Everett Southworth HortonBorn June 15th 1836 - Died June 3 1911
Major Everett Southworth Horton was born in Attleborough Mass. on June 15, 1836. He attended public schools until the age of sixteen, when he began working in his father's store, where he eventually became the owner. He operated the business successfully until April of 1862, when he sold it and enlisted in the Army. Horton served in many famous Civil War battles including, The Battle of the Wilderness, The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, The Battle of Cold Harbor and The Battle of Petersburg. During this time, Horton attained the rank of Major. He was commanding the 58th regiment when he was captured and taken prisoner on September 30, 1864 during the battle of Poplar Springs Church. He spent five days at Libby Prison in Richmond, Va., before he was sent to the Confederate prisons in Salisbury N.C. and Danville Va. He was sent back to Libby in January 1865, where he remained until his release in February of that year.
After the war, Major Horton returned to Attleboro where he became a partner in the Horton Angell Jewelry Co. He became Chairman of the Attleboro Board of Selectman and later served in both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate. Major Horton was one of the founders of the Attleboro Public Library and the Attleboro Trust Co. His portrait hangs in the library's reading room. He was also keenly interested in veteran affairs as a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and head of its Attleboro Post. Never forgetting the horror and cruelty of the POW camps, Maj. Horton was determined to memorialize those who suffered and perished.
In 1899, as head of an ex-POW group, he was instrumental in petitioning the Massachusetts Legislature to erect a monument on the site of the Andersonville Ga. prison, in memory of the 767 Massachusetts soldiers that died there during the war. He was included in the memorial's planning commission and attended the dedication ceremony in 1901.
Everett Southworth Horton passed away on June 3, 1911 at the age of 74.
The City of Attleboro dedicates this facility in memory and in honor of Everett Southworth Horton, Civil War Hero, Business Man and Civic Leader.
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