David W. Poak

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Husband David W. Poak ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died:  - Mt. Jackson, Lawrence Co, PA
         Buried: 

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         Father: John Poak (      -      ) 1 2
         Mother: Sarah Duff (      -      ) 1 2

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Wife

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           Born: 
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Children

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General Notes: Husband - David W. Poak

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He distinguished himself in the Civil War. He joined the Thirtieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, of which he was lieutenant and later adjutant. His regiment accompanied General Sherman's force on the march to the sea, and at Atlanta, when its colonel was captured, Lieutenant Poak was put in command although he was not yet twenty-one years of age. In a special order issued by the War Department, he was awarded a silver medal for gallant conduct on July 22, 1864.
A copy from General Orders 13:
"First Lieutenant David W. Poak, Company A, 30th Ills. Vet. Vol. Inf. A silver medal of Honor for gallant conduct on the 22nd of July, 1864.
"When his regiment was forced from its position, he was conspicuous in rallying the men, advancing to the front, encouraging his men, firing muskets rapidly at the enemy, and by his service and gallant example materially assisting in bringing his regiment again into action. Each medal awarded by this order will bear the inscription 'Atlanta, July 22nd,' and will be presented to the officers and men in front of their command by their Division Commander.
By command of
Major General F. P. Blair,
Rowland Cox, A. A. General."
Lieut. Poak returned from the army and located first in Missouri and later in Texas, where he engaged for a time in a banking business, but he subsequently came back to his old home and died at Mt. Jackson.

1 Aaron L. Hazen, 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1908), Pg 923.

2 —, Book of Biographies, Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899), Pg 27.