Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on March 29, 2019

Charles J. Harten was born in Pennsylvania, 7 July 1827, the son of William Harten (1795-1869) and Catherine [Straw] Harten (1795-1852).

Some time before 1853 Charles Harten married Mary Wilvert, and with her had at least four known children.

During the Civil War he served in the 210th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A, as a Corporal, from 14 September 1864 through an honorable discharge on 30 May 1865.

On 11 May 1886, Charles J. Harten was involved in a railroad accident that resulted in the amputation of both of his feet. The incident was reported in the Harrisburg Telegraph of 12 May 1886:

HIS FEET CUT OFF

Awful Accident to an Old Man at Dauphin

Yesterday afternoon Charles Harten, aged 59 years old, met with an accident at Dauphin, that resulted in the loss of his feet. He went to Dauphin from Harrisburg on the Schuylkill and Susquehanna train, and intending to go home, started to walk across the Northern Central Railroad bridge, and was struck by a freight engine, the approach of which he had not seen. He fell with feet toward the track, and both were crushed. The injured man was taken to his home, at Heck’s Furnace, about one and a half miles above town, but it was soon considered advisable to remove him to the Harrisburg Hospital, for owing to the extent of his injuries and his age, it was only by the most careful nursing that his life could be saved. Here was brought here on the Lock Haven accommodation by Dr. Poffenberger, and the amputation of both feet performed by Drs. Dunott and Creswell, assisted by others of the hospital staff. This morning he was resting comfortably as could be expected.

According to the Pension Index Card, shown above from Fold3, Charles J. Harten died on 15 May 1886, which was four days after the accident. The date is also confirmed by Findagrave (which gives the date as 16 May 1886) and by a photograph of his grave marker (below).

Charles J. Harten is buried at Fetterhoff’s Cemetery, Halifax Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

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News article from Newspapers.com.

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Tags: Halifax Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on March 27, 2019

Patrick Xavier Flynn, Civil War veteran, died on 2 September 1886, and is buried at Boyer’s School Cemetery, Washington Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. His service in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, is noted on his government-provided grave marker, pictured above.

The card above, from the card collection, Headstone Provided for Civil War Veterans (Ancestry.com), indicates that the cemetery was located “at or near” Lykens. For some time it was assumed that Flynn was buried at the Irish Catholic Cemetery in Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, but the provided marker can be found at Boyer’s in Washington Township.

On 16 September 1861, Patrick Flynn enrolled in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Tuckersville, Pennsylvania, and on 22 October 1861, he was mustered into service as a Private in Company F. At the time, he was 20 years old and was born in Ireland. Other than giving his residence as Tuckersville, nothing else in noted on the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card from the Pennsylvania Archives (pictured above).

Some known facts about this veteran:

• In 1863, he registered for the draft from Branch Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and gave his occupation as miner. At the time he was 18 years old, did not indicate that he was married or single, and although he was then a soldier, he did not give that information to the draft.
• In 1870, he was living in Williams Township, Dauphin County, and working as a miner. Also in his household were his wife Mary E. Flynn, born in Ireland, and daughter Mary Ann Flynn, born about 1868, in Pennsylvania.
• In 1880, he was living in Wiconisco, Dauphin County, and working as a watchman. Also in the household were wife Mary E. Flynn, and children: Mary Ann Flynn, born about 1868; Daniel Flynn, born about 1871; Thomas Flynn, born about 1873; daughter Frances Flynn, born about 1876; Anastacia Flynn, born about 1878; and John Flynn, born about 1879.
• On 13 March 1879, Patrick Flynn applied for an invalid pension, as shown by the Pension Index Card (below).

As previously stated, he died on 2 September 1886, and is buried at Boyer’s School Cemetery, with the photo of his grave marker at the top of this post.

The widow, Mary E. Flynn, applied for pension benefits on 7 September 1886, from Pennsylvania, as shown by the Pension Index Card, shown below from Ancestry.com:

Mary E. Flynn received the widow’s pension, which she collected until her death. At the time of this writing, her date of death had not been ascertained.

In 1890, Mary E. Flynn, represented herself to the census as the widow of Patrick X. Flynn, Civil War soldier who served in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

Finally, Patrick Flynn is named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a member who joined the Heilner Post after its organization.

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Additional information is sought about this soldier. Please add as a comment to this post.

Category: Research, Stories | 1 Comment »
Tags: Branch Township, Lykens, Washington Township, Wiconisco, Williams Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on March 25, 2019

Jonathan W. Feeser was born 17 September 1824 in Pennsylvania and died on 20 April 1905, at Linglestown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. During the Civil War, he served in the 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company B, as a Private.

The Pennsylvania Veterans File Card (above) from the Pennsylvania Archives gives very little information about his Civil War service, except that his enrollment was for a period of three years. Other sources indicate that he joined the regiment and company on 2 February 1864, and that toward the end of his service his company was consolidated into the 1st Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry, and that he was honorably discharged on 13 July 1865 from that regiment.

Some time prior to 1846, Jonathan W. Feeser married Catherine Zimmerman, and with her had at least nine known children, as follows (birth & death dates approximate):

• Mary E. Feeser (1846-1919), who married a Bolton;
• Angeline Feeser (1849-1867);
• Uriah F. Feeser (1851-1913);
• Edward Feeser (c. 1853-?);
• Martin Luther Feeser (1855-1942);
• Emma Jane Feeser (1857-1949), married a Cassell;
• Katherine Feeser (1860-1928), married a Keffer;
• Anne Feeser (1861-?);
• Gertrude “Gertie” Feeser (1866-?).

