Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 30, 2018

Elias Dilfield, also found in the records as William Elias “Eli” Dilfield, died in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, on 1 December 1915.

From the Reading Times, 13 December 1915:

ELIAS DILFIELD DEAD

Retired Hotel Keeper Succumbs at 710 North Sixth Street

Elias Dilfield, a retired hotel keeper, died at 10:30 p.m. Saturday at his residence, 710 North Sixth Street, of complications following an illness of three weeks.  He was born in Uniontown [Pillow], Dauphin County, but resided many years at Gettysburg.  He came to this city six years ago.  Mr. Dilfield was a member of the First Reformed Church, the Masons, the Elks and Fraternal Order of Eagles, of Gettysburg; the Red Men and I.O.O.F. of Tremont.  He was also a member of the G.A.R.  There survive his wife, Ellen V. [nee Keiser] Dilfield and these children:  John C. Dilfield, Tremont; Elmer E. Dilfield, Mrs. W. G. Wertley, and Mrs. H. G. Dutter, Reading.  Two brothers:  Riley Dilfield, of Reading; and Joseph Dilfield, of Topeka, Kansas.

Also, from the Adams County Independent (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), 17 December 1915:

Elias Dilfield, until six years ago a resident of Gettysburg, and at the time of his death a member of a number of local organizations, died in Reading on Saturday evening after a long illness.  He was aged 73 years.  Mr. Dilfield was born in Berks [sic] County.  About sixteen years ago he came to Gettysburg and for ten years conducted the wholesale liquor store on Baltimore Street.  He moved to Reading upon selling out his business here.  He was a member of Corporal Stella Post, Good Samaritan Lodge, Gettysburg Lodge of Elks, and an honorary member of the Gettysburg Aerie, Fraternal Order of Eagles.  He leaves a wife and several children.  Funeral was held in Reading on Wednesday afternoon.

Previously on this blog, a brief mention was made of him and his military service:

Occupation:  Saddler and Hotel Keeper.

Service: 9^th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company B, Private and Saddler.  Mustered In: 22 February 1864     Mustered Out: 28 July 1865.

Born in Pillow but Lived in Mifflin Township, Hegins Township, Shamokin, Tremont and Reading.  Married: Ellen McClain.  Married: Sarah Ellen “Sallie” Hoffa.  Married: Ellen V. Keiser.

Buried: Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Additional information about him can be found in a Schuylkill County Biography, page 645.

_________________________________

News clippings from Newspapers.com.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Obituary of Elias Dilfield – Born in Pillow, Died in Reading
Tags: Hegins Township, Mifflin Township, Pillow, Tremont

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 28, 2018

James Dempsey, a Civil War veteran who served in the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company F, as a Private, died on19 December 1905 in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.  His obituary appeared in the Miners Journal, 21 December 1905:

DEATH OF JAMES DEMPSEY

James Dempsey Sr., of Glen Carbon, died on Monday morning after a long illness.  Mr. Dempsey was an old resident of the above-named place and was highly esteemed.  He was a loyal soldier during the Civil War, having been seriously wounded on the field of battle.  He was also an experienced and practical miner by occupation, having been a fire boss for a number of years at the now abandoned Richardson Colliery, serving as such under John Maguire, former Division Superintendent, who was at that time employed as inside foreman at the colliery.  The following survive Mr. Dempsey:  Kate Dempsey, of Philadelphia; Mrs. Curtis, Lizzie Dempsey, and Joseph Dempsey, of New York; James Dempsey Jr.,, Martin Dempsey, and Mrs. Bernard Koons, of Glen Carbon.  The funeral will take place Friday morning, with services in St. Kyran’s Church, Heckscherville.

According to information on his Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives, a “James Demsey,” 21 years old and born in Ireland, enrolled at Pottsville on 26 January 1865 and was mustered into service on the same day in Company F, 48th Pennsylvania Infantry.  He was 5 foot 7 inches tall, had sandy hair, a light complexion, and gray eyes.  He was listed as a recruit, and was discharged by direction of the War Department on 3 May 1865, although the card also states that he was discharged on 7 June 1965.

The injuries referred to in the obituary do not appear to have seriously disabled him enough for his to be able to apply for a pension immediately upon discharge.

A pension application was made on 16 December 1879.  He received benefits and collected them until his death, which is recorded on the Pension Index Card (above from Fold3).

Writing on his blogspot for the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry, John David Hoptak gives the following additional information about James Dempsey:

Less than two-and-a-half months after joining the regiment, Dempsey was among the 90 casualties the 48th sustained charging Fort Mahone on that fateful April 2, 1865, at Petersburg. He was wounded in the right thigh, and injury described as “severe.” He would recover, however, and on 7 June1865, by order of the War Department, he was discharged from the service….

