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Harry W. Fox of Lykens – 55th Pennsylvania Infantry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 27, 2019
A brief mention was made in the Lykens Register of 10 June 1897 of Harry W. Fox:
Harry W. Fox returned this evening from his visit to Johnstown where he attended the reunion of his old regiment, the Fifty-Fifty Pennsylvania.
The name of Harry W. Fox appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a veteran who served as a Captain in the Civil War and who joined the Heilner Post after its organization.
The Record Card from the Pennsylvania Archives gives a rough outline of the Civil War service of Harry W. Fox, who is found in the regiment as Henry W. Fox:
- On 25 September 1861, Henry W. Fox enrolled at Harrisburg in the 55th Pennsylvania Infantry.
- On 11 October 1861, he was mustered into service as a Private in Company H, also at Harrisburg.
- The only physical information about him that is noted on the card is that he was about 28 years old.
- On 19 November 1861, he was promoted from Private to Sergeant Major, in F & S [regimental officers].
- On 23 October 1862, he transferred to Company K with a promotion to 2nd Lieutenant.
- On 24 October 1862, he was discharged for a disability via a Surgeon’s Certificate #308. The card notes that this was a War Department Order with a letter on file.
- On 1 January 1864, he re-enlisted for a period of 3 years or the duration of the war.
On 30 June 1880, Henry W. Fox applied for a disability pension based on his service in the 55th Pennsylvania Infantry, which he received and collected until his death. Card above from Fold3.
On 17 September 1904, Henry’s widow Annie Fox applied for benefits, which she received until her death. Card above from Ancestry.com.
The following news articles, including the obituary of Harry W. Fox, were found in local newspapers. Some include some additional information on his Civil War service.
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Shortly after returning from the Civil War, Harry W. Fox went to work at Short Mountain Colliery as an engineer. From the Lykens Register of 1866, reprinted in the Lykens Standard, 19 Jan 1906.
On Tuesday morning last as four loaded cars were descending the inclined plane, the safety truck ran off the track, letting the cars pass down without any check. They came down with a crash, completely demolishing two of them, injuring one of the others and an empty car that was standing at the foot of the plane. Daniel Thomas, outside boss at Short Mountain Mines, and John Orndorff, brakeman, who were on the cars jumped off in time to save themselves, being but slightly injured. Emanuel Hoffman, who attended the foot of the plane had two horses attached to some empty cars and seeing the accident attempted to save the horses and himself and in so doing very narrowly escaped a shocking death. One of the horses was instantly killed, but the other was injured. Harry W. Fox had charge of the drum at the head of the plane.
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He then went into the restaurant business. From the Lykens Register of 1867, reprinted in the Lykens Standard, 20 March 1906.
Harry W. Fox purchased the restaurant fixtures, &c., of Mrs. A. B. Heard.
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From the Lykens Register of 1872, reprinted in the Lykens Register, 27 May 1897:
The following officers of Wiconisco Encampment, I.O.O.F, of this place, were installed Wednesday evening: C.P., Henry W. Fox; H.P., John Chappel; S.W., F. J. Douden; J.W., Thomas George; Treasurer, Emanuel Hoffman; Scribe, R. G. Stewart; Guide, D.C.P., W. W. Jones; I.S., John H. Keen; O.S., Alfred GIlbert; 1st W., John C. Jenkins; 2nd W., William Bateman Jr.; 3rd W., John O’Neal; 4th W, P.C.P, William Thomas.
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In 1896, he put up his green grocer stand for sale. From the Lykens Register, 14 February 1896:
FOR SALE – Lately the stand of Fox Brothers on Market Street, Lykens, on easy terms. Also a horse, wagon and harness. Apply to H. W. Fox.
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From the Lykens Register, 6 Mar 1896:
Harry W. Fox is confined to his home by sickness.
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From the Lykens Register, 29 May 1896:
Harry W. Fox is confined to his home, having been poisoned about his face and hands by poison ivy.
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This may refer to his son. From the Elizabethville Echo, 25 June 1896:
Harry W. Fox has been appointed health officer of Lykens.
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From the Lykens Register, 24 Jul 1896:
Captain Henry W. Fox announces himself as a candidate for county commissioner. Mr. Fox is an old soldier who served through the war, entering as a private and leaving as a captain; being promoted because of faithful and true service. He has all the necessary qualifications and will make a first-class commissioner. All citizens who are “agin the ring” will give him their heartiest support.
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From the Lykens Register, 2 June 1898:
H. W. Fox, William Trout, C. B. Boeckler, John F. Davis and William J. Mummey are attending to business at Harrisburg today and incidentally taking in the state Republican Convention.
From the Lykens Register, 21 July 1898:
Ex-Senator A. F. Thompson, W. Claude Thompson, Harry W. Fox and J. Sylvester Matter transacted business at Harrisburg today.
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From the Lykens Register, 1 September 1898:
Harry W. Fox returned this evening from Altoona, where he had been attending the reunion of his old regiment – the Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers.
