George Washington Getty was born in Washington, D.C. on October 2, 1819. He graduated from the U.S Military Academy in West Point in 1840 and served in Michigan at Fort Monroe, Virginia. He was a captain of artillery in the Mexican War (1847-48), and in the Seminole Wars in Florida (1849-50). He married Elizabeth Graham Stevenson from Staunton, Virginia in 1848.
At the beginning of the Civil War George Getty was captain of the 4th Artillery, U.S. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in September, 1861, he commanded four batteries during the Peninsular and Seven Days campaigns. At Antietam he served as chief of artillery of the IX Corps. He was then promoted to brigadier general and assumed command of the 3rd Division of the IX Corps, leading it in the Battle of Fredericksburg, and in the defense of Suffolk, Virginia.
In the spring of 1864 he assumed command of the 2nd Division of the VI Corps and was severely wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5. Because of his wound he was unable to accompany his troops in the defense of Washington, D.C. in July, 1864, but recovered to later lead the Division at Petersburg and Cedar Creek. He was breveted a major general of volunteers in August, 1864. After the war he was a colonel in the regular army and commanded the army artillery school at Fort Monroe, Virginia.
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Getty purchased the "Bachelor Farm" in Wheaton, including the present General Getty Park, in 1882 as a place to spend his retirement years. He died October 1, 1901, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. George and Elizabeth Getty had seven children and many descendants still reside in the area.
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