Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 10, 2018
On 15 September 1962, at Tremont, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Aaron Eckel answered the emergency call by enrolling in the 17th Pennsylvania Infantry Militia, Company H, as a Private. When the emergency ended, he was discharged on 26 September 1862. At the time he was about 36 years old. Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card above is from the Pennsylvania Archives.
Civil War records also show that on 30 June 1863, he also answered the emergency call by enrolling in the 39th Pennsylvania Infantry Militia, Company E, as a Private, and serving until the emergency ended, when he was discharged on 2 August 1863.
In July 1899, Aaron Eckels applied for an invalid pension based on his service in the latter militia regiment. However, a pension was not obtained. A basic requirement was that service had to be at least 3 months, and it was clear that the two militia services did not total the minimum amount of time. Nevertheless, the fact that he did serve in militia regiments qualified him for Civil War veteran status. The Pension Index Card, above, is from Fold3.
Albert Eckel, brother of Aaron Eckel, and not a Civil War veteran, died on 23 October 1906, and his obituary appeared in the Reading Times, 23 October 1906, of the same day. Aaron Eckel was named as a survivor:
ALBERT D. ECKEL
Albert D. Eckel died at 7 o’clock on Monday evening, of Bright’s disease, at the residence of his son, J. Harry Eckel, 112 West Buttonwood Street [Reading], aged 77 years, 5 months, 19 days. Deceased was born 3 May 1829 at Spinnersville, Bucks County, but had been a resident of this city for many years past. He is survived by the following children: W. Brooke Eckel; G. Walter Eckel; J. Harry Eckel; Albert F. Eckel; Charles I. Eckel; and Herbet S. Eckel; Mrs. Florence Sidel; Mrs. Sara M. Esterly; and Mrs. Aimee J. Wells. The following brothers and sisters also survive: Aaron Eckel and Mrs. John A. Seltzer of Tremont; Oliver Eckel and Mrs. Maria Tice, of Muscatine, Iowa, and Mrs. Caroline Barndt, of Philadelphia. Mr. Eckel was a member of the Lutheran denomination.
On 24 October 1906, a day later, the Miners Journal reported the following death:
AARON ECKLES [sic] OF TREMONT IS DEAD
Aaron Eckel, one of the most prominent citizens of Tremont, died at his home at that place at noon yesterday, at the advanced age of 80 years. He is survived by his wife and these daughters: Blanche, wife of Dr. W. W. Stewart, a well known dentist and attorney at law, of Washington, D.C.; Maude, wife of John Conway, employed in the government service at Washington; and Effie, wife of John H. Lehman, a traveling salesman known all over eastern Pennsylvania.
Mr. Eckel was the son of Levi Eckel, a pioneer coal operator in this county, who was a member of the firm of Owen, Eckel and Colket, which many years operated an extensive operation at Donaldson. The elder Eckel was also part owner of the Eckel and Spangler tract of coal land, underlying the town of Tremont, which was only recently disposed of by the Eckel and Spangler heirs to the Schuylkill Coal and Iron Company which during the past six months bought many thousands of acres of undeveloped coal lands in various parts of Schuylkill County. The sons also had an interest in the Colket colliery.
Aaron Eckel, with his brother, Albert Eckel, of Reading, for many years conducted a general store in Tremont. Deceased, however, retired from active business more than 20 years ago, and thereafter was not actively engaged in business. Mr. Eckel was a life-long members of the English Lutheran Church of Tremont and for nearly half a century a member of the board of trustees. He was a man of the very highest character, and enjoyed the respect and esteem of the entire neighborhood. He had much to do with the early development of Tremont and the smaller towns in that vicinity.
When the above obituary was presented for publication, the writer was unaware that the brother had died the same day.
However, the Hazleton Sentinel of 26 October 1906, put the two deaths together as follows:
Brothers Died Same Day
Aaron Eckel, of Tremont, died Tuesday, and his brother, Albert Eckel, of Reading, died the same night. Telegraph messages announcing to each the death of the other passed over the wires at the same time. Aaron Eckel and brother were the sons of Levi Eckel, a pioneer coal operator, whose properties were recently sold to the Schuylkill Coal and Iron Company. The two brothers for many years conducted a general store in Tremont.
But, the Weekly Herald of Shenandoah, 27 October 1906, reported only on the death of Aaron Eckel:
NECROLOGY REPORTS ….
Aaron Eckel, one of the most prominent citizens of Tremont, died at this home at that place at the advanced age of 80 years. He is survived by his wife and these daughters: Blanche, wife of Dr. W. W. Stewart, a well-known dentist and attorney at law, of Washington, D.C.; Maude, wife of John Conoway, employed in the government service at Washington; and Effie, wife of John H. Lehman, a traveling salesman.
Finally, the Miners Journal of 27 October 1906, described both funerals which took place the same day:
AARON AND ALBERT ECKEL, BROTHERS, BURIED SAME DAY
AaronEckel was buried at Tremont and Albert D. Eckel, his brother, was buried at Reading, at the same hour yesterday afternoon. The funeral of AaronEckel took place at 2 p.m. from his late residence at Tremont. Rev. J. A. Richter, pastor of the English Lutheran Church, officiated at the house and at the grave in the Reformed Cemetery. The honorary pall bearers were comrades of Williams Post No. 136, G.A.R.,; viz: Anthony Fisher; Edward Purcell; A. R. Lamberson; Aaron Ossman; John Boyer; and H. Z. Kuebler. The active pall bearers were Dr. W. W. Stewart, of Washington, D.C.; J. H. Lehman, of Philadelphia; John Connway, sons-in-law of the deceased; and John Seltzer Jr., a nephew.
Albert D. Eckel was buried from his residence at 112 West Buttonwood Street, Reading, at 2 p.m. yesterday. Interment was made in Charles Evans’ Cemetery. The Rev. O. E. Schaeffer was the officiating clergyman and four sons bore the pall.
The only recognition of the Civil War service of Aaron Eckel was the mention of his comradeship with the veterans in Tremont‘s G.A.R. post. Nevertheless, in the report of his funeral, it was noted that he was a Civil War veteran.
Additional information is sought on Aaron Eckel and can be provided though e-mail or through comments added to this post.
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Tags: Donaldson, G.A.R., Tremont
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