The obituary of ‘Squire G. W. Hain appeared in the Lykens Standard, 22 July 1904:
G. W. Hain, Justice of the Peace of Williamstown, and one of the oldest and most respected residents of that place, died at 12:40 p.m. Monday of rheumatism, after an illness of 11 weeks, aged 70 years, 11 months and 1 day. The funeral will be held this Friday morning at 10:00 o’clock, from his late home on Pottsville Street, where services will be conducted by his pastor, Rev. O. E. Stocking of the Methodist Episcopal Church, after which interment will be made in the Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, under the direction of R. W. Day & Son.
George Washington Hain was born August 18,1833 in Pine Grove, Schuylkill County. He was a son of Samuel Hain and Elizabeth [Kiefer] Hain. His father kept the Valley House at this place many years ago, where he died in 1858, and his mother in the latter part of the ’70s. G. W. was educated in the public schools of his native place, Lykens and Pottsville. His parents located at Salonico, Clinton County, then in Mt. Patrick, Perry County, next at Montgomery’s Ferry, and finally at Lykens. He drove a canal boat from Gurty’s Notch to Philadelphia for some years. He then served as brakeman and later as fireman on the railroad. In 1856 and 1857 he followed the canal with his own boat, and about this time purchased a home in Lykens with the money saved while on the railroad. In 1858, upon the death of his father, he began to assist his mother to conduct the Valley House and continued to do so until 1861. He then enlisted in the Civil War with the Washington Rifles. In 1859 he purchased a farm in what was then Wiconisco Township, and located there in 1862, teaching school in the winter. In 1864 he opened a general store in Williamstown, and four years later built a hotel (the Mansion House) which he conducted for several years. He moved to his late home, adjoining the hotel, in 1868, In 1869 he was commissioned Justice of the Peace, and served continuously in that office, with the exception of three years, up to the time of his death.
He was married in Halifax, this county, in 1855, to Miss Sarah Woodside, who died in 1864. Their children are Dr. W. J. Hain of Philadelphia, Mrs. Emma Jane Parfet of Harrisburg, Mrs. Anna Florence Edmondson of New York, Mrs. Agnes Amelia Chesney of Washington, Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Bartman of Sayre, Pennsylvania, and Charles Henry Hain, deceased. He married, secondly, Miss Lucy Whitman, of Williamstown, January 11, 1874, who survives.
Mr. Hain was a staunch Republican, and cast his first vote for John C. Fremont. He was a member of Post No. 280, G.A.R., and Lodge No. 675, I.O.O.F. of Williamstown.
Solomon Moyer, Civil War veteran, was tragically killed in 1890 while working on the railroad.
Solomon Moyer enrolled at Pine Grove Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry, on 2 September 1961. On 23 September 1861, he was mustered into service as a Private in Company B at Pottsville. There is some handwritten information on the card which gives his age at 36, born about 1825, and Schuylkill County residence. On 21 October 1864, Solomon Moyer was discharged at the end of his term of service. Unlike many other members of the regiment, he chose not to re-enlist
Death occurred for Solomon Moyer in August 1890.
From the Pine Grove Press Herald, 8 August 1890:
Killed on the Railroad
Solomon Moyer Sr., of North Pine Grove, was killed below the Philadelphia and Reading scales on Saturday morning. Mr. Moyer was a car inspector, a position which he held for many years, and that morning was making his usual rounds. He discovered a defective brake near the rear end of a train and sending Sherman Stine to place a flag on the front end of the train he crept under the car to fix the brake. Before Mr. Stine could reach the place to give the warning a car that was being shifted ran against the train with such force as to set the whole train in motion. Mr. Moyer was under the car and the axle caught him, doubling him up and breaking his vertebra. He was taken from under the cars by several of the railroaders and Dr. Seyfert, the company’s physician, summoned. He showed no signs of life and death must have been instantaneous. The shocking accident soon spread over town and everybody wore a sad face.
