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Lorenzo Michael – Another Millersburger Ignored by Millersburg
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 6, 2019
Lorenzo Michael, who was born on 22 September 1826 and died on 5 March 1894, is buried at the Zion Stone Valley United Methodist Church Cemetery, Matamoras, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. His name appears in a listing of Civil War veterans from Halifax, previously presented here.
On his Findagrave Memorial, the following is stated:
The son of George Washington Michael and Elizabeth “Betty” [Lodge] Michael, in 1860 he was a waterman living in Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He stood 6′ 0″ tall and had sandy hair and blue eyes. Apparently, he never married, although in 1860 he was living with a woman named Elizabeth but who never appears in subsequent censuses.
A Civil War veteran, he enlisted in Millersburg February 27, 1864, and mustered into federal service that day at Harrisburg as a private with Battery E, 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and honorably discharged with his battery November 9, 1865.
He is in the 1850 census as “Mitchell,” the 1860 as “Michaels,” and 1880 as “Mickels.”
In checking his Civil War records, the following was determined:
On 8 August 1862, at Harrisburg, Lorenzo Michaels enrolled in the 127th Pennsylvania Infantry, and the next day at that place was mustered into service as a Private in Company D. He gave his age as 35, his occupation as river miner, and his residence as Millersburg, Dauphin County. On 29 May 1863, he was honorably discharged at the end of his term of service.
On 27 February 1864 at Millersburg, Lorenzo Michael enrolled in the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and on the same day in Harrisburg, he was mustered into service as a Private in Battery E. He gave his age as 37, his occupation as waterman, and his residence as the Borough of Millersburg. He was 6 foot tall, had sandy hair, a ruddy complexion, and blue eyes. He served until 9 November 1865, when he was honorably discharged.
Both Veterans’ File Cards shown above are from the Pennsylvania Archives.
Two Pension Index Cards have been located for Lorenzo:
The card shown above is from Ancestry.com and notes that Lorenzo applied for an Invalid Pension on 10 July 1890 from Pennsylvania, which he was awarded. No widow applied following his death. Thew card only notes his service in the artillery.
The card shown above is from Fold3 and gives the same date for the pension application, 10 July 1890 and also does not show that a widow applied. However, both the infantry and artillery service were given as the basis for the claim.
In 1890, Lorenzo Michael reported to the Veterans’ Census both the infantry and artillery service for a total of 2 years, 4 months and 12 days. The cut from the census sheet is from Ancestry.com. Note, to enlarge, click on image.
On 5 May 1894, the Harrisburg Telegraph reported his obituary:
Death of An Old Soldier
Lorenzo Michael, a war veteran, fell over dead this morning at the residence of his son-in-law [sic], J. B. Mellon, No. 1530 New Fourth Street. Mr. Michael was about 68 years of age and leaves but one relative, Mrs. Mellon, a sister. His wife and two children have been dead for some years. He was a soldier in the late war, enlisting twice, first in Company D, 127th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and last with Company E, Third Reigment, Pennsylvania Artillery. He was a great admirer of the late Col. W. W. Jennings, commanding officer of the 127th Regiment, and more than once related an instance of the colonel’s daring in seizing the regimental colors during a hot fight and holding it aloft where the bullets whistled the thickest. He was a native of Dauphin County. The interment will take place at the stone church in Powell’s Valley, Tuesday.
On 8 May 1894, the Harrisburg Telegraph reported on the funeral:
Interred in Powell’s Valley
This morning the body of the late Lorenzo Michael was conveyed from the home of J. B. Mellon, 1530 New Fourth Street, where the death occurred on Saturday morning, to the Stone Church in Powell’s Valley, where funeral services were conducted by Rev. Mr. Garland. A score of relatives and friends were in attendance from this city. The pall-bearers were Messrs. John W. Hoerner, Daniel Smith, Daniel Handshaw and W. H. Raysor, neighbors and friends of deceased.
And on 9 May 1894, the Harrisburg Telegraph made a comment about one of the pall bearers:
Ticket Examiner Raysor at the Union Station [Harrisburg] was one of the pall-bearers at the Lorenzo Michael funeral in Powell’s Valley yesterday.
While additional research still needs to be done on Lorenzo Michael, it is clear that he spent the first part of his life, including possible birth through twice enrolling as a soldier in the war, at Millersburg. He spent the latter part of his life in the Halifax area, including Reed Township. He died at Harrisburg and is buried at Matamoras, just outside of Halifax Borough.
But, was he married and what were the names of his children? And why does Millersburg fail to recognize him as a Civil War veteran? See: Millersburg Soldier Monument.
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News clippings from Newspapers.com.
