Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 26, 2016

Catherine “Kate” Pinkerton was born in 1833 in Halifax, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of George Kirby Pinkerton (1797-1875) and Margaret Mary [Wright] Pinkerton (1802-1882).  She married Hamilton Bailey, a blacksmith of Harrisburg.

Two of Miss Pinkerson’s brothers served in the Civil War:  (1) Hiram W. Pinkerton, buried at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Pottsville, and (2) George Arthur Augustus Pinkerton, buried at Methodist Cemetery in Wiconisco. Research is still ongoing on the brothers and information on them will be presented at a later date.

The obituary of Hamilton Bailey appeared on 2 May 1913 in the Harrisburg Patriot:

HAMILTON BAILEY DIES FROM STROKE

Veteran Business Man Succumbs to Stroke While Enjoying Usual Health

Hamilton Bailey, a well known retired business man of this city, died at his home, 126 Locust Street [Harrisburg], at 5 o’clock yesterday morning as the result of a severe stroke of apoplexy Wednesday morning.  Mr. Bailey’s death was sudden despite the fact that he was within a few weeks of being 80 years old.  Up until the time he was seized with the apoplexy he was in remarkable health for his age.

Mr. Bailey was a resident of this city from Civil War days.  In that time he was a blacksmith by trade and later became the inventor of the Eureka Coal Wagon, a type used all over the United States.  He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, 8 June 1833, and when a youth came to this country with his parents.

He came to this city in 1863 and set up as a blacksmith and coach maker.  His knowledge of his trade led him to invent the Eureka Coal Wagon, and after it was patented he established a plant in this city to manufacture them.  He has built thousands of these wagons, and they are used extensively in large cities and country towns.  Up until fifteen years ago he was active in business, but at that time, his son, Arthur H. Bailey, County Treasurer, was taken into the business.

Mr. Bailey was married to Miss Katherine Pinkerton, of Halifax Township.  His wife died in 1902.  Two children, Arthur H. Bailey, Dauphin County Treasurer, and Miss Minnie E. Bailey, survive.  Four grandchildren, the children of Dr. M. R. Bailey, a deceased son of Mr. Bailey, survive.  They live in East Peoria, Indiana.

Mr. Bailey was a member of Pilgrim Commandery, No. 11, F. and A. M., and the local order of Heptasophs.  He was a member of Grace Methodist Church.

The funeral services will be held from the home at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon.  The funeral in all probability will be in charge of the Harrisburg Lodge of Masons.  The Rev. Dr. John D. Fox, Pastor of Grace Methodist Church, will officiate.  Interment will be in Harrisburg Cemetery.

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The obituary is from the on-line resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | 1 Comment »
Tags: Halifax Township, Wiconisco, Women

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 24, 2016

Wouldn’t you like to know more about these newspaper people who died in 1913?

From the Harrisburg Patriot, 8 August 1913:

MINE OWNER DIES

Norristown, Pennsylvania, 7 August 1913 — Henry L. Acker, a wealthy mine owner of Colorado, died at the home of his sister here today at an advanced age.  He went West in the early eighties.  He returned here every winter.  During the Civil War he was postmaster at Pottsville, and also published a newspaper at that place.  A son, E. O .C. Acker, is assistant superintendent of the Bethlehem Steel Works.

No doubt, his newspaper was read during the Civil War by residents in the Western part of Schuylkill County.

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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 9 January 1913:

JAMES M. MILLER DIES, AGED 78 YEARS

One of the Oldest Newspaper Men of the City Succumbs to Heart Trouble

James M. Miller, secretary of the Telegraph Printing Company, and one of the older newspaper men of the city, died yesterday afternoon at 2:40 o’clock at his home, 1219 North Sixth Street.  Death was due to heart trouble.

Mr. Miller was born at Shippensburg 78 years ago and spent his early youth there.  For a number of years he published a newspaper in that town but at the close of the Civil War came to this city where he has since lived.  He was employed on the Telegraph as local editor, a position at that time which meant that he handled all the city news.

About 1867 Mr. Miller took a position in the business office, where he remained until he retired from the service several years ago.  At the time the Telegraph was incorporated he became Secretary of the company which office he held at the time of his death.

Always of a genial and kindly disposition, Mr. Miller was known for his keen yet kindly wit.  Friends called him “squire” as a title of affection, but he never held office, although a lifelong Republican.  He was a member of the Explorers Club, the famed camping club of this city in other days.

During his entire life here Mr. Miller was prominently connected with Bethlehem Lutheran Church and was identified with much effective, quiet charity work throughout the city.  Surviving him is his wife.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 o’clock at the house, the Rev. J. Bradley Markward officiating.  Burial will be made in the Harrisburg Cemetery.

