Brian Tomlin | January 31, 2013
This monthly column seeks to provide a context for events going on during the Civil War era that are not directly war related. This column will appear around the last day of the month and will summarize the historically significant events from around the world 150 years ago. January 1863 January 1: Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation January 1: [...]
Norman Gasbarro | January 30, 2013
Although the Bureau of Engraving and Printing had its origins during the Civil War – it was originally created to issue paper money in order to support the war effort – it was not involved in postage stamp production until July 1894. Prior to the “Bureau Issues” of postage stamps, the U.S government had contracted [...]
Norman Gasbarro | January 29, 2013
“Public Notice – Notice is hereby given that letters of administration on the estate of Peter Hocker, late of Middle Township, Dauphin County, deceased, have been granted….” Thus began a legal item that appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot, 18 January 1866. The story behind the notice was found in the Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of [...]
Jake Wynn | January 28, 2013
A rare thing is to hear the Civil War years as described through the eyes of a child who grew up in the shadow of the war. Dr. Charles H. Miller, originally of Lykens, gives us that exact thing in a book he published as a young college graduate of the University of Pennsylvania medical [...]
Norman Gasbarro | January 27, 2013
On 29 June 1915, the Harrisburg Patriot reported that the estate of John Houser, a Civil War veteran, would be divided between his wife and two daughters, according to the provisions of his will, which was filed the day before in Dauphin County Court. The body of John Houser had been found in Lemoyne a [...]
The Gratz Historical Society was organized in 1977. The mission of the society is to preserve and protect the history of the upper part of Dauphin County, PA. The Society has a museum and research library at 8 W. Market Street in Gratz. Today the society has over 300 members. Visit the Society'sWebsite or follow us on Twitter @HistoryGratz and @GratzCivilWar 
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