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More About Henry Maurer
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on August 14, 2013
Three short news articles and another picture of Henry Maurer, Dauphin County’s longest surviving Civil War veteran, have been located in the files of the Gratz Historical Society. Previously, blog post on Henry Maurer, have included Last County Civil War Vet Marks Birthday, Gratz During the Civil War – Dr. Andrew Maurer House and Calvary United Methodist Church and Cemetery (Part 3 of 6).
The above picture appeared in a local newspaper at the time of his 97th birthday in 1943 and the article below appeared on Memorial Day of the same year:
CIVIL WAR VETERAN SPENDS DAY QUIETLY
Dauphin County’s only surviving Civil war veteran, at 97, spent Memorial Day quietly. He is Henry Maurer, Wiconisco, and while not participating in any exercises, he observed the day by placing flowers on the graves of his wife an four children in the Wiconisco Cemetery.
Formerly of Steelton, Mr. Maurer now is living with a daughter, Mrs. Samuel Miller, Wiconisco. He was in several battls of the Civil War including Gettysburg, as a member of Company D, Emergency Brigade, under command of Colonel Jennings and his regiment was the first to engage General Lee at Gettysburg. After Gettysburg he was mustered out of service and re-enlisted in the cavalry and was with Sherman on his famous march through Georgia to the sea. After the war he served in the Governor’s Troop as a corporal.
The 100th birthday of Henry Maurer occurred in December 1946 but was reported in the Elizabethville Echo in early January 1847. The newspaper incorrectly reported that Maurer’s service began in 1861 at Harrisburg, when in fact his first service was recorded with the 26th Pennsylvania Infantry (Emergency of 1863), where he was mu
WAR VETERAN MARKS 100th BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY
Dauphin County’s only surviving Civil War veteran observed his 100th birthday anniversary on Saturday, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Samuel Miller, Wiconisco, with whom he resides.
A dinner was served at the Miller home that day in his honor.
Mr. Maurer, who is a native of Gratz, enlisted in the army at Harrisburg in 1861, and participated in a number of campaigns.
Following the war he served in the Pennsylvania National Guard a number of years.
Mr. Maurer was a resident of Steelton twenty-five years, and has resided in Wiconisco the past six years. His wife, Mrs. Louisa Maurer, died in 1912.
Five of Mr. Maurer’s grandsons are veterans of World War II.
Henry Maurer died on 11 December 1947, just shy of his 101st birthday which would have occurred at the end of the month. Among the newspapers that reported his death was the Elizabethville Echo of 18 December 1947. His obituary misreported his emergency militia service in 1863 as “cavalry.”
LAST CIVIL WAR VETERAN DIED AT WICONISCO
Henry W. Maurer, age 100 years, died last Thursday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Samuel H. Miller, Wiconisco. He was a member of the Wiconisco Methodist Church.
Mr. Maurer, who was a native of Gratz, was Dauphin County’s last Civil War veteran. Enlisting in the 26th United States Cavalry of the Union Army [sic, see above] at the age of 17 years, he participated in a number of battles of the Civil War including Gettysburg. Following the war he served for a number of years as a member of Pennsylvania National Guard.
Mr. Maurer had lived in Steelton forty-six years, where he was formerly employed by the Pennsylvania Steel Company. He had been a resident of Wiconisco the past seven years. His wife, Mrs. Louisa Maurer died in 1912.
He is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Miller, of Wiconisco; Mrs. Margaret Gardner of West Cornwall, Connecticut and Mrs. John Schminky of Gratz; one son, Harry Maurer, of Bethlehem; twenty grandchildren; thirty-two great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.
Military funeral services were held from the Miller residence in Wiconisco at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon. Rev. W. H. Pauls, pastor of the Methodist Church officiated and interment was made in the Wiconisco Cemetery.
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News clippings are from the obituary and Civil War files of the Gratz Historical Society.
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