William's History of Frederick County
Oliver
Alexander Horner
OLIVER ALEXANDER HORNER,
deceased, was one of the most prominent citizens of
Frederick County, and was well and favorably known in
financial circles of Maryland. He was of Irish
extraction on his paternal side. He was born an a farm
near Gettysburg, Adams County, Pa., January 10, 1841. He
was the eldest son of David W. and Susan (Robertson)
Horner.
Mr. Horner was the recipient of
a public school education. In the winters of 1859 and
1860 he taught school. Taking a course in Eastman’s
Commercial College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., he was
graduated August 9, 1861, a master of accounts.
At the outbreak of the War of
the Rebellion, he enlisted as a private in
Company C,
Cole’s Maryland Cavalry, at Emmitsburg, August 27,
1861. He was made a corporal at the organization of the
company; promoted to first sergeant, June 10, 1862;
second lieutenant, January 15, 1864; first lieutenant
and adjutant, April 20, 1864; and major, February 1,
1865, the last promotion being for "efficiency,
bravery and meritorious conduct," he having the
approval of the field and line officers of the regiment.
He served continuously with his regiment until the close
of the war, except for brief periods, when he was
detailed for post, brigade, staff and court-martial
duties, along the Potomac and in the Shenandoah Valley,
Department of West Virginia.
He spent the winter of 1861
along the Potomac, picketing fords and guarding
telegraph lines from Frederick to Hancock, Md. He
entered the Shenandoah Valley in Banks campaign in
March, 1862. He participated in the fight with Stuart’s
Cavalry, at Leesburg, Va., September 2, 1862; in the
siege and bombardment of Harper’s Ferry, September
3-14, being in the advance guard with the cavalry that
cut their way through the Confederate lines the night
before the surrender; assisted in the capture of
Longstreet’s ammunition train of ninety wagons, with
the guard, near Williamsport, Md., September 15, and in
the capture of a portion of Stuart’s cavalry at
Hyattstown, Md. October 11, when the latter was
returning from his raid into the Cumberland Valley, Pa.,
around McClellan’s army; was on a reconnaissance to
Winchester, Va., December 2-6, fighting at Charlestown,
Berryville and Smithfield; fought at Hallstown, Va.,
December 20, and assisted in the capture of Captain
Baylor, who fired upon a flag of truce at Harper’s
Ferry in 1861.
The winter of 1862 was passed by
Major Horner at Harper’s Ferry, with raids frequently
through Loudoun, Jefferson and Clarke Counties, Va., and
after White’s and Mosby’s guerrillas. In 1863, he
took part in battle at Fountaindale, Pa., June 28,
Harper’s Ferry, July 4; assisting in the destruction
of the bridge across the Potomac; fight at Charlestown
and Rippon, Va., October 18, had his horse shot from
under him on a fifteen day raid up the Shenandoah
Valley.
In 1864, he was in the midnight attack from
Mosby’s guerrillas at Londoun Heights, Va., January
10; raid from Harper’s Ferry via Winchester and Romney
to Moorfield, Va., in February; fight at Mechanicaville
Gap; engagement near Middletown, Md., July 6, where he
was captured but made his escape the same day; fight at
Hagerstown, Md., July 24; at Keedysville, Md., August 5;
with Sherman’s cavalry in Shenandoah Valley from
August 9 to 13; in the fighting at Berryville,
Charlestown and Summit Point; assisted in the retrograde
movement from Strasburg to Potomac, destroying forage
and driving live stock from that region. ‘The winter
of 1864, Major Horner passed on the Upper Potomac, with
headquarters at Hedgesville, Va., guarding the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad and telegraph lines from Harper’s
Ferry to Cumberland, Md. He was mustered out of service
at Harper’s Ferry, June 28, 1865. Thus it is seen that
as a soldier, Major Horner had a most creditable record.
After the close of the war,
Major Horner returned to Emmitsburg, Md., where he
engaged in mercantile pursuits. lie was appointed
postmaster there, March 11, 1869, and resigned April 13,
1877. He was then appointed United States storekeeper of
customs at Baltimore, August 24, 1877, serving in that
capacity and as inspector of customs until July, 1882.
In October, 1882, Major Horner was one of the organizers
of the
banking house of
Annan, Horner & Company, of
which he was cashier and general manager. This
institution erected in 1888, one of the finest bank
buildings in Western Maryland, and soon became known as
one of the most prosperous and reliable in that section
of the State.
Much of its success can be traced to the
financial ability and foresight of Major Horner. He was
elected commissioner of the corporation of Emmitsburg in
1882 and 1883, and was a director and treasurer of the
Emmitsburg Water Company. He was a man of sterling
integrity, and one of the keenest business men of
Frederick County. He was one of the active and earnest
Republicans of the county. He served as commander of
Arthur Post, No. 41, G. A. H., Department of Maryland.
Major Horner was twice married,
first at Emmitsburg, to Ann Margaret Grier, daughter of
the late Rev. Robert Grier, by whom he had three
children. She died August 14, 1872, and the children at
an early age. Major Horner was married secondly October
22, 1878, to Anna E. Annan, daughter of Andrew Annan, of
Emmitsburg. She bore four children: Andrew
Annan, Robert
Lewis, Elizabeth Mutter, and Oliver Alexander.
Major Horner died in 1897.
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