Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 22, 2019

At Georgetown, later called Dalmatia, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, a G.A.R. Post was organized in 1882. As reported by the Sunbury Weekly, 24 March 1882:

GEORGETOWN, this county, has organized a Post G.A.R., with I. H. Ressler as Post Commander; George H. Yeager, S. V. Commander; and Josiah Heckert, Chaplain. The Post numbers about twenty members. It is named after the old Sunbury Post, “Colonel James Cameron.”

According to the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Burial Card, shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives (via Ancestry.com), Josiah A. Heckert served with the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company H, during the Civil War. He was mustered into service on 29 October 1862 and served through his honorable discharge on 11 August 1865. He died on 16 December 1902 and is buried at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery in Lower Mahanoy Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.

Some additional information is found about him on the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card from the Pennsylvania Archives. He enrolled at 6 October 1862 at Northumberland County. At the time he claimed to be 21 years old, was a laborer who was born in Northumberland County, stood about 5 foot 8 inches tall, had black hair, a fair complexion, and brown eyes. In the “Remarks” section, it is noted that on 24 August 1865, he transferred from Company L of the same regiment.

According to information on Findagrave, Josiah Heckert was the son of John Jacob “Hans” Heckert (1810-1881) and Sarah [Shaffer] Heckert (1808-1958), and was one of at least eight known children of that couple. Josiah married Lydia Roschow (or Roshon) some time before he enrolled in the cavalry.

Other information on Findagrave indicates that the couple had a daughter, Sarah E. Heckert, born 11 March 1862, also born before the cavalry enrollment. That daughter died on 5 February 1863 – while Josiah was in the service! Sarah is buried at the Stone Valley Cemetery, Hickory Corners, Northumberland County, but as of this writing, a grave marker has not been seen. No other known children were born to Josiah and Lydia.

A few months later, Josiah was at Gettysburg. His name appears on the Pennsylvania Monument tablet for the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry:

A Pension Index Card was located on Ancestry.com:

On 16 May 1890, from Pennsylvania, Josiah Heckert applied for an invalid pension, which he received and collected to his death. Lydia A. Heckert, the widow, applied for benefits in early 1903, which she received and collected to her death, which according to other sources, occurred in 1925.

Research is on-going and additional information is sought about this veteran. Readers are invited to comment.

Category: Research, Stories | 1 Comment »
Tags: Dalmatia, G.A.R., Georgetown, Hickory Corners, Lower Mahanoy Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 19, 2019

On 19 April 1864, Edward Heebner, enrolled at Pottsville, in the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company C, as a Private and was mustered into service on the same day at the same place. At the time, he was about 18 years old, was employed as a boatman, stood about 5 foot 4 inches tall, had black hair, a light complexion, and hazel eyes. He served until 30 July 1865, when he was honorably discharged.

On 8 March 1878, Edward Heebner applied for a pension based on his
50th Pennsylvania Infantry service. According to the Pension Index Card (above) from Fold3, he received the pension and collected it until his death, which occurred at Germantown, Pennsylvania, on 21 July 1931.

According to information on Findagrave, Edward Heebner is buried at the Oakland Cemetery, Frankford, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. However, at the time of this writing, no photo has been seen of his grave marker.

Comparing information from the above sources with information found in publicly posted family trees on Ancestry.com, the following can be concluded about Edward Heebner:

• He was born 7 April 1846 (or 1845), at Tremont, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
• He was the son of Laurence Heebner (1815-1880) and Caroline [Reed] Heebner (1809-1886).
• In 1860, he was living in Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, where his father was working as a laborer.
• About 1867, he married Catherine E. “Katie” Moyer. With whom he had at least nine known children.
• In 1880, he and his family were living in Tremont, where he was employed as a mining engineer.
• At the time of this writing, he has not been located in the 1890 Veterans’ Census.
• In 1900, he was living in Philadelphia where he was employed as a railroad engineer.
• In 1910, he was still living in Philadelphia and still employed as a railroad engineer.
• In 1920, living in Philadelphia, he stated that he was a retired engineer.
• In 1925, in Philadelphia, his wife died.
• In 1930, he was living in Philadelphia with his son John Henry “Harry” Heebner.
• He died on 21 July 1931, as previously noted.

