Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 7, 2018

During the Civil War, Samuel Cogley served  with the 207th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G, as a Private.  A brief biographical sketch of him was included in Captain Enders Legion some of which is presented here (edited) below:

Samuel Miller Cogley , son of John Cogley and Katherine [Trostle] Cogley, was born 12 October 1835 in Rockville, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Samuel married Mary Enders on 17 May 1857 in Powell’s Valley, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mary was born 8 March 1833 in Wayne Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Philip Enders and Nancy [Sheetz] Enders.

Samuel enlisted on 12 September 1864 in the 207th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry regiment, Company G, at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Their first assignment was picket duty on the Bermuda Front and in Virginia, stretching from the Appomattox River to the James. On 24 November the regiment was transferred to the Ninth Corps in the Army of the Potomac and then incorporated with the Third Division near Fort Prescott. The first battle was Hatcher’s Run, where they experienced heavy fighting. Next was Fort Stedman where the fire of infantry and artillery was incessant. They advanced forward and entered the breastworks to the left of the fort, taking many prisoners and one battle flag. On 2 April 1865, the 207th formed a line of battle directly in front of Fort Sedgwick and repeated attempts were made to re-take the fort. Colonel Cox of the 207th said in his official report: “Officers and men fell on every side; my color Sergeant, George J. Horning, fell, pierced with seven balls; and three of the color-guard fell wounded by his side.” The entire loss in this engagement was 185 killed and wounded. Shortly after the surrender of Lee, Samuel returned to City Point, then Alexandria and was mustered out on 13 May 1865 with the rank of Private.

Mary and Samuel were farmers and had eleven children: Sara Jane Cogley, born 25 Mar 1858; Louise Ellen Cogley, born 21 June 1859; Emma Salina Cogley, born 7 December 1860; George W . Cogley, born 22 February 1863; Mary E. Cogley, born 17 December 1864; William R. Cogley, born 4 January 1867; Lucy C. Cogley, born 13 December 1868; an infant son that was born 7 December 1871 and died two days later; Rose Ann Cogley, born 3 Apr 1873; Charles E. Cogley who was born 17 April 1877 and died 1 April 1880; and Ada Pearl Cogley, born 14 Dec 1879.

Mary died 18 December 1910 in Noble Township, Cass County, Indiana and is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Logansport, Indiana. Samuel died 19 September 1922 in Logansport and is buried beside his wife.

Samuel Cogley‘s obituary appeared in the Logansport Pharos Tribune, Indiana, 20 September 1922:

Samuel Cogley died last night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Peter Kendall, one-half mile north of the city, on the Royal Centre Pike, aged eight-eight years.  He is survived by seven sons and daughters:  Mrs. Kendall, George Cogley, Robert Cogley, Emma Cogley, Mrs. Lois Colper, Mrs. Frank Nedd and Mrs. Adda Hedrick; and one brother, Andrew Cogley of Pennsylvania. Deceased was a veteran of the Civil War, having served in Company G, 207th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

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News clipping from Newspapers.com.

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Tags: Jefferson Township, Wayne Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 5, 2018

A listing of the October 2018 posts on The Civil War Blog with direct links

Daniel Conway – Drowned in Soldiers’ Home Lake in Ohio

John R. Hamilton – White Supremacist, 1866

Solomon Coleman – Militia Man From Lykens Township

Catholics Offer Help to Homeless From Klan Orphanage Fire

Cornelius Coleman – Supported Relief Fund During Civil War

September 2018 Posts

Obituary of Benjamin Davis of Williamstown

Obituary of Rev. Dr. G. W. Humphreys – Spoke Out Strongly Against Ku Klux Klan

William W. Davidson – Founder of State G.A.R.

Ku Klux Klan Parade at Minersville

Obituary of Charles A. Coleman – One-Day Civil War Veteran

Jacob Beller – On Staff of Commander-in-Chief of G.A.R.

George W. Bowman – Sawmill Accident Caused His Death, 1883

Samuel Clark – Not Recognized on Lykens G.A.R. Monument

Simon Cluck – Suicide in 1890

Gratz Cohen – Confederate Killed at Battle of Bentonville

Jacob Coleman – Was He a Deserter?

John C. Davis of Wiconsco – His Last Year, 1918

Memorial Day Ad Features Civil War Veteran

Charles Geist – White Supremacist, 1866

The Kentucky Death of Ezra Cockill, Formerly of Tremont

Category: Overviews | Comments Off on October 2018 Posts
Tags: Table of Contents

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 2, 2018

The obituary of Luther Samuel Pike appeared in the Harrisburg Daily Independent, 4 December 1913, which was the day he died:

VICTIM OF PNEUMONIA

Luther Pike Dies of Second Attack While Aged Wife is Ill

Special to the Star-Independent

Halifax, 4 December 1913 – Luther Pike, aged 80 years, died at 11 o’clock this morning at his home on Market Street of pneumonia.  His aged widow is sick in bed and so far  the news of her husband’s death has not been broken to her.  Mr. Pike had suffered an attack of pneumonia last year at this time but had recovered.

