EDGAR D. WILLIS -- 2nd CAVALRYKEPT TRAVELING WESTWARD - When the 1860 Census was taken, Edgar D. Willis was living in the Town of Schroon with his father, Porter Willis, who was a blacksmith, and his mother, Adaline Burtch. The age given to the census taker was for Edgar was 16, however, when he enlisted in the 2nd Cavalry on four years later, his age was recorded as 27 and his name was recorded as Wiles.During August and September of 1864, the regiment recruited over 100 men in the Plattsburgh area to replace men who had been casualties on the battlefield or who had been discharged or deserted. They were also anticipating the departure of 3-year men who wanted to go home. The new men joined their regiment while they were in the Shenandoah Valley with General Sheridan. They fought through October, November and December before going into winter quarters.In March 1865, the 2nd Cavalry was transferred to the Army of the Potomac and fought under Grant and Sheridan from the Petersburg area to Appomattox Court House receiving 53 casualties along the way. They were present at the Fall of Petersburg on April 2nd and a week later, the were in Appomattox almost 100 miles to the west.Two months later, the regiment mustered out a Alexandria, VA, after receiving the honor of marching in the Grand Review of the Armies.Edgar returned to Schroon and, within a couple of years, started his travels westward. In 1868, he married Susan Alice Hoxie, who was born in West Virginia, in Polk County in central Iowa. In 1880 The couple was living in Mitchellville next door to Susan's parents who were managers of the Hoxie House Hotel and Edgar was working as a clerk. By 1884, they were living in Harrington, Washington Territory, by way of Arizona, and Edgar was the appointed postmaster.Edgar lived until 1895 and was buried in the Greenwood Memorial Terrace Cemetery in Spokane where the couple was living. After his death, Susan went to live in Texas with her brother, Mortimer, who was a successful hotelier and entrepreneur like his father. She died in 1923 and was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery with her brother who died in 1921.