Additional information is sought about Edward Heebner. Blog readers are urged to submit comments to this post. Considering the number of children he had, and the death date of 1931, is possible that photos exist of him, but at this writing, none have been seen.

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Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 17, 2019

William D. Haas was born on 13 March 1843 in Perry County, Pennsylvania, and died on 5 October 1919 in South Renovo, Clinton County, Pennsylvania.

He is buried at Fairview Cemetery, Clinton County, Pennsylvania. His grave marker at the cemetery, pictured above from Findagrave, indicates he was born in 1844 (not 1843 as other information gives), and that he served in the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D.

According to information found at the Pennsylvania Archives (shown above), a William D. Hays enrolled in that regiment Company H on 20 August 1861 at Bloomfield [Perry County], Pennsylvania. He was mustered into service as a Private on 31 August 1861 at Harrisburg. At the time he was an 18-year-old laborer who resided at Benevenue, Dauphin County. On 20 September 1861 he transferred into Company D. On 18 December 1863, William re-enlisted at Key West, Florida. On 15 April 1865 he was promoted to Corporal. And, on 25 December 1865 he received an honorable discharge. The Veterans’ Card also notes that the muster rolls show his surname as Hayes.

Note: Benevenue was an unincorporated community in Reed Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on Duncan’s Island, just north of where the Clarks Ferry Bridge crosses the Susquehanna River. It had a post office of that name from 1831 to 1907, when it was discontinued.

According to the Pension Index Card from Fold3, William D. Hays applied for a pension on 29 May 1888, which he received and collected until his death. His widow, Elizabeth applied on 25 October 1919. She collected until her death, which according to her grave marker (pictured above), occurred in 1935.

According to information found on Ancestry.com, the widow Elizabeth was Elizabeth “Eliza” Lenker, daughter of Frederick Lenker and Charlotte Lenker. In 1870, this family is living in Millersburg, Dauphin County, where Frederick was a laborer.

In 1880, the William D. Haas family is found in Millersburg, where William is employed as a laborer.

On 29 June 1881, the name of William D. Hays was listed as one of the charter members of the G.A.R. Post at Millersburg:

Despite the fact that a William D. Hays is found on the charter of the Millersburg Kilpatrick Post of 1881, he is not named on the Millersburg Soldier Monument.

Therefore, based on this limited research, it has to be concluded that the William D. Hayes, William D. Hays, and William D. Haas are the same person – that he married a member of the Lenker family of Millersburg, that he was a charter member of the G.A.R. Post at Millersburg, that he served in the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry, and that he died in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, and is buried in a cemetery there.

Research on this veteran is ongoing and comments from readers would be greatly appreciated.

_______________________________

The photo of William D. Haas is cropped from a larger image found on a publicly posted tree on Ancestry.com.

Category: Queries, Research | Comments Off on Was William D. Haas a Founder of Millersburg’s G.A.R.?
Tags: Benevenue, Clarks Ferry, Duncan's Island, G.A.R., Millersburg, Reed Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 15, 2019

Joseph R. Henninger, son of Joseph Henninger (1822-1900) and Sarah [Reed] Henninger (1827-1911), died on 18 April 1933 in Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. His obituary did not mention Civil War service, but his name has been suggested as a Civil War veteran because there are Civil War records for an almost exact match to an individual who did serve.

Presented here first is the obituary of Joseph R. Henninger, which does not mention Civil War service, and several documents for the Joseph Henninger who served in the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company B, as a Private.

From the Shamokin Daily News, 18 April 1933:

J. R. HENNINGER SUCCUMBS FROM BRIEF SICKNESS

Son of Late Chief Burgess Expired at 5:30 This Morning

BORN IN DONALDSON

Joseph R. Henninger, one of Shamokin’s best known citizens, a son of the late Chief Burgess Joseph Henninger, charter member of the Friendship Fire Company and the P.O.S. of A., who worked continuously for over fifty years at the Cameron Colliery as a miner, died at his home, 316 East Packer Street, this morning at 5:30 from asthma and dropsy after an illness which attacked him last Christmas.