J. P. Martin, deputy coroner, was notified and requested to hold an inquest and empaneled the following jury: S. R. Miller; John Shaffner; Harry Eiler; Dr. A. L. Boughner; Mr. Reichelderfer and P. S. Shollenberger, who after hearing the evidence, rendered a verdict in accordance with the above facts.
Mr. Solomon Moyer was in his 66th year and a life-long resident of this place. An industrious man, who reared a large family – now all grown up an married, except Solomon Moyer Jr., who remains at home. At the breaking out of the rebellion, he was one of the first to leave the fire-side and defend his country. He enlisted in Major Filbert’s Company, 96th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers [96th Pennsylvania Infantry] and served three years. He was one of the bravest men in Maj. Filbert’s Company and was engaged in the Battle of Gettysburg, a place he frequently visited, and took pleasure in pointing out the place the regiment occupied in that great struggle.
The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, from his late residence, in North Pine Grove. Interment was made in the Lutheran Cemetery. Wolf Post, No. 203, G.A.R., of which deceased was an active member, Independent Cornet Band, Woman’s Relied Corps, and Company G, 4th Regiment National Guard of Pennsylvania attended in a body and performed the last sad rites at the grave. The funeral was largely attended.
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Solomon Moyer never applied for a pension based on his Civil War service. However, after his death, on 1 September 1890, his widow, Elizabeth A. [Getz] Moyer applied for benefits, which she received until her death in 1893. The pension information is from the Pension Index Card, shown above from Ancestry.com.
As stated in the obituary, Solomon Moyer is buried in the St. John Lutheran Cemetery, Pine Grove, Schuylkill County. His grave marker mentions his Civil War service. Additional information can be found at his Findagrave Memorial. where the above-pictured grave marker, as well as the portrait of him, can be seen.
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On 25 July 1881, the Harrisburg Daily Independent published an article entitled “Trying to Beat Uncle Sam,” in which it described the failed effort of James M. Hart, of Lykens, to provide fraudulent evidence to obtain a Civil War pension.
TRYING TO BEAT UNCLE SAM
The Man Arrested by Detective Hoopes Held for Court
Detective Harry Hoopes returned from Philadelphia on Saturday last whither he had taken the man arrested at Lykens, allusion to which was made in Friday’s INDEPENDENT. The name of the individual was James M. Hart, of Lykens. He was given a hearing on Saturday last before United States Commisioner Bell and held to $1,000 bail on the charge of presenting a fraudulent affidavit in support of a claim for pension money from the government. The affidavit in question purported to have been made by Isaac Kessler, of Georgetown, Northumberland County, Captain of Company L, 16th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, in which it is set forth that the latter had sustained the injuries he alleges to have sustained in his application for a pension. W. H. Kendall, a justice of the peace of Lykens, testified that on August 12, 1879, Hart appeared before him with the affidavit with Kessler’s name signed to it and said that Kessler authorized him to make oath to its correctness. Assistant District Attorney Brown produced a sworn statement from Kessler that he did not sign the affidavit in question; that, on the contrary, when Hart asked him to do so he refused, knowing nothing of the facts referred to.
A similar article appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot of 26 September 1881:
How Pension Claims Pile Up
James M. Hart, of Lykens, Dauphin County, was before Commissioner Bell, in Philadelphia on Saturday, charged with fabricating an affidavit in the name of Isaac Reisler, captain of Company L, Sixteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, certifying to Hart’s injuries. It was testified that Hart told a justice of the peace that Reisler had authorized him to sign the affidavit, whereupon the accommodating justice swore Hart as if he were Reisler, and two witnesses attested Reisler’s alleged signature. Reisler’s sworn statement was that he had refused to make an affidavit. Hart was put under $1,000 bail. It is said that the amount of arrearages of pension involved is nearly $2,000.
