

In August of 1882, George Towar returned to Michigan where he established the Michigan Creamery. His father, uncles and brothers already had related enterprises in the area. George Towar operated Michigan Creamery until 1885, when he entered the employ of Towar Brothers, involved in the dairy business. George Towar Sr. was the senior partner in Towar Brothers. The fate of Michigan Creamery is uncertain. Perhaps it was incorporated into the Towar Brothers operation.

In 1889 Towar Brothers was reorganized and began operating as Wayne County Creamery, and George Towar became its vice president. In 1896 George Towar Sr. retired from the company and George Jr. became the president. In 1898 George Towar Jr. was listed as the secretary and Treasurer of the M. J. Flinn Ice Cream Company.

Despite not having practiced medicine in a number of years, he was referred to as "Dr. Towar." He survived until at least 1904 when he is listed in the Roster of the Survivors of the Iron Brigade. At that time he was living at 71 Grand River Avenue, Detroit. George Towar does not appear on the 1923 Roster, so presumably he passed on during the intervening years.

George Towar reportedly enjoyed farming, and maintained "Towar Farm" near Ann Arbor. The Book of Detroiters lists his recreations as "farming and breeding of cattle."

Some of the information used in this biography comes from the Medical History of Michigan. Additional Information is from the Book of Detroiters.