Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 17, 2016

On 27 January 1864, William A. Hershey, an 18 year old boatman who claimed he was residing in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, enrolled in the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, as a Private.  He was 5 foot, 4 inches tall, had a light complexion, brown eyes and light colored hair.  The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card (shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives), also notes that he joined from a “Recruiting Depot” on 18 September 1864, and indicates that his name was found on the muster rolls of the company and regiment, therefore not in Bates.  The file card also records his discharge date as 25 December 1865.

The General Index Card (from Fold3) for the military records of William A. Hershey states that his records are filed under the name, “William A. Hearshy.”

Although the military records are under a different spelling of “Hershey,” William applied for a pension on 21 February 1887 under the name of “William A. Hershey.”  The Pension Record Card (shown above from Fold3) shows that he did not receive a pension based on his service in the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry.  However, a widow did apply on 28 May 1898, and she did receive benefits.

The Pension Index Card from Ancestry.com (shown above), gives some additional information.  William’s widow’s name was Martha E. Hershey, and although he applied for a pension from Pennsylvania, she applied for benefits from Virginia.

In 1890, William A. Hershey is found in the Veterans’ Census for Reed Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. However, no information was given as to his military service.

The marriage of William A. Hershey and Martha Ellenora “Ellen” Hammond took place in Washington County, Maryland, on 17 August 1869.  According to genealogical records, she was the daughter of William Hammond and Eliza Reid, also of Washington County, Maryland and was born in 1852.  One of Ellen’s brothers, Clinton Hammond, was possibly born in ante-bellum Virginia, in 1858.  This Southern connection has not been fully explored.

In 1860, William A. Hershey is found in the Reed Township, Dauphin County, census.  He was living in the household of J. J. Raisner, a lock tender on the canal.

1n 1870, William A. Hershey is found in the Washington County, Maryland, census, where he was working as a boatman on the canal.

In 1880, William A. Hershey is also found in the Washington County, Maryland, census, where he was working as a day laborer.

Previously stated, William A. Hershey was in Pennsylvania in 1887 when he applied for a pension and in 1890, in Reed Township, when he was enumerated in the Veterans’ Census.

William A. Hershey probably died in 1898 (based on the date his widow applied for a pension), although no specific record of death has been seen.  If the family was living together in 1898, he probably died in Virginia, or possibly, the widow could have returned to her family after William’s death and applied for a pension from there.

Three children have been identified for William A. Hershey and Ellen [Hammond] Hershey:  (1) Mary E. Hershey, born about 1870; (2) William C. Hershey, born about 1873; and (3) John E. Hershey, born about 1876.

Several questions remain unanswered about this Civil War soldier.  Did he marry into a family that had Confederate or Union sympathies?  What was his connection to Dauphin County, other than the two censuses in which he was enumerated in Reed Township (1860 and 1890)?  What role did he play in the Civil War and why wasn’t he awarded a pension?  Are there any living descendants?

Readers who have some knowledge of this family are invited to contribute information by adding comments to this post or by sending information to the Project via e-mail.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | Comments Off on William A. Hershey – Pennsylvania Boatman & His Southern Connections
Tags: Reed Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 16, 2016

In the 1890Veterans’ Census for Tower City, Porter Township, a Robert Hunter appears on line 34 with an indication of service in the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I, as a Private from 1862-1863, for a period of 9 months.

No person of that name has been found in that regiment or company.

There is a Robert Hunter who served in the 173rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company E.  That same person also served in the 208th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I.    This Robert Hunter died on 28 June 1901, according to the Fold3 version of the Pension Index Card.  Is this the same person who is found in the 1890 Tower City census?

A search of other Civil War records produced no good matches.

There is currently no Findagrave Memorial for him in Schuylkill County.

From the numbering of households, it appears that Robert Hunter lived between Robert Bainbridge and Benjamin Charlesworth.

No other information is known about Robert Hunter.

If any readers of this blog know who this is and/or if he was a Civil War soldier, please submit the information via comment to this post or via e-mail.

Category: Queries | Comments Off on Was Robert Hunter of Tower City a Civil War Soldier?
Tags: Porter Township, Tower City

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 13, 2016

The death of Lewis F. Hummel in Shamokin on 30 November 1906 helped to bring to light some interesting information about some ties to several communities in the Lykens Valley area as well as his Civil War service.  His obituary appeared in the Mount Carmel Item on the day he died:

VETERAN OF CIVIL WAR PASSED AWAY

Lewis F. Hummel Died at His Home Early This Morning

At 3:15 o’clock this morning Lewis F. Hummel, a well known resident of town and a veteran of the Civil War, breathed his last at his home, No. 329 South Maple Street, after suffering for some time with Bright’s Disease and an affection of the heart.  Deceased was born in Muritinburg, Germany, sixty-seven years ago.  He emigrated to America in 1856, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States at Pottsville shortly after.

