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December 2018 Posts
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 4, 2019
A listing of the December 2018 posts on The Civil War Blog with direct links:
Benjamin Franklin Enterline – 173rd Pennsylvania Infantry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 2, 2019
Benjamin Franklin Enterline was born 28 November 1847 in Pennsylvania, the son of John Koppenhaver Enterline (1815-1872) and Lovina [Groff] Enterline (1817-1898).
The father was a farmer in Washington Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and by 1860, Benjamin Enterline, was working as a farm laborer.
According to information in his Civil War records, on 3 November 1862, he was mustered into service in the 173rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company K, as a Private. He served until 18 August 1863 when he received an honorable discharge.
Not much is known about Benjamin Enterline after the war. There is no record that he married. No pension application has been found.
On 31 October 1869, it was reported in the Lykens newspaper that he died of consumption at Elizabethville.
He was buried at St. John (Hill) Church Cemetery, Berrysburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. A photo of the grave marker appears at the top of this post.
Additional information is sought about Benjamin F. Enterline. Please send information via e-mail or add as a comment to this post.
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News clipping from Newspapers.com.
Civil War Blog Surpasses One Million Visitors
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 31, 2018
On the morning of 8 December 2018, The Civil War Blog surpassed one million views! The above bar graph indicates daily visits for a period of six weeks prior to reaching and exceeding the million mark.
The first post on The Civil War Blog was on 9 August 2010 and was entitled Gratz Family Civil War Stories. Regular posting began on 18 November 2010, and from then throughout the period of the Civil War Sesquicentennial, 2011-2015, an average of one post per day was published. Since 2015, an average of three new posts per week were published.
The Civil War Research Project has to date identified more than 3000 Civil War veterans from the Lykens Valley area of Pennsylvania and has collected more than 100,000 digital images of photographs and documents related to these veterans. Some of these image have been posted on the blog.
During the sesquicentennial period, two contributors provided regular posts: (1) Brian Tomlin; and (2) Jake Wynn. Brian continues to serve as web administrator for this blog while publishing own blog, Brian Beholds. Jake, since graduating from college, has his own blog at Wynning History.
From its inception the blog was recognized by Pennsylvania Civil War 150.
In 2013, the blog became a project of PAHistorian.
In 2018, the blog and its primary author were recognized with the Civil War Remembrance Award of the National Society of the Daughters of the Union. The award was given for Extraordinary Service and Commitment to the Education and Preservation of Civil War History. It was the first such award presented by the organization.
Michael Etzweiler – Veteran from Carsonville was Justice of the Peace
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 28, 2018
Michael Etzweiler (also found in the records as Etswiller and Etsweiler), was born on 15 November 1831, at Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the son of Daniel Etzweiler (1800-1878) and Christina [Smith] Etzweiler (1802-1889). He married Catherine Bordner on 27 September 1855 in Jackson Township, Dauphin County. She was born 12 March 1838 in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, and died on 5 October 1899 at Carsonville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Michael Etzweiler died in December 1893 and is buried at the St. James Cemetery in Carsonville, Dauphin County. His grave marker is shown above and at his grave site there is a G.A.R. star and flag holder.
Not much is known about him prior to his Civil War service which occurred from 28 October 1862 through 31 July1863 in the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G, as a Private. In 1860, for the census, he had reported his occupation as blacksmith, which he again stated in the U.S. Civil War Draft of 1863. What also can be noted is that when Michael Etzweiler went of to war, he left three small children and a wife behind.
After the war, the family was located in the 1880 census in Carsonville where Michael still indicated that he was a blacksmith. However, area directories of 1882, 1884, and 1886, indicate that he had a dual occupation of blacksmith and “justice.” The 1890 census provides no help as to occupation, but confirms his residence as Carsonville as well as his military service.
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The Harrisburg Daily Independent of 2 December 1863, reported the following:
‘Squire Etzweiler Seriously Ill
Michael Etzweiler, of Carsonville, who has been sick for some time, is in a precarious condition and is not expected to recover. He is well known in the upper end of the county, having been ‘squire for many years, He was in the city hospital for several weeks about a month ago.
Note: A justice of the Peace was frequently referred to as “‘Squire,” an abbreviation of “Esquire.”
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On 16 December 1893, his death was reported in the Harrisburg Daily Independent:
Death of a Justice of the Peace
Michael Etzweiler, of Carsonville, this county, died yesterday. Mr. Etzweiler was a justice of the peace for many years and a prominent citizen of the upper end. The funeral will take place tomorrow.
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The Harrisburg Telegraph, 15 December 1888, told a brief story of the generosity of Michael Etzweiler:
The Carsonville brass band will erect a hall on the land of Michael Etzweiler, facing the public road, and the people in that section are contributing freely to the enterprise.
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In 22 May 1888, Michael Etzweiler applied for pension benefits based on his Civil War service as shown on the Pension Index Card, from Fold3, above. He received those benefits until his death, whereupon the widow Catherine Etzweiler applied and received benefits until her death.
Catherine and Michael had at least nine known children, the last of which was born in 1878 and died in 1969.
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News clippings are from Newspapers.com.
Sinary T. Erdman – 50th Pennsylvania Infantry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 26, 2018
Sinary Erdman was born on 14 December 1943, in Rough & Ready, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, the son of Abraham Erdman (1818-1881) and Mary Elizabeth [Troutman] Erdman (1822-1869).
At the time of the Civil War, on 25 February 1864, Sinary enrolled in the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry at Pottsville, and was mustered into service the next day at the same place, in Company A, as a Private. He was slightly more than 5 foot 4 inches tall, had dark hair, a fair complexion and grey eyes. His occupation was carpenter and his residence was Schuylkill County. He was about 20 years old.
The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives, gives some of the information, including that he was discharged by War Department Order, 24 May 1865. Information not given on the card, is that Sinary was wounded by a mini-ball at the time of the mine explosion in front of Petersburg.
On 10 December 1865, Sinary Erdman married Isabella A. Wiest (1846-1919). With her he had at least one known child, Mary Elizabeth Erdman (1867-1938). She married Charles Henry Kessler (1866-1940) and with him had at least ten known children.
On 26 January 1869, as a result of his war wounds, Sinary Erdman applied for a disability pension, which he received and collected until his death, which occurred on 22 November 1908 in Erdman, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Following his death, the widow Isabella applied for benefits which she received and collected to her death, 24 February 1919 at Klingerstown, Schuylkill County. The above Pension Index Card is from Ancestry.com.
In the last census prior to his death, 1900, Sinary Erdman gave his occupation as hotel keeper.
Both Sinary and Isabella are buried at Zion (Klinger) Cemetery, Erdman, Lykens Township. At his grave is a G.A.R. star-flag holder.
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