Catherine [Zimmerman] Feeser died in 1900. Prior to this, on 14 July 1890, Jonathan Feeser applied for a Civil War pension, which he received and collected until his death.

The Pension Index Card (above) is from Ancestry.com.

Two brief obituaries for Jonathan Feeser appeared in Harrisburg newspapers.

From the Harrisburg Patriot, 21 April 1905:

OBITUARY

JONATHAN FEESER DEAD

Prominent Resident of Penbrook Succumbed to Old Age at 81 Years

Penbrook, April 20 [1905] – Jonathan Feeser, father of Martin Feeser, contractor of town, died of old age early this morning at the home of his son. He was eighty-one years old.

Mr. Feeser was a well-known resident of Paxtonia for many years, and all who came in contact with him honored him for his fine qualities. The funeral services will be held at 9:30 o’clock Sunday morning at his son’s home and the interment will be made at the Linglestown Cemetery.

And, from the Harrisburg Telegraph, 21 April 1905:

Jonathan Feeser

Jonathan Feeser, one of the most prominent residents of Penbrook, died of old age yesterday morning at the home of his son, Martin Feeser, aged eighty-one years.

Mr. Feeser has for years resided in Paxtonia and was held in high esteem by all in that vicinity. The funeral will be held Sunday morning at 9:30 o’clock at the home of his son. Interment will be made in the Linglestown cemetery.

It is noted that Mr. Feeser’s veteran status was not mentioned in the obituaries thus far reviewed.

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News clippings from Newspapers.com. Portrait of Jonathan W. Feeser from Military Milestones of Old Paxton Township, 1715-1946, by Nevin W. Moyer.

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Posted By Norman Gasbarro on March 22, 2019

In 2016, the Halifax Area Historical Society published a photo (above) taken in 1910 of members of the G.A.R. Post #523 of Halifax, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in its book on the History of Halifax Shoe Companies.

That photo is different than the one previously published in which a group of unidentified members of the same G.A.R. post were pictured, although the photos were taken in front of the same tree. See: Halifax Area and the Civil War.

Some of the same men are in both photos.

The Civil War veterans named in the photo at the top of this post are (left to right): Thomas Leebrick; Godfrey Sammet; Peter Koppenhaver; James Hoffman; Samuel Pottiger; Luther Pike; Isaac Lyter; John Metzger; Cornelius Waldron; Conrad Zimmerman.

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A 98-page-book, Adam H. Prenzel and Family, Master Inventor, and a History of the Halifax Shoe Companies, by Pearl Bretz Hane, was published in 2017 by the Halifax Area Historical Society, P.O. Box 562, Halifax, Pennsylvania 17032. For information on the availability of this book, contact the Halifax Area Historical Society through their Facebook Page, or write to their address.

The original photograph is part of the collection of the Halifax Area Historical Society.

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Tags: G.A.R., Halifax, Halifax Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on March 20, 2019

Charles Henry Green was born 1 June 1842, supposedly in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, although one source indicates he may have been born in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. He died in Massillion, Ohio, 10 September 1924.

On 25 January 1864, at Harrisburg, he enrolled in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry , and on the same day, he was mustered into Company B, as a Private. This cavalry company was heavily composed of men from the Lykens Valley area.

At the time of his enrollment, he declared himself to be a 21 year old miner whose residence was Dauphin County, but had been born at Eagle Hill, Pennsylvania, The only Eagle Hill known in the area was a mining community in Blythe Township, Schuylkill County, a few miles east of Pottsville.

Charles H. Green stood 5 foot 6 inches at the time, had light hair, a fair complexion, and brown eyes.

He served in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry through 18 July 1865 and was thenhonorably discharged.

On 4 September 1888, Charles applied for an invalid pension, which he received and collect until his death. The above Pension Index Card is from Fold3.

The above photo of Charles H. Green was taken late in his life. The lapel pin on his coat may have had something to do with the G.A.R..

Upon his death on 10 September 1924, a local newspaper printed his obituary:

OBITUARY

Charles H. Green was born on June 1, 1842, near Harrisburg.

When he was 21 years of age he enlisted in the 9th regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, serving the last 18 months of the Civil War.

After being honorably discharged, he made his residence at Johnson’s Corners, near Akron, Ohio. There he met and married Miss Amelia Tyler on August 31, 1868. To this union were born seven children, three of whom died in early childhood. Those remaining are one daughter, Mrs. John Smith, of Antioch, Illinois, and three sons, William H. Green, and Charles H. Green, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio; and Harry V. Smith, of Massilion, Ohio.

Shortly after their marriage they moved to Chagrin Falls. There they spent their life until death claimed the wife and mother on September 1916.

About six years ago he came to Massilion and has since made his home with his son Harry Green. He has always enjoyed good health until about four months ago. Since that time he has been confined to his bed, growing steadily weaker each day until he passed away on the morning of September 10, 1924.

Besides his children, there are left to mourn his loss, ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, also many loving friends and acquaintances both in Chagrin Falls and Masillion.

Charles and his wife Amelia are buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

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Grave marker, photos and obituary are from a public tree on Ancestry.com. The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card is from the Pennsylvania Archives.

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Tags: G.A.R.