When the war broke out he enlisted in the Army of the North, joining the Third Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry [3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry].  He served three years in this regiment as a private in Company L, and during that time took part in many engagements, notably among them the battles at Gettysburg, Fairfax courthouse, Lookout Mountain, Wilderness, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run.

Five years ago he came to Mount Carmel and his quiet, friendly demeanor gained for him hosts of friends who will be grieved to learn of his death.

His wife and the following children survive:  Louis W. Hummel, of town; Charles H. Hummel, of Shamokin; Oscar C. R. Hummel, of Scranton; Emma [Hummel] Old, of Camden, New Jersey;

Ida C. [Hummel] Chamberlain, wife of W. H. Chamberlain, of Youngwood, Westmoreland County.

The funeral arrangements will be announced later.

A service record card was located at the Pennsylvania Archives for Lewis F. Hummel:

The card shows that Lewis Hummel enrolled in the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry at Pottsville, on 19 August 1861, and was mustered into service three days later at Washington, D.C., as a Private in Company L.  At the time of his enrollment, he claimed he was 25 years old (born about 1836), was employed as a barkeeper, and resided in Schuylkill County.  He stood 5 foot, 6 inches tall, had light hair and a light complexion.

Another record card was located for a Lewis Hummel, possibly the same person but not confirmed, for an initial 3-month service in the 5th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company H, as a Private.  This enrollment took place at Reading, Berks County, with a muster in at Harrisburg on 20 April 1861 and a discharge date of 24 July 1861.  The General Index Card to the military records (not shown here, but available on Fold3), notes that the Lewis Hummel in that regiment was mustered in as a Corporal, but mustered out as a Private, a demotion in rank, but with no reason given for the demotion.  An age of 19 years old was given to the recruiter (born about 1842), so this is possibly a different Lewis Hummel.

The Pension Index Card (shown above from Fold3) for Lewis Hummel (as Louis Hummel), for the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry, with no other service mentioned, notes that he applied for benefits on 1 November 1879, and after his death, his widow applied.  The death date on the card of 1907 is incorrect, but it is close to his date of death which occurred in late 1906.

The Pension Index Card (shown above from Ancestry.com), shows that his widow, Mary Hummel, applied for benefits on 22 December 1906, which she received and collected until her death.

Click on document to enlarge.

On the 1890 Veterans’ Census sheet for Williams Township, Post Office Williamstown, Lewis Hummel appears as a resident who served in the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry.  At the time, he did not indicate that he had any war-related disabilities.

After arriving in the United States, Lewis F. Hummel appeared in the 1860 Census for Frailey Township, Schuylkill County, where he was working as a laborer.

On death certificates for her children, Mary Hummel appears as Mary Hossler (her maiden name), who was born in Tremont.

On his Pennsylvania Death Certificate, Lewis F. Hummel‘s birth date is given as 13 October 1839, which is about 5 years later than what is actually believed to be his correct birth date.  The informant did not know the names of his parents, but did know that he was born in Germany.  The place of burial was given as Shamokin Cemetery. Pennsylvania Death Certificates are available from the Pennsylvania Archives, via Ancestry.com.

Lewis F. Hummel is found on Findagrave, as buried at the Shamokin Cemetery, Northumberland County.  However, his memorial needs to be updated to recognize the fact that he was a Civil War veteran.

Click on picture to enlarge.

Finally, although the obituary of Lewis F. Hummel states that he served at Gettysburg, the plaque for Company L of the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry does not contain his name.  This could be an error and his name should have been included, but it is possible that Lewis was not with the regiment at the time of the battle.  The National Park Service is no longer correcting errors on the monument itself, but does keep a record of the errors, and if a descendant or battle researcher can prove that he was there during the battle, he can be added to the list of corrections.  See:  Correcting Errors.

As always, more information is sought on Civil War soldiers for the Project files.  When received, the information is shared with historical societies and often posted here on the blog or added to Ancestry.com where it can be widely disseminated.  Comments can be added to this specific post or can be sent by e-mail.  Photographs are especially welcome!

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | 1 Comment »
Tags: Frailey Township, Tremont, Williams Township, Williamstown

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 12, 2016

Recently, a family member provided some new information about James Metz who was previously profiled here on 29 Apr 2014. as one of the veterans who is buried at the Soldiers’ Circle, Shamokin Cemetery, Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.

James A. Metz is also found in the records as Metze and Mertz.  He was born on 16 August 1841 in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, and died in Shamokin on 12 June 1916.  His primary service was in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company A, where he served from 12 September 1861 through 29 September 1864.  He enlisted in this regiment at St. Clair, Pennsylvania and was mustered in at Harrisburg.  At the time his residence was given as St. Clair.  There is also evidence that he served in the 39th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A, and in the 4th U.S. Cavalry, Company A, but the dates of this service are unclear.  James A. Metz applied for a Civil War pension on 18 May 1891 and after his death, his widow applied on 19 July 1916.

