George Armstrong Custer was born on December 5, 1839, in New Rumley, Ohio, to Emanuel Henry and Marie Ward Kirkpatrick. George was the first child of their union. Brothers Tom, Boston, and Nevin would follow. A sister named Margaret would also come along. Both parents had children from previous marriages that made their family even larger.

The Custer household was apparently a happy one. "Inside the Custer house there was always an uproar - a happy, stamping, yelling, joke-playing hubbub" (Monaghan, 4). Perhaps this environment led to George carrying a positive attitude with him throughout much of his life.

In George's early days, he reportedly sang "almost constantly" (Monaghan, 5). Was this an early indication of his personality?

During his life, Custer would be called by a number of names. One of them was "Autie", which was apparently an attempt he made at saying his middle name "Armstrong" when he was young.

At the age of 9, Custer became an apprentice to a cabinetmaker in Cadiz, Ohio. During this time: "Armstrong was popular with his fellows, especially with the boss's son, who recalled that he made play out of his work" (Monaghan, 6).

Apparently, a long career in cabinetmaking was not to be George's lot. When he was 10, his parents decided to end his apprenticeship and send him to Monroe, Michigan, to live with his sister and her husband.

Shortly thereafter, he began spending time in both Monroe and New Rumley. During this time, he was popular. "He kept the crowd laughing, was usually planning a practical joke, and his friends never knew what was going to happen next" (Monaghan, 8).

The rest of Custer's early days would include going to school, teaching at a school, and getting an appointment to West Point.

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Tim Kloos is an online advertising professional. He helps clients with their websites, online presence, and online advertising. If you need help with any of these, feel free to contact him via the contact page.

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