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Millersburg Area African Americans During Civil War Times
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on July 29, 2016
Three African American males of Civil War service age were located in 1860s censuses or draft records of the Millersburg and Upper Paxton Township area. These men are presented here in the hope that a reader can add additional information about them. Did they serve in the military during the Civil War? What happened to them after the war?
Levi Hudson
Levi Hudson, age 22, a Black male living alone, was found in the 1860 Census for Millersburg, Dauphin County. He claimed to be born in New York and at the time of the census was working as a barber. He owned no real property and his net worth was about $50.
His white neighbors were George Knoll, a 23 year old student druggist and Mathew Freck, a 64-year old gentleman who was born in Baden (Germany), with real property valued at $1600 and personal property valued at $200.
At the date of this writing, Levi Hudson has not been located in any prior or subsequent censuses nor has be been located in any military records including draft records.
John Jenkins
John Jenkins (or John Jenkens), age 27, a Black male living with his family, wife Catherine Jenkins, a Black female, age 28, and son William Jenkins, age 4, was found in the 1860 Census for Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He and the other members of family were born in Pennsylvania, and at the time of the census, he was working as a farm hand. He owned no real property and his net worth was given as $100.
His white neighbors were Lewis Rutter, a 25 year old farm hand, married with children, whose net worth was $150, and Joseph Kreamer, a 30 year old ferry man, also married with children, with real property worth $1800 and personal property worth about $1000.
At the date of this writing, John Jenkins has not been located in any prior or subsequent censuses nor has be been located in any military records including draft records.
Henry Thomas
Henry Thomas, age 30 in 1863, was found in the U.S. Civil War Draft as a resident of Millersburg, Dauphin County. He was working as a laborer at the time and was single.
He was identified as a possible veteran in an e-mail sent to the Project by Kathy Krotser Mumma on 6 July 2016. She was trying to identify Civil War soldiers who were not recognized on the Millersburg Soldier Monument, but was unable to locate any additional information on him other than the draft registration. It is currently believed that the names on the plaque on that monument represent less than one-third of the men who served in the Civil War from the Millersburg and Upper Paxton Township area, but it is not known why so many men were not identified or ignored on that memorial. Surprisingly, several charter members of the Kilpatrick G.A.R. Post are also not named on the plaque.
At the date of this writing, Henry Thomas has not been located in any prior or subsequent censuses nor has be been located in any military records other than the draft registration.
Readers are invited to add information in the comments section of this blog post or send the information via e-mail.
Censuses and the draft record are from Ancestry.com.
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