My Genealogy Hound

JOHN LOSEN TRENT, painter, post office Hulton, was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., July 25, 1839, a son of Valentine and Sarah (McGarrihill) Trent. Valentine was a native of Pittsburgh, but died in Sharpsburg in 1850; his widow, a native of Allegheny City, resides at Wilkinsburg. James Trent, grandfather of John L., came from England at the time of the Revolution, and was a captain under Gen. Washington. Our subject was reared at Sharpsburg, educated at the common schools there, and was but eleven years of age when his father died. He served three and a half years at the tinner’s trade, but, not being suited with that calling, served his time with John K. Hamilton, of Pittsburgh, at the painter’s trade, and carried on the business at Sharpsburg until the breaking out of the war. His specialty is decorating and fancy work. He enlisted in Pittsburgh, Aug. 20, 1861, in Co. B, 63d P. V. I., and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He was in the engagements of Yorktown, Williamsburg and Fair Oaks, where he was struck in the back with a shell, and had to undergo an operation before he could stand erect. After seven weeks of hospital life, he engaged in the seven days’ fight in front of Richmond, second battle of Bull run, Fredericksburg, the Muddy March and Chancellorsville, where he was shot through both arms. Later he was at the battles of Gettysburg, Wapping Heights, Kelly’s Ford and Locust Grove, and went into camp at Brandy Station. He then enlisted as a veteran volunteer, came home for twenty-five days, and married, Jan. 24, 1864, Lizzie Craft, who was born at California, Pa., March 21, 1839, a daughter of Adam and Margaret Craft. Returning to his command Feb. 8, 1864, Mr. Trent remained at Brandy Station until the beginning of the Wilderness campaign, May 1, 1864. May 5, he led a skirmishing line, and was shot, first in the left and then in the right leg. He fell, and was shot twice again in the right leg. He lay on the field till the morning of the 8th, when he was carried two miles to the hospital; but the doctors would not amputate his leg, on account of the great loss of blood he had sustained, and he was laid out to die. Later he was sent in a wagon to Fredericksburg, and a long time after transferred to Washington. There he improved rapidly until July, when he was stricken with fever and gangrene. He obtained from the secretary of war a special train to Pittsburgh, and was taken to his wife’s home in California Pa.; was discharged May 4, 1865, as unfit for veteran duty and pensioned at eight dollars per month, but now receives thirty-six dollars per month. On his recovery he began painting at California, and remained there eleven years. In 1868 he started a branch in Pittsburgh, and opened a paint store there, but one year later his leg again troubled him and he closed the store. About March, 1887, his leg again gave out, and he has since been confined to his house, the bones having all been taken out of the limb between the ankle and the knee. Mr. Trent moved to Verona in 1873, and was seven years in the Dexter Carriage-works. Since then he has done contract and fine work in decorating, graining and marbleizing, having the sole right of the latter process. He and wife are members of the M. E. Church, and the parents of two children: Sarah Margaret, who died April, 1887, aged twenty-one years, and Charles Valentine, at home. Mr. Trent is a republican. He is the only survivor of his father’s five children: Mary, John, Davidson, Caroline and Harrison. The last mentioned served in Knap’s battery. On Decoration day, 1868, he was run over by a train of the A. V. R. R., of which he was engineer, and received injuries which resulted in his death.