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John D. Messner – Guarded Jefferson Davis While He Was in Captivity
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 11, 2019
During the Civil War, John D. Messner served in the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery.
According to the Veterans’ File Card from the Pennsylvania Archives, John Messner enrolled at Harrisburg on 19 February 1964 and on the same day was mustered into service in the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, Company D, as a Private. He was 18 years old, born in Dauphin County, and indicated he was working as a laborer. He stood 5 foot 10 inches tall, had light hair, dark complexion, and blue eyes. According to the record, he mustered out with his company with an honorable discharge on 9 November 1865.
The Pension Index Card available from Ancestry.com shows that from Pennsylvania, John Messner applied for invalid benefits on 29 July 1890. He received the benefits and collected them until his death, which occurred on 3 January 1932.
An extensive obituary of John D. Messner appeared in the West Schuylkill Herald, 8 January 1932:
New Year Takes a Heavy Death Toll at This Place
Tower’s City’s Last Civil War Veteran Dies; Only One Remains from Porter
JOHN D. MESSNER
Mr. John D. Messner, Tower City‘s last remaining Civil War veteran, died at his home on South First Street on Sunday morning at 11:05 o’clock. His death was not unexpected as he had been an invalid for several years, suffering with bronchial asthma, and for the past month had been growing gradually weaker.
Mr. Messner was a native of Dauphin County, where he was born, near Dalmatia, on April 4, 1848, and spent the early part of his life. Like many other boys of splendid physique and early development, he could not resist the call to arms when his country was engaged in its struggle for the preservation of the Union, and on February 19, 1863, he ran away from home and enlisted as a private in Company D, 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, 152nd Artillery Volunteers [3rd Pennsylvania Artillery]. Shortly before this he had run away to Harrisburg and enlisted, only to be brought back by his parents, who considered him too young to go to war. At his second enlistment, however, they saw he was determined, and consented to his remaining.
From that time on he had a most interesting military career. With little preparation he was taken south, and his regiment took an active part in the closing events of the war about Richmond. He took part in the siege before Petersburg and Richmond, and was one of the first soldiers to enter Richmond, where he did military police duty for some months after the close of the war.
It was his privilege to be one of a special detail of ten privates which made the arrest of Jefferson Davis as he and his wife and secretary were taken from a Confederate man of war onto a Union barge that went to meet them in the harbor. Mr. Messner recalled that Davis twice refused to salute the U. S. flag that hung above the general’s tent to which he was escorted, but when made to approach it a third time, did so only when he was threatened with the bayonet. He guarded Davis while he was a prisoner of war, and said that Davis gave his guards little peace, keeping them continually at the jump with requests for various articles such as pen, paper, ink, water, etc.
It was also his privilege to be one of the detail which arrested the keeper of the notorious Libby Prison, and he recalled how that person, whose cruelties to Union prisoners are a matter of history, cringed and took refuge behind his wife when they approached.
He was honorably discharge November 9, 1865, at Fort Monroe, Virginia, returning to his native county, where in 1866, he was married to Miss Sarah Patrick, daughter of John Patrick and Polly Patrick, who died at Tower City in 1917. Two children were born to this marriage: Daniel E. Messner, of Tower City, and Frank Messner, who was killed in a mine accident at Brookside Colliery in 1899. Following the death of his son, Mr. Messner and his wife took their three orphan grandchildren to raise. These three grandchildren: Harry Messner, of Reinerton; Charles Messner of Bethlehem; and Ellen Messner, wife of Torrence Dort, of Harrisburg; and four sons of Daniel E. Messner, also survive. There are nine great-grandchildren.
Mr. Messner came to this place [Tower City] in 1872, when he was granted a miners’ certificate and engaged in coal mining. Previous to this he had been employed as a bridge builder for the Northern Central Railroad, then operating between Baltimore an Wilkes-Barre. He helped to build the railroad from Brookside to Lykens, and later became road foreman for the Williams Valley railroad.
He served as Constable of Porter Township for a number of years, and was also a school director in that township before Tower City became a borough. Later he served as borough supervisor in Tower City borough.
He was an active member of the G.A.R. and attended many state and several national encampments. It was while attending an encampment at Indianapolis about twenty years ago that he contracted a severe cold and pneumonia developed. From that time on he suffered from asthma.
He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Tower City, and was one of its first council members when a separate congregation was organized.
Funeral services were conducted at the house on Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock, and he was accorded a military funeral by the members of Harry Heartter Post, American Legion, who used the G.A.R. burial service at Mr. Messner’s request. Comrade William H. Long, Porter Township‘s only surviving Civil War veteran attended the funeral and paid his last respects to a friend and comrade of a half century.
Funeral director Dreisigacker had charge. Burial was made in Greenwood Cemetery.
During Mr. Messner’s residence of almost fifty year in Tower City he lived in but two squares, and in only two homes.
The Pottsville Republican of 7 January 1932 reported briefly on his funeral:
Funeral of John D. Messner
The funeral of John D. Messner, who passed away Sunday, was held on Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock from the home of his son Daniel Messner at Tower City. As he was a Civil War veteran the Legion attended in a body, and formed a guard of honor. Also present was William Long, the only survivor of the William Thompson Post of Tower City, who recently moved into Tower City from Muir. representatives of the Knights of Pythias, of which the deceased was a member, were also in attendance.
Six grandsons of the deceased were pall bearers. They were: John Messner; William Messner; Jonas Messner; Clarence Messner; Charles Messner; and Harold Messner.
But the Schuylkill County newspapers were not the only ones that reported on his death and obituary. Since he was widely known in the Lykens Valley area, his death received attention in both the Lykens Standard and the Elizabethville Echo.
The Lykens Standard of 8 January 1932:
John D. Messner
John D. Messner, 83, a resident of Tower City for 59 years, Civil War veteran and a railroad employee for many years, died at his home Sunday at 11:05 A.M., death having been caused by infirmities of old age.
Preceded in death by his wife, he is survived by one son, Daniel Messner, of Tower City, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He attended and was a member of the Lutheran church.
Funeral services were held from his late home Wednesday, January 6th. Rev. Ira F. Frankenfield, pastor of the Tower City Lutheran Church, officiated. Burial was made in the Greenwood Cemetery.
And, the Elizabethville Echo, 7 January 1932:
AGED TOWER CITY MAN BURIED YESTERDAY
John D. Messner, 89, died at his home in Tower City Sunday. He is survived by one son, Daniel Messner of Tower City.
Funeral services were held from the residence Wednesday morning with the Rev. Ira Frankenfield, pastor of the Tower City Lutheran Church officiating, and interment was made in the Greenwood Cemetery.
Mr. Messner was a Civil War veteran and helped build the Summit Branch Railroad from Millersburg to Lykens. A section of this railroad extends to Williamstown for the purpose of transporting coal mined there. Mr. Messner was construction foreman for many years.
Previously on this blog, John D. Messner was briefly featured in the following posts:
Civil War Burials in Greenwood Cemetery
Tower City, Porter Township & Rush Township Veterans
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
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