The obituary of James Metz appeared in a local newspaper at the time of his death:

ANOTHER HERO OF CIVIL WAR IS CALLED TO HIS LAST REST; A BRILLIANT ARMY RECORD

Comrade James Metz, one of the city’s oldest residents and best known survivors of the Civil War, died at 5:20 yesterday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. William Dorsett of Third Street, from heart failure and a complication of diseases after an illness of several weeks.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, James Metz enlisted in Pennsylvania Volunteers, Seventeenth Cavalry and served with unusual distinction through three years and nine months of the great conflict.  He was in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Chicamagua, Stone Rivers, Battle in the Clouds, Battle of the Potomac, was with Sherman on his march to the sea and served under General Phil Sheridan on his famous ride to Winchester and also under Generals Breen and Ross.  At the Battle of Stone River, Mr. Metz was shot in the knee, from which injury he never fully regained the use of his leg.

James A. Metz was born at St. Clair, Schuylkill County, and would have been 77 years of age on Friday of this week had he survived.  Soon after the close of the Civil War he came to this city and engaged at his trade as carpenter, in which capacity he erected the frame work of the present Cameron Breaker.

The Cameron Breaker at Shamokin – Framed (carpentry) by James A. Metz

Two photographs of James A. Metz were also provided by the family member:

The first photo (above) was taken at Dayton, Ohio, probably while James Metz was living at the Soldiers’ Home there.  A search of the home’s records produced the following result:

Click on document to enlarge.

The home record confirms his service in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry and notes that his wartime injury was a gunshot wound to the right knee.  However, the information in the obituary that he served in the 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry is incorrect.  The home record also states that he was admitted in 1905 and requested discharge in 1916, only a few months before he died in Shamokin on 12 June 1916.  A cross-out on the “nearest relative” (daughter Bessie Metz) and the addition of his wife, Kate Metz with a Philadelphia address, could indicate that James was estranged from his wife.  When he entered the home he had indicated that he was a “widower,” but that clearly was not the case since the pension records show that his wife survived him.

The Pension Index Card (shown above from Fold3), notes his death date of 12 June 1916 which is confirmed by the death certificate (shown below from Ancestry.com).  In addition to his service in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, his pension was also based on service in the 4th United States Cavalry.

The parents of James A. Metz are named on the death certificate.  He was the son of David Metz who was born in Pennsylvania and Mary Madison who was born in England.  His occupation was given as carpenter and “old soldier.”

A cut from the 1890 Veterans’ Census of Shamokin is shown above.  James A. Metz noted only his service in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry and in the wartime injuries section (not shown) located at the bottom of the sheet, he mentioned no disabilities from his service.

In 1880 the family was living in Porter Township, Schuylkill County.  However, he is not mentioned on the Tower City, Porter Township and Rush Township Veterans’ Memorial.

In the family picture above, James A. Metz is seated with Sarah [Hoover] Metz, who according to the family member, was married to an Auman who died young.  Daughter Bessie is standing behind.  Going back to the Soldiers’ Home record, and the Pension Index Card record, the wife of James A. Metz was Catharine “Kate” Metz, not Sarah.  So, who is Sarah?

In both the 1870 and 1880 censuses, the wife of James A. Metz is Catharine or Kate.  When Bessie died in 1931, the informant gave her mother’s name as Catharine Henry.

Thus, it appears that James A. Metz had two families, and Bessie was the child of the second family.  Clearing up the inconsistencies will take more research and will also require obtaining copies of the pension application records from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.  Anyone who has obtained those records is urged to share the information found in them.  Please add as a comment to this blog post or send the information via e-mail.

Category: Queries, Research, Stories | Comments Off on New Information About James Metz
Tags: Porter Township, Rush Township, Tower City

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 11, 2016

Jacob Hess is buried at Sweitzer’s Cemetery, Berrysburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  According to his gravestone, he was born 31 July 1841, and died 20 February 1890.  His wife, Mary A. Hess is buried with him.  She was born 10 October 1847 and died 21 March 1929.   Also buried in the same plot, and named on the same stone, is daughter Emma, and her husband John A.P. Harris.

There is a G.A.R. Star/Flag Holder next to the grave, signifying that Jacob Hess was a Civil War veteran.  However, a matching individual has not yet been located in the military records.

A Findagrave Memorial has been created for Jacob Hess and is posted on that site.  Some additional information about him, including the names of his parents and siblings, can be found there.  Also, there is an indication that he was born in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, which is where his parents lived before they moved to Halifax.  However, no mention is made of any Civil War service.

Help is requested to determine whether this Jacob Hess actually served in the Civil War or whether the G.A.R. marker has been erroneously placed at his grave.

Add comments to this post or send information via e-mail.

Category: Queries, Research | Comments Off on Jacob Hess, Buried at Berrysburg – Did He Serve in the Civil War?
Tags: Berrysburg, G.A.R., Halifax