Previously, on the 20 August 1881, the Harrisburg Patriot had initially reported the following about the case:
James M. Hart, of Lykens, charged with forging the name of Isaac H. Ressler, of Georgetown, to an affidavit setting forth his claim to a pension, was taken before Judge Butler, of the United States District Court at Philadelphia, on Tuesday, on a writ of habeas corpus, and after being granted a hearing was remanded for trial, his bail being reduced from $1,000 to $250. W. H. Kendall, a justice of the peace, before whom Hart swore that he was authorized to sign Ressler’s name, and Josiah Rumberger, who witnessed his affidavit, were present from Lykens as witnesses.
The final resolution of the case was reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer on 17 December 1881:
James M. Hart, convicted of perjury in making a false affidavit in support of a pension claim, was fined $50, and sentenced to one year. Judge Butler dealt leniently with Hart, who has been in prison already about five months. The judge expressed his regret that it was not Magistrate Kendall before him instead of the defendant, for that official was really the cause of Hart’s iniquity.
According to information available on James M. Hart‘s military service, he first served as a Private in Company F, 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, from 25 April 1861 through an honorable discharge on 31 July 1861, having served the three-month term of enlistment. At the time of his service, he was 35 years old, was a miller by occupation, and resided in Lykens. Cards above and below from Pennsylvania Archives.
On 23 October 1862, James M. Hart enrolled at Camp Curtin in the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company H, and was mustered into service the next day as a Private. At that time he resided in Dauphin County, was working as a laborer, stood 5 foot 5 inches in height, had dark hair, a dark complexion, and grey eyes. On 11 August 1865 he was honorably discharged.
The Pension Index Card (above from Ancestry.com) notes that the initial date of application for a pension was 9 April 1877. This was at a time when disability had to be directly connected to Civil War service. The difference in application number and certificate number on the card is an indication that a great amount of time passed before he was awarded the pension – and the charges brought against him and his conviction explain that time difference. A check of the actual pension application files at the National Archives should have information on his fraudulent claim as well as a reapplication later when the pension awarding requirements were relaxed and “old age” became a sufficient reason for the granting of a pension. Because of the cost of obtaining the pension application files, they were not consulted for this blog post.
It should be noted also that the widow, Alaminda [Arrison] Hart, applied on 15 January 1895, and was awarded benefits. Sources indicate that James M. Hart died on 26 December 1894.
In 1890, James Hart was living in Tower City, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where he reported his cavalry service to the census.
James Hart‘s name appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a Private who was not a member of the Heilner Post at that place.
According to information found in the 1890 Civil War Soldiers’ Census for Curtin, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Line #19, there was a “Henry H. Harrison” living there who served as a Private in Company I of the 177th Pennsylvania Infantry (Drafted), for 9 months and 5 days.
No person by that name has been found in the records of the 177th Pennsylvania Infantry , in any of the pension records, or in other censuses for the Lykens Valley area.
At the bottom of the census form, Line #19, there is a notation in the remarks column that appears to be “Sick —-” (?). Note: Click on above image to enlarge.
A close name in this same regiment is Harry H. Hipple, who served as a 1st Sergeant in Company F. That veteran applied for a pension in 1892 as shown on the card below from Fold3, which also indicates that he went by an alias – and after his death, a widow applied for pension benefits. According to information on the Ancestry.com version of the Pension Index Card, the widow’s name was Lavina Hipple and she applied in 1896, indicating that the veteran died just before her application.
Was this the same person who was living in Curtin in 1890?
A check of the Registers of Pennsylvania Volunteers from the Pennsylvania Archives indicates that this Harrison Hipple enrolled at Lancaster, Lancaster County, at the age of 24.
Perhaps a blog reader can solve this mystery.
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Norman Gasbarro, Ed.D., is a genealogical/historical researcher and writer living in Philadelphia, PA. Norm taught history for over twenty-five years. He is a graduate of Muhlenberg College with a major in history and holds advanced degrees from Rowan University (NJ) and Columbia University (NY).
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