Elizabeth 'Liz' Franklin - May 28, 2009   View | Edit | Delete | Viewers
Categories: George M. Koehler family line, Koehlers in war, Military action, Military Records    

  "According to great-grandpa George Michael Koehler's handwritten statements contained in his VA Pension Record, the Confederate guards at Andersonville Prison were confused due to the brothers names, Michael George and George Michael.   To make conditions easier for themselves and the guards, Michael George opted to go by the family nickname of 'Mike' Koehler, and George Michael changed the spelling of his last name to 'Kahler', which turned out to be a big mistake after the war.   George Michael filed for a disability pension from the forerunner of today's Veteran's Administration and was at first denied, then faced an uphill battle for 30 years in receiving acceptance and approval for a pension.   All those problems referred back repeatedly to the name change, according to documentation contained in George Michael's military pension record I received from the VA in 2000.   That record is just over 3 inches in height".

---Liz Franklin