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From the Lykens Register, 24 August 1899:
Reunion of the 55th Regiment
The eighth annual reunion of the Fifty-fifth regiment, Pennsylvania veteran volunteers, will be held in Philadelphia, September 6, 1899, in Room 6, fifth floor, Odd Fellows’ Temple, Broad and Cherry Streets, at 6 o’clock p.m. Addresses will be made by Colonel John H. Filler and others. Camp fire will be held immediately after the business meeting. Comrades will ask for information regarding headquarters at the bureau of information at the depot.
Company G, of the Fifty-fifth regiment was recruited at Harrisburg by Captain Isaac Waterburry, whose widow still lives at 612 North Second Street. Its second captain was Levi A. Weaver, who died a few months ago at 610 North Street. There are about ten or twelve of the company still residing in Harrisburg; among them are August Milhouse, William N. Brown, John M. Lyon, Edward Looker, Joseph L. Leonard, Daniel Boyer, S. Lowe, Henry Minich, Jerry Minich, Alex Poist.
Lykens also has a share in the honors of this regiment, having furnished a number of recruits. Among the survivors are Capt. H. W. Fox, who enlisted as a private in Company H, Fifty-fifth regiment, promoted to Sargent Major, again promoted to Second Lieutenant of Company K, on the field of battle at Pocotwilga, South Carolina, October 22, 1862, and promoted to 1st Lieutenant and Captain and mustered out with rank of Brevet Major; William Marter, Company G; Elias Deterick, Company D; George Irving, Company E.
This regiment has quite a war record standing fifth in casualties and losses of any regiment that went out of the state, losing 700 men in eleven months’ time.
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From the Lykens Register, 16 August 1900:
Attended Dedication
Capt. H. W. Fox, of this place, left Tuesday for Indiana, Pennsylvania, to attend the dedication of the Col. Dick White monument, and also the reunion of the 55th Pennsylvania regiment of which Mr. Fox was Captain of Company K during the Civil War.
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From the Lykens Standard, 7 Jun 1901:
Capt. H. W. Fox of North Second Street, left Wednesday morning for Gettysburg to attend the annual reunion of his regiment – the 55th Pennsylvania Volunteers.
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From the Lykens Standard, 10 October 1902:
H. W. Fox and William Turner left Tuesday morning to attend the G.A.R. encampment at Washington. The 55th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, of which the former was a member, held their annual reunion at the same place Wednesday.
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From the Lykens Standard, 4 March 1904:
H. W. Fox and Joseph Duncan have been confined to the house during the past week with illness, the latter having had quite a serious attack.
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The obituary of Henry W. Fox appeared in the Lykens Standard of 16 September 1904:
H. W. Fox of North Second Street, died of Bright’s Disease about noon Saturday, aged 72 years, 2 months and 26 days. He was born at Pottsville and came to Lykens about the year 1856, where he has since resided. For a number of years preceding his death he was engaged in the green grocery business in the Young Block on Market Street, but for the past nine months was unable to be at his store and only once or twice since has he gone up town. He was a veteran of the Civil War, having served in the three months’ service and re-enlisted in Company K, 55th Pennsylvania Volunteers, with which he served three years, having attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant when mustered out. He was originally a member of Heilner Post, No. 232 G.A.R., of this place, but some time ago withdrew his membership and deposited it with Post 58 of Harrisburg, which had instructed the local Post to represent them at the funeral.
Deceased is survived by a widow, two sons, Harry W. Fox, and J. Foster Fox, and one daughter, Miss Carrie Fox, and one sister, Mrs. Ellen Hurd of Buffalo, New York.
The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, Rev. D. L. Mackenzie, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, conducting the services, and Rev. A. A. Thompson of the Methodist Episcopal Church, offered the prayer. Interment was in Odd Fellows Cemetery.
The pallbearers were selected from the Sons of Veterans and were as follows: 2nd Lieutenant Claude Minnich; Sergeant of Guard Harry A. Miller; Color Sergeant R. L. Hawk; Camp Council H. F. Bueck; Charles Engle; John H. Yentch.
Among those from a distance attending the funeral were: Mrs. Isaac Price of Avondale, Alabama; Mrs. Ellen Hurd, sister of the deceased and only surviving member of family, of Buffalo, New York; Mrs. John Neitz of New York City; Miss Rebecca Hoffman of Harrisburg.
The family have requested us to thank neighbors and friends for kindly assistance during the last illness and at the funeral of Mr. Fox.
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From the Lykens Standard, 21 October 1904:
The will of Henry W. Fox, late of Lykens, was probated Monday afternoon and letters on the estate granted to deceased’s widow, Anna Fox.
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And from the Lykens Standard, 28 October 1904:
EXECUTRIX NOTICE
Letters testamentary having been granted the undersigned on the estate of HENRY W. FOX, late of the Borough of Lykens, Pennsylvania, deceased, all persons knowing themselves indebted to said estate are requested to make immediate payments, and those having claims against the same, to present them, duly authenticated to
Mrs. ANN FOX, Executrix.
Lykens, October 20, 1904.
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Any reader with additional information about Harry W. Fox is welcome to add it as a comment to this post or send it via e-mail. Is there an available photo?
News clippings from Newspapers.com.
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