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William H. Michaels – 157th Pennsylvania Infantry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 2, 2019
William H. Michaeldied on 6 May 1911 and is buried at Seybert’s Cemetery, Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The inscription on his grave marker notes that he served in an unassigned company of the 157th Pennsylvania Infantry.
Information on his service is can also be found in the 1890 Veterans’ Census where the same military information is given plus the fact that his rank was “Private” Also, in the 1910 Census, he declared that he was a Union war veteran. In both censuses, he was living in Williamstown.
On 13 April 1865, a William Michael enrolled in the 157th Pennsylvania Infantry at Pottsville, but was unassigned as to company. On the same day and at the same place, he was mustered into service as a Private, but still was unassigned as to company. At the time, he was 18 years old, was residing in Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, and was working as a laborer. He
stood nearly 5 foot 4 inches tall, had brown hair, a florid complexion, and hazel eyes. On 23 May 1865, he was mustered out of service by General Order, having served in the regiment less than two months.
No pension application has been located for him. He would have been ineligible, because a minimum of three months was required to receive benefits, and according to his military records, he only served one month and ten days.
His death certificate notes the cause of death as “myocarditis.” At the time of death, he was working as a miner, and he left a wife.
According to genealogical records, William’s wife the former Leah Jane Rowe. She lived to 17 April 1956 to the age of 101, and at the time of her death was one of the only surviving Civil War widows left in the Lykens Valley area, although her obituary which appeared in the Elizabethville Echo, 19 April 1956, failed to note that:
MRS. MICHAEL DIES AT AGE OF 101 YEARS
Mrs. Leah J. Michael, died at her home in Williamstown Tuesday, at the age of 101 years.
She was a member of the Evangelical Congregational Church, WIlliamstown.
Mrs. Michael was a daughter of the late Daniel Rowe and Susan [Frantz] Rowe and was born in Lykens Valley, May 16, 1854. her husband, William H. Michael, preceded her in death.
She is survived by fifteen grandchildren, twenty-two great grandchildren and twenty-one great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be held from the Lyons Funeral Home, Williamstown, at 2:00 o’clock Saturday afternoon. Rev. R. G. Hower, pastor of the Evangelical Congregational Church will officiate and interment will be made in the church cemetery.
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News clipping from Newspapers.com. Veterans’ File Card from Pennsylvania Archives. Death certificate from Ancestry.com.
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