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The Yeager Family in the Civil War (Part 1)
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 4, 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 the 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 begins a multi-part series on these Pennsylvanians with the Yeager surname who served in the Civil War.
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Abraham Yeager, birth date not yet identified, was mustered into the service of the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company F, as a Private, on or about 27 June 1863 and served until he was discharged on 20 February 1864. He applied for a pension on 4 October 1890, which he received. After his death on 11 December 1912, he was buried at Grandview-West View Cemetery, Bolivar, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. His widow Mary A. Yeager, then applied for pension benefits on 26 December 1912, which she received until her death.
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Jesse Yeager, born 22 November 1835, enrolled in the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Pittsburgh, and was mustered into service, Company I, at Harrisburg, on 19 November 1862, as a Private. At the time, he declared himself to be 26 years old. He was discharged by General Order on 10 July 1865. After the war, he applied for a pension on 11 November 1879, which he received until his death. He married Elizabeth Susanne Kiger, who did not survive him. Jesse and his wife are buried at Centennial Cemetery, Aleppo, Greene County, Pennsylvania. Additional information about him and his wife can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.
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William R. Yeager, born about 1841, enrolled in the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Pittsburgh, and was mustered into Company F as a Private on 22 August 1862 at Carlisle. At an unknown date, he transferred to Company C. At his enrollment he was about 21 years old. He was mustered out with his company on 21 June 1865. On 6 August 1897, he applied for a pension, which he received and collected until his death. No widow applied.
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Peter Yeager Jr. was born 3 March 1824. In 1862, he enrolled at Forks, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the 153rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company E, as a Private, and was mustered into service on 10 October 1862. After being severely wounded at Gettysburg on 1 July 1863, he was discharged on a Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 23 July 1863 and he applied for a pension on 29 August 1863, which he received. At the time of his enrollment he claimed to be 38 years old, was a laborer, and a resident of Easton, Northampton County. Peter died on 7 November 1876 and is buried at Forks Cemetery, Stockertown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
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Henry F. Yeager was born on 25 September 1842 and died on 14 May 1889. During the Civil War, he served in the 151st Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I, as a Private, from 1 November 1862 through his discharge on 28 July 1863. At the time of his enlistment, he lived in Bernville Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, was 18 years old, and was working as a mechanic. He died on 14 May 1889 and is buried in Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. On 26 March 1881, Henry applied for a pension, but the pension was not approved; there is also evidence that someone applied for support for a minor child (or children), which also was not granted. Some additional information about him can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.
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Harrison Yeager was born about 1841 and was killed in action at Chancellorsville, Virginia, on 3 May 1863. On 16 August 1862, he was mustered into service in the 148th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company H, as a Private. At the time, he declared himself to be 21 years old, a carpenter by trade, and a resident of Juliana Furnace, Centre County, Pennsylvania. He probably was not married because no widow applied for a pension based on his service. On 3 January 1871, Harrison’s mother, Elizabeth Yeager, applied for benefits, which she received. His place of burial has not been located as of this writing.
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Pennsylvania Veterans’ Index Cards are from the Pennsylvania Archives.
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