Biography:

John White Geary, born in Westmoreland County, was a colonel in the Mexican War, first mayor of San Francisco, Calif., territorial governor of Kansas, a major general in the Union Army at the end of the Civil War, and governor of Pennsylvania, 1867-1873.  He began his Civil War service as a colonel of the 28th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, at Harpers Ferry, and continuing with battles at Manassas and Leesburg.  As brigadier general, Geary commanded troops with the Army of Virginia at Cedar Mountain (where he was wounded), with the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, with the Army of the Cumberland at Wauhatchie, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge.  He remained with the Cumberland for the March to the Sea, his Corps, the 20th, being the first to enter Atlanta, and was appointed military governor in Savannah after its capture.  In January, 1865, he was breveted major general and participated in the Carolinas campaign.