William Henry Savage

Nov. 21, 1830 – Dec. 28, 1916

Born November 21, 1830, William Henry Savage was an adventurer and enlistee in the Union Army. When the Civil War began in 1861, Savage was among the first from Harvard to enlist.

Born to Charles and Anna (Thacher) Savage November 21, 1830, William Henry Savage’s thirst for adventure was probably inspired by his early life. He grew up around ships captained by his father, Charles Tyler Savage, and survived a shipwreck when he was just a year old. In 1849, at the age of 18, he journeyed first to California and then to Australia in search of gold. In 1855, he returned to Massachusetts to a newly purchased farm in Harvard.

When the Civil War began in 1861, Savage was among the first from Harvard to enlist in the Union Army. Joining Company A of the 15th Massachusetts Regiment, he was wounded by shell fragments at Gettysburg, July 2, 1862. After a short convalescence in Harvard, William returned to the war as a member of the artillery corps. Finally, in 1865, he settled on the family farm in Harvard and helped raise eight children. Later, he became an avid bicyclist and rode nearly 80 miles a day, exploring New Hampshire’s White Mountains and the Berkshires. He even took a two-week sojourn to Montreal and back. William Henry Savage died on December 28,1916.