For the story of the battle in which he was injured, see:  On This Date, 2 April 1865.

Hoptak also provides a picture of James Dempsey in his Civil War uniform:

In 1890, James Dempsey appears in the census for Foster and Barry Townships, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

___________________________________

News clipping from Newspapers.com.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Obituary of James Dempsey – Formerly of Barry Township
Tags: Barry Township, Foster Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 26, 2018

Henry S. “Harry” Dutter, Civil War veteran died in February 1904 in Tremont, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and is buried at the Mount Annville Cemetery, Annville, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.  As he was well known throughout the region, the notice of his death appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on 18 February 1904:

Railway Veteran Dies at Post

POTTSVILLE, Pennsylvania, 17 February [1904] – With but two months to serve until his retirement, Henry Dutter, aged 69, for many years an employee of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company, died suddenly in his watch-box at Tremont this afternoon.  He was a former passenger and freight agent at that place.

Another newspaper, the Reading Times, 19 February 1904, also reported his death:

Henry Dutter, 69 years old, a veteran employee of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company, dropped dead in a watch box at Tremont Wednesday afternoon.

With but two months to serve until his retirement, Henry Dutter, aged 69 years, for many years an employee of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company, died suddenly in his watch box at Tremont.  He was a former passenger and freight agent at that place.

And also, the Mt. Carmel Item, 18 February 1904:

Dead at His Post

Harry Dutter, a watchman for the Reading Railway at Tremont, was found dead in his watch-box shortly after noon yesterday.  Not coming home for dinner at the usual time his wife sought him and found him on his chair, apparently asleep.  He was 69 years old.

On 13 August 1862, Henry S. Dutter was mustered into Civil War service at Harrisburg in the 127th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company E, as a Private, as shown on the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card (above), from the Pennsylvania Archives.  He was 28 years old at the time and was probably living in Lebanon, which is where he enrolled.  He served honorably and was mustered out with his company on 29 May 1863.

After the war, Henry Dutter moved to Tremont where he was employed by the railroad.

According to the Pension Index Card from Fold3 (above), Henry applied for an invalid pension on 24 March 1897, which he received and collected until his death – after which his widow, the former Susanna Doyle, applied and received until her death.

__________________________________________

News clippings are from Newspapers.com.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Henry S. Dutter – Died at Railroad Watch Post, 1904
Tags: Tremont

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 22, 2018

Once to Every Man and Nation

Text:  James Russell Lowell (1819-1891)

Tune:  John Zundel (1815-1882)

1 Once to ev’ry man and nation
Comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth and falsehood,
For the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision,
Off’ring each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever
‘Twixt that darkness and that light.

2 Then to side with truth is noble,
When we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
And ’tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses
While the coward stands aside.
Till the multitude make virtue
Of the faith they had denied.

3 By the light of burning martyrs,
Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calv’ries ever
With the cross that turns not back;
New occasions teach new duties,
Ancient values test our youth;
They must upward still and onward,
Who would keep abreast of truth.

4 Tho’ the cause of evil prosper,
Yet the truth alone is strong;
Tho’ her portion be the scaffold,
And upon the throne be wrong;
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
Keeping watch above His own.

_______________________________________

From:  Hymnary.

Category: Culture, Reflections | Comments Off on Once to Every Man and Nation
Tags:

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 21, 2018

On 4 September 1874, Simon H. Clouser was assassinated while serving as Police Chief of Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

Previously, a brief mention was made of his Civil War service:

Simon H. Clouser (1842-1874, also known as “Simon H. Clauser,” is buried in the Clauser Cemetery, Branch Township, Schuylkill County.  He received several promotions until he achieved the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant at the Headquarters of the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry.  His wife’s name was Sarah J. and his enrollment in the infantry was at Pottsville.

The article (shown above), from the Evening Star (Washington, DC), indicates the circumstances of his killing:

A Chief of Police Shot

Hazleton, Pennsylvania, 5 September 1874 – Simon H. Clauser, chief-of-police, was killed last night by a German named George Lapp, who was drunk in the streets and firing pistol shots.  Clauser attempted to arrest Lapp when the fatal shot was fired.  Clauser was an estimable citizen, a member of the Masonic order and Grand Army of the Republic.  The greatest excitement prevailed and threats of lynching were made.

______________________________

News clipping from Newspapers.com.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Simon H. Clouser – Assassinated While Serving as Police Chief of Hazleton
Tags: Branch Township