Mr. Henninger was born July 19, 1847, at Donaldson, the son of the late Joseph Henninger and Sarah [Reed] Henninger, the former being one of the first burgesses and tax collectors of the town. The family moved to Shamokin when the deceased was a young man and he at once became active in the interests of the city. He was one of the organizers of the Friendship Fire Company and joined Camp 660, P.O.S. of A, as a charter member. His membership was transferred to Washington Camp 30 when the other camp was dissolved. He was also affiliated with the State and Six-County Firemens’ Association and was one of the town’s most active workers in behalf of the organization. Mr. Henninger followed mining his entire life and was employed at the dangerous occupation for over fifty years at the Cameron Colliery.

On July 4, of this year, the deceased and Mrs. Henninger could have celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary, having been married in Shamokin in 1880.

In early life he was married to Miss Clara V. Esher, who survives him, together with the following children: Mrs. Charles A. Ammerman, of this city; and Mrs. Clara Bickert, of Northumberland. There are nine grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren. One brother, Monroe Henninger, and two sisters: Mrs. Pricilla Diliplane and Mrs. Elizabeth Drasher, live in Shamokin.

The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 2:00 from the home of his daughter, Mrs. C. A. Ammerman, 819 East Packer Street, with services at home and burial in the Shamokin Cemetery.

________________________________

Was this the same Joseph Henninger who served as a Private in Company B of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry?

The Henninger grave marker at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Shamokin makes no mention of Civil War service for Joseph, nor is there a G.A.R. star-flag holder at the site.

____________________________________

The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives, indicates that a Joseph Henninger, at age 18 (born about 1846), was mustered into service at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on 15 March 1864.

The Pension Index Card, shown above from Fold3, indicates that Joseph Henninger applied for a pension on 18 September 1877, which he received and collected until his death. However, no widow is noted on the card – and, according to the obituary, his widow, Clara, survived him.

At this time, these are the only records available to compare the Joseph Henninger who served in the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry and the Joseph R. Henninger who died at Shamokin in 1933.

Are they the same person? Perhaps a blog reader can give an answer.

Category: Queries, Research, Stories | Comments Off on Obituary of Joseph R. Henninger of Donaldson, 1933
Tags: Donaldson

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 12, 2019

From the Harrisburg Evening News, 1 July 1935:

MANY WIDOWS GET PENSIONS

WASHINGTON, July 1 [1935] — The widows of hundreds of men who served in the Civil War will receive pensions or increases in their grants from the Government when a bill reported favorably by the House Committee on Pensions is formally adopted. Several widows in and near Harrisburg are included:

Mrs. Lottie L. Stoner, 60 years old, f Harrisburg, is the widow of Martin G. Stoner, who served as a Corporal in Company C, Third Regiment, from February 1 1864, to November 9, 1865. Though not entitled to a pension under present law, Mrs. Stoner is incapacitated and with no private income. The committee recommended that she be given a pension of $30 a month.

Mrs. Clara S. Hopple, 74 years old, of Mechanicsburg, is the widow of William C. Hopple, who served as a Private in the Ninth Regiment from August 6, 1862, to May 21, 1863. Though not entitled to a pension, the committee recommended that in view o her incapactation and small private income of $160, that she be given a pension of $30 a month.

Mrs. Catherine Gunderman, 62 years old, of Millersburg, is the widow of Samuel Gunderman, who served as a Private in Company F, of the Forty-sixth Regiment, from February 26, 1864 to March 16, 1865. In view of her present incapacitation and lack of private income the committee recommends that she be given a pension of $30 a month, though not legally entitled to one.

Ms. Annie I. Ritz, 62 years old, of Elizabethville, is the widow of John Ritz, who served as a private in Company C, Sixty-ninth Regiment, from August 1, 1864, to July 1, 1865. In view of her small private income and illness, the committee recommended that she be given a pension of $30 a month.

Mrs. Margaret J. Rinehart, 93 years old of Harrisburg, is the widow of John Rinehart, who served as a Private in Company F, 2nd Regiment, from October 16, 1862, to August 7, 1865. The committee recommended that her pension of $0 a month be increased to $50 a month, as she has no private income and is dependent on the personal attendance of others due to her old age.

Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell, 89 years old, of Middletown, is the widow of Henry Campbell, who served as a Private in Company K, Fourth Regiment, from February 12 to September 6, 1864. In view of the fact that Mrs. Campbell is in need of regular attendance due to her invalided state and lack of private income, the committee recommended that she be given an increase to $50 from her pension rate of $40.

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