The Telegraph was one of the major post-Civil War newspapers of Harrisburg.

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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 19 February 1913:

NEWSPAPER WOMAN DEAD

Washington, 18 February 1913 — With the funeral tomorrow of Miss Emmaline C. Upham, who died yesterday, aged 79 years, will pass one of the best known newspaper women in the country.  Miss Upham for 35 years was a society reporter and throughout that time was well known to the various occupants of the White House and in official and diplomatic social circles in the national capital.  Her experience began before the Civil War and her last newspaper work was done about five years ago.  She was a contributor to magazines.

This obituary was previously featured here on this blog on 19 June 2015, Obituaries of Some Civil War Era Women.

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News articles are from the on-line resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Some Interesting Newspaper People Who Died in 1913
Tags: Women

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 22, 2016

The second mural in the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is found on 8th Street between Chestnut Street and Market Streets in Philadelphia and has a Civil War theme.  It is painted on the west-facing wall on the side of a building behind a parking lot.

According to the painted “plaque” in the lower right corner of the mural, it was designed and painted by Jared Bader.  Its title is “A People’s Progression Toward Equality.”

This is the second mural created by the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates with funding from Lincoln Financial Group in honor of its 100th anniversary.

The mural explores the legacy of Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery by presenting an allegory of the way African American culture has been woven into the fabric of American life and President Lincoln’s role in this process.  Light and shadow playing against the characters in the scene hints not only at the historical struggle for civil rights, but also the way in which Abraham Lincoln has been molded into a figurehead for civil rights issues.

Special thanks are given to the Parkway Corporation, 714 Holdings, LLP, Center City District, and the City of Philadelphia.  At the bottom of the plaque, the location of the first mural is given.

A close-up of the portion of the mural showing Abraham Lincoln is shown above.

The mural is set amid parking lots, an entrance to the subway concourse, a fast food restaurant, and other buildings, some of which have seen better days and are today either planned for new uses or could possibly be demolished for new construction.  The real estate is prime in Center City Philadelphia;  the location is between City Hall (at 13th Street), the Independence Historical Site (at 6th Street), and Market East (at 11th Street), now re-named Jefferson Station, a rail transportation center.  This could result in the loss of this mural at some point in the not so distant future.  The Mural Arts Program sponsors have long recognized that these works of art are for the present and that future uses of the sites could result in the covering or destruction of the murals.  This has happened in many cases as the city’s construction boom continues.

It is only a matter of time before the parking lot in front of the mural is replaced with a high rise building – thus obscuring or destroying the mural.

One of the original buildings on the parking lot site was the home of Siegmund Lubin (1851-1923) as is noted by the historical marker in view looking south on 8th Street.  Lubin is recognized as a motion picture pioneer and a famed movie mogul.  His optical shop was located here.

Another building on the parking lot site was the studio of Robert Cornelius, a metallurgist and brass founder who opened a photographic studio 21 years before the Civil War, and who, with Paul Beck Goddard conducted experiments to reduce image exposure times making it possible to use the camera to create portraits.  The view is looking north on 8th Street and the multi-story older building on the left is on the north side of Market Street.  The building on the right is a two-story fast food restaurant.

For more information about the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, go to their web site.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Philadelphia Mural Has Civil War Theme
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, African American

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 19, 2016

Additional information is sought on the following African American Civil War veterans:

From the Harrisburg Patriot, 21 April 1913:

JAMES E. DENT

James E. Dent, aged 72 years, died Saturday morning at his home, 1102 North Cameron Street [Harrisburg] after a long illness.  He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic Post No. 520 and a Civil War veteran.  He is survived by his wife and the following children:  Helen Dent, Anna Dent, Lizzie Dent, Charles Dent, and Claude Dent.  The funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at his late home the Rev. J. Francis Lee, Pastor of the Wesley Union A. M. E. Church, officiating.  Interment will be made in the Lincoln Cemetery.

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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 29 April 1909:

DEAD AT AGE OF 93

Joseph J. Johnston, Oldest Colored Resident, Succumbs to Old Age

After a short illness of apoplexy, Joseph J. Johnston, the oldest colored resident of Harrisburg, died yesterday morning at 7:45 o’clock at the residence of his nephew, 745 Cumberland Street, where he made his home.  He was aged 93 years, seven months and nineteen days.  Death was due to old age.

Johnston was born in Harrisburg in 1816, and with the exception of the time he served in the Civil War, he resided here all his life.  He was born on State Street, between Third and Fourth Streets, now occupied by the Capitol.  He enlisted in Company G, Twenty-fourth Richmond Regiment.  He was discharged 1 October 1865.

The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock from his home and the services will be conducted by Rev. John Fukua, of this city.  Interment will be made in the Lincoln Cemetery.

