Who is Sgt. Philip Kline who is Named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument?

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 5, 2016

The name “Philip Kline” appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a Sergeant who was not a member of the Heilner Post. Who was this Philip Kline? There are several persons who are possible matches, but only one has been found so far who is a strong possibility of being the right one.

Philip Melanchton Kline (1836-1910)

The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives, indicates that a Philip Kline served in the 173rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company K. A notation on the card mentions that he was promoted to Sergeant on 2 November 1862. The other hard-to-read notations such as muster dates can be confirmed with other sources. He was mustered in on 2 November 1862 and mustered out on 18 August 1863.

The Pension Index Card, shown above from Fold3, gives a death date of 25 October 1910 and a widow’s application of 14 November 1910.

In searching census records and cemetery records for this Philip Kline, it was found that he is buried in Dauphin Borough Cemetery, Dauphin Borough, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania – and he spent most of the post-war years in that community.

The obituary for this Philip Kline, appeared in the Harrisburg Daily Independent, 25 October 1910:

Dauphin, 25 October 1910 — Philip M. Kline, aged 76 years, died this morning after a lingering illness. The funeral services will be held on Friday morning at 10 o’clock from his late home on Erie Street. Mr. Kline was a veteran of the Civil War of the 173rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and an elder in the Presbyterian Church, of which he had been a lifelong member. He is survived by a widow, three sons and three daughters, Howard Kline, of Lock Haven; Harry Kline, of Sea Isle City; and Frank Kline of Dauphin; Mrs. Harry Stoner, Miss Margaret Kline and Mrs. D. F. Heffner of Harrisburg.

Additional family information available from Ancestry.com on this Philip M. Kline:

His father was Washington George Kline (1807-1878);
His mother was Lydia [Runyon] Kline (1814-1860);
His wife was Mary E. [Lehman] Kline (1839-1927).

It is possible that the Lykens connection was either though his parents or his wife, but that information has not yet been located.

Philip D. Kline (1838-1910)

The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card for the Philip D. Kline who served in the 213th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, as a Private, is shown above (from the Pennsylvania Archives). This Philip was mustered into service on 22 February 1865 and was mustered out on 18 November 1865.

Genealogical and other information from Ancestry.com places this Philip Kline in Berks County in most of the years following the Civil War. His wife was the former Mary Ann Moll. Both are buried in the Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

A Pension Index Card from Fold3 gives the date of death as 12 November 1910, and the widow applied for pension benefits on 21 November 1910.

His obituary appeared in the Reading Times, 14 November 1910:

Philip D. Kline, aged 72 years, 2 months and 16 days, retired shoemaker, died of heart failure, superinduced by old age and general debility, at 3 a.m. Saturday at his residence, 1026 Spring Street. Mr. Kline was confined to a chair since last April. He was born 25 August 1838, in Richmond Township [Berks County, Pennsylvania]. He learned the trade in the shop of Peter Moatz at Fleetwood. He came to Reading 40 years ago and opened a shop at Third and Washington Streets. He conducted a store at 836 North Ninth Street for 10 years. For 16 years Mr. Kline conducted a shoemaking shop in the rear of his residence, retiring about a year ago. He served a three year enlistment in the Civil War [Note: the only record of service is shown above, which totaled about 9 months, not 3 years]. He was a member of Reading Castle, No. 49, K. G. E., and Ebenezer Evangelical Church. He is survived by his widow, Mary M. Kline (nee Moll); a daughter, Elizabeth Kline, wife of Charles I. Smith, at home; a brother, John D. Kline, Virginsville, and a sister, Mrs. Lucy [Kline] Hoch, Kutztown.

Some additional genealogical information available through Ancestry.com:

His father was Daniel Kline.
His mother’s maiden name was Dreibelbis.

No information has been seen that connects this Philip Kline to Lykens, and his highest military rank of record was “Private.” It is unlikely therefor that this is the Philip Kline named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument.

Philip M. Kline (1841-1895)

A Philip M. Kline who was born in Marietta, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, served in the 8th Pennsylvania Reserves (37th Pennsylvania Infantry), Company E, as a Private, but was promoted to Corporal on 1 March 1862. At the time of his enrollment, 11 July 1861, he was a farmer and was 20 years old. Source: Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, Pennsylvania Archives.

Although he enrolled at Pittsburgh, he was actually from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Some genealogical information about this Philip M. Kline from Ancestry.com:

His father was John Kline.
His mother was Harriet Kline, maiden name not specified.
His wife was Maggie J. Kline, maiden name not specified.

He is buried at the Mount Bethel Cemetery, Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Additional information about him can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.

Are there other men named Philip Kline who served in the Civil War? Perhaps, someone who served in another state regiment? Perhaps someone who served in a regular U.S. Infantry? As of this writing, the most likely veteran who connects with the Lykens G.A.R. Monument is the first one noted, Philip M. Kline (1836-1910), and only because he was a Sergeant and none of the others were of that rank. However, without a definite connection to Lykens, it cannot be said with certainty that he is the correct one.

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