This has been bugging me all day. I know that a drummer boy named John Clem (1851 - 1937) eventually became a car salesman around 1914 but I don’t know of anyone who ended up with a license :dubious:
I’m pretty sure that there were at least a handful of Civil War veterans who learned to drive a motor vehicle in the early 1900s. When I look at pictures of veterans of the Battle of Gettysburg at their 50th reunion in 1913, I find that many of them still looked pretty spry.
The question then becomes whether any of these handful of veterans drove in a state which actually required drivers to be licensed. It was only at the turn of the 20th century that driver’s licences came into use in the US, and even then states were slow to adopt them. Some states didn’t require drivers to have licences until the 1950s.
The Grand Army of the Republic – an organization for Union veterans – held encampments as late as 1949, so they certainly had members who could have gotten licenses. I’ve also seen sound film of Confederate veterans, so they existed in 1930.
Agreed it is likely at least some did - I’ve never read that for sure, though. The last vet died in 1956, so there was certainly time: Albert Woolson - Wikipedia
Of course there were! You can see Robert E. Lee’s and Ulysses Grant’s right here art the top!
Seriously, though, if anyplace would help, you’d think it would be this book. The preview’s index, though, doesn’t have any entries for “Driver’s License” or “Automobile”
Found one.
John H. Huyck. This obituary says Huyck served in the Civil War and also mentions he stopped driving at 93 when the state would not renew his drivers license.
Cool find. 
How’d you dig that one up?
That’s at least a 7th Dan in google-fu! 
I doubt they drove this, though.
Not exactly what the OP is looking for, but a good example of a Civil War Vet interacting with 20th century technology.
Looks like this gentleman had a little scam going. 
:smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack:
You really didn’t dig him up? :eek: