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The Yeager Family in the Civil War (Part 3)
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 20, 2015
In 1912, the Hon. James Martin Yeager wrote and published A Brief History of the Yeager, Buffington, Creighton, Jacobs, Lemon, Hoffman and Woodside Families and Their Collateral Kindred of Pennsylvania. Yeager was formerly the President of Drew Seminary for Young Women of Carmel, New York as well as a former Member of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania and a Marshal of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. On pages 82-85, he presented a list of Pennsylvania soldiers he identified with the Yeager surname who had fought in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865. In addition to the names of the soldiers, he named the regiment and company in which they fought. Sixty-three veterans were thus identified. A free download of Yeager’s book can be obtained at the Internet Archive.
There is much information still to be discovered about each of the veterans. Readers of this blog are urged to add information to what is provided below – particularly genealogical information about each of the men, including the names of their parents and their decent from the earliest Yeager’s who arrived in Pennsylvania. Additional stories about the Civil War service of these veterans is also sought, particularly if readers have access to the pension application files and military records from the National Archives. Pictures are especially welcome! Comments can be added to this post or sent by e-mail.
This post continues a multi-part series on these Pennsylvanians with the Yeager surname who served in the Civil War.
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According to his death certificate, Alfred G. Yeager was born on 5 June 1834 and died on 20 February 1908, but according to his Findagrave Memorial, he was born on 20 February 1838. Considering that he said he was 29 years old when he enrolled in the 129th Pennsylvania Infantry in 1862, it is more likely that the death certificate has the correct information. On 10 August 1862, Alfred was mustered into service in Harrisburg as a Private in Company B, 129th Pennsylvania Infantry and served until his discharge on 18 May 1863. He also met the Emergency of 1863 by joining the 39th Pennsylvania Infantry Militia in July 1863, Company I, serving as a Sergeant, until the conclusion of the emergency on 2 August 1863. His enrollment in the 129th took place in Pottsville. He was a carpenter and was married to Rebecca Boyer; both are buried at the Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. On 4 March 1890, Alfred applied for pension benefits, which he received until his death in 1908 whereupon his widow applied, receiving the benefits until her death in 1913. A guardian applied on behalf of minor children in late 1913.
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Eli Yeager was born about 1835. On 10 August 1862, he was mustered into the 129th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company B, as a Private and served until he was wounded at Fredericksburg, Virginia, on 13 December 1862. He was recovering from his wounds at the time the company was mustered out of service and therefore was not present at muster out. Eli’s pension records are found under the name of Elias Yerger. He applied for a pension on 29 March 1888, which he received and collected until his death. No widow pension has been located and his place of burial has not yet been determined.
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Solomon Yeager was born about 1837 and died on 17 February 1913 in Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He was mustered into service as a Private on 14 August 1862 at Harrisburg in the 131st Pennsylvania Infantry, Company C, and was honorably discharged on 23 May 1863. He applied for a pension on 9 June 1891, which he received and collected until his death in 1913. His widow, Louisiana Yeager, applied for benefits on 24 February 1913, which she received until her death. Information was not available as to where Solomon Yeager is buried.
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Augustus L. Yeager, also known as August L. Yeager, was born 8 September 1821 and died 15 February 1887. He is buried at Cressona Cemetery, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. During the Civil War he served in the 205th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company H, as a Sergeant. After the war he applied for a pension on 15 May 1871, which he received and collected until his death. His widow, Mary Yeager, applied on 29 June 1887, and collected benefits until her death. At this time, the Findagrave Memorial for him contains very little information and needs to be updated with at least his Civil War veteran status noted.
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Pennsylvania Veterans’ Index Cards are from the Pennsylvania Archives.
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