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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 24 June 1909:

Death of John M. Johnson

John M. Johnson, 66 years old, a veteran of the Civil War, died at this residence, 128 Ridge Street [Harrisburg], at 7 o’clock, Tuesday morning.  He had been in poor health for several months and two weeks ago had an attack of apoplexy from which he suffered until his death.  He was a member of the G. U. I. O. O. F., and the Colored Masons, of which he was a member will have charge of the funeral which will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock.  The services will be conducted by Rev. Mr. Fartrea of the Monumental A. M. E. Church and interment will be made in the Lincoln Cemetery.

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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 20 February 1914:

DEAD AT 111

Camden, New Jersey – 19 February 2014 — Theodore Harris, colored, whose funeral was held here today was 111 years old when he died, according to War Department records.  He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, 13 February 183.  Harris was a veteran of the Civil War and received a pension.

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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 2 January 1912:

James C. Greenley

James C. Greenley, aged 66 years, a Civil War veteran, died at his home, 1336 Fulton Street [Harrisburg], Sunday night.  He was a member of the Fifth Massachusetts Cavalry. He is survived by one sister, Mrs. Anna Greenley Bradley.  The funeral services will be held at the Harris A. M. E. Zion Church Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock.  The Rev. W. H. Marshall, pastor of the church, will officiate, and burial will be made in Lincoln Cemetery.

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Obituaries are from the on-line resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | 1 Comment »
Tags: African American

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 17, 2016

The name of Patrick Fay appears on the original Charter for the Millersburg G.A.R. Post, later named “Kilpatrick Post.”  However, Patrick Fay does not appear on the Millersburg Soldier Monument.

Previously here, it was mentioned that another charter member of that G.A.R. Post, Charles T. Dechant, also does not appear on the monument.  At that time, it was stated:

“Official” representations continue to convey the impression that only 126 men from Millersburg and Upper Paxton Township served in the Civil War.

Since that blog post, it has been learned that both the V.F.W. in Millersburg and individuals are researching the omitted names to determine why they were omitted and to determine how they can be recognized going forward.  One of the individuals pursuing the additional names is National Park Service Guide and Historian Britt Charles Isenberg, a graduate of Millersburg Area High School, who presented a program at Millersburg on 11 November 2015.

For Patrick Fay, the first step is to determine his Civil War service.

Two Pension Index Cards for a person named Patrick Fay have been located on Fold3.  The first card, for a Patrick Fay who served in the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company K, shows that his mother applied for a pension in 1863.  That one can be eliminated [he could not have been alive in the 1880s to help found the Millersburg G.A.R.].  The second card, shown below, is for a Patrick Fay who served in the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company H.

These facts on the Pension Index Card are noted:  (1) Patrick Fay served from 28 August 1863 through 31 May 1965; (2) He applied for a pension on 4 August 1876, which he apparently received; (3) No widow applied, indicating that he was either unmarried or his wife preceded him in death; and (4) He died in 1905.

The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card (shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives), indicates that Patrick Fay was drafted, that he was mustered into service at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and that he was 20 years old (born about 1845) at the time of enrollment.

One final fact has been found.  In the 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War, by Richard E. Matthews, there is the following, describing the Battle of the Wilderness, 5 May 1864:

Surgeon Harshberger was kept busy at his dressing table “until long after midnight.”  Stretcher bearers removed the shattered bodies from the ambulances placing them on the ground outside the hospital tent.  Twenty-year old Patrick Fay, a substitute, was one of the many casualties with arm and leg wounds.  His was a musket ball wound through the left thigh….

No person with matching military record has been found in the 1890 Veterans’ Census. It is possible that the person who served in the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry has been mis-filed under a different name, but he should appear somewhere in 1890 because he died in 1905.

So, is this the correct Patrick Fay, who apparently was born about 1845 and died 1905?

Research is still ongoing to determine whether this is the correct Patrick Fay.  No doubt there was a Patrick Fay who served in the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry and was wounded.  But does this Patrick Fay have a connection to Millersburg or was there another?

Help is sought in making a connection to Millersburg with anyone named Patrick Fay and a soldier who served in the Civil War.  Comments are invited or send the information via e-mail.

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Addendum

Two additional Pension Index Cards are shown below (from Ancestry.com), each showing service through a state other than Pennsylvania, but pension application made while living in Pennsylvania.  Assuming that the Patrick Fay who served in the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry is not the one associated with Millersburg, the clues in the cards below may lead a researcher to the correct one.

There are probably others who may fit, in some way, the Patrick Fay with the actual Millersburg connection.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | Comments Off on Why is Patrick Fay Not Named on the Millersburg Monument?
Tags: G.A.R., Millersburg, Upper Paxton Township