lawyer, soldier, b. Cooperstown, N.Y. He graduated from Union College, Schenectady, N.Y., and in 1849 moved to Wisconsin, settling in Milwaukee, where he studied law and set up a practice about 1851. In 1855 he helped organize the Milwaukee Light Guard, and from 1857 to. 1861 served as its captain. During the Civil War, Starkweather served as colonel, 1st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry (1861-1863), and in 1863 was commissioned brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers. He campaigned with the Army of the Cumberland in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia (1861-1863). Wounded at the battle of Chickamauga, Starkweather was ordered to duty on general court martial in Washington, D.C., serving in this capacity from Jan. to May, 1864, and from 1864 until mustered out of the service in May, 1865, was post commander at various points in Tennessee and Alabama. In Nov., 1862, while on leave in Milwaukee, Starkweather was ordered by Governor Edward Salomon (q.v.) to take charge of local troops and guard the city during the drawing of numbers for the draft. After leaving the army in 1865, Starkweather resided in Oconomowoc, where, for a number of years, he engaged in stock farming and served by appointment from President U. S. Grant as postmaster. About 1876 he moved to Washington, D.C., where he conducted a general law and pension claims office until his death. Natl. Cyclopaedia Amer. Biog., 12 (1904); E. B. Quiner, Military Hist. of Wis. (Chicago, 1866); Milwaukee Sentinel, Nov. 16, 1890; WPA field notes.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the John C. Starkweather Miscellaneous Civil War Letters for details.

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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]