Mr. Pike was a resident of this town for many years and was well known throughout the countryside.  in earlier life he had held several important borough offices.  He was a retired Pennsylvania railroad employee, a prominent member of the Odd Fellows and a veteran of the Civil War.  Mr. Pike had been affiliated for many years with the Grand Army of the Republic.  Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Previously on this blog, Luther Pike was mentioned in the post Halifax Area Civil War Veterans.

During the Civil War, Luther Pike served in the 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company H, as a Private.  He was mustered into service on 21 February 1865 and was honorably discharged on 24 August 1865.

After the war, Luther S. Pike openly supported the white supremacist views of Heister Clymer by signing a call for denial of equal rights to African Americans, both those who were previously slaves and those who were previously freemen. The statement was published in the Harrisburg Patriot of 24 July 1866 and included his name, regiment, company and rank.

Heister Clymer was a white supremacist candidate for Pennsylvania Governor on the Democratic Party ticket in 1866, and was previously profiled here on 26 April 2016.

The call for a meeting of Union Soldiers was printed in the Harrisburg Patriot, 24 July 1866, along with an up-to-date list of Clymer supporters who openly supported Heister Clymer‘s white supremacist views and wanted to deny “negro equality and suffrage” even to those who had been free men before the war.

The undersigned honorably discharged Union soldiers, believing that we battled in the late war for the Union of these States, and had successfully maintained it, view with alarm the persistent efforts of radical men who seem determine, practically to destroy the Union we went forth to save.  They would have the community believe that Union soldiers are willing to give up in the hour of victory the great object to which their sacrifices and toll and blood were given….

Therefore we unite in requesting all the honorably discharged officer, soldiers and seamen of Dauphin County who favor the wise and constitutional policy of President Johnson, who oppose the doctrine of negro equality and suffrage, and desire the election of the Hon. Hiester Clymer, to meet in Mass Convention at the Democratic Club Room, Walnut Street, below Third, Harrisburg, at 7 1/2 o’clock, on the evening of the 25 July 1866, for the purpose of electing fourteen delegates to the Convention of Union Soldiers, which is to assemble in this city [Harrisburg] on Wednesday, 1 August 1866.

The Dauphin County veterans who signed the racist petition calling for the meeting were from a variety of regiments and social levels.  Included in the list were some residents of Upper Dauphin County, the area north of Peter’s Mountain – all of which is included in the geographic area of the Civil War Research Project.

The above Pension Index Card from Fold3 notes that on 7 March 1891, Luther Pike applied for a pension based on his war service and that he received the pension.  After his death, his widow Susan [Spies] Pike applied for benefits, but she died so soon after her husband that she was unable to collect.

Luther S. Pike was only one of many honorably discharged Union soldiers who openly supported the white supremacist gubernatorial campaign of Heister Clymer in 1866.  The full list of those with a connection to Upper Dauphin County will be presented over time.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Luther S. Pike – White Supremacist, 1866
Tags: Halifax

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 31, 2018

Ezra Cockill, Civil War veteran, died on 17 December 1932, and is buried at the Middleboro Cemetery, Middleboro, Bell County, Kentucky.  Two Lykens Valley area newspapers noted his passing:

The Pottsville Republican, 20 December 1932 stated the following:

Ezra Cockill Died in Kentucky

Ezra Cockill of the old time Llewellyn Branch Township family, is dead at Middleboro, Kentucky, and was buried Monday.  He was a relative by marriage of E. G. Faust, the well known retired banker of Pottsville and had many acquaintances in this section.

The West Schuylkill Press and Pine Grove Herald of 23 December 1932 gave a slightly more extensive tribute:

Former Resident Dies

Ezra Cockill of Middleboro, Kentucky, a former resident of Tremont, passed away at his home on Friday, December 9th.

Mr. Cockill was born in Llewellyn and lived for many years in Tremont.  He was employed by the P. & R. C. & I. Company as a breaker builder.

Thirty years ago the family moved to Kentucky where he operated a soft coal mine.  Mr. Cockill was married to Elizabeth Sensill of Llewellyn, who, with the following children survive:  Mrs. Allen, Mrs. C. W. Evans; Harry Cockill; Joseph Cockill; and Howard Cockill.  A sister, Mrs. Edward Faust, of Pottsville, and a brother of Girardville, also survive.

The deceased is pleasantly remembered in town, by the older citizens.

At the time of Civil War, Ezra Cockill first volunteered for service in a militia regiment, the 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Emergency of 1863), Company E, as a Private, from July 1863 to about 20 August 1863.  As shown on the above Veterans’ Card from the Pennsylvania Archives, his regular service was with the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company F, as a Private.  At the time of his enrollment, he was 19 years old, stood nearly 5 foot, 4 inches tall, had black hair, a fair complexion, and hazel eyes.  He also indicated that he was born in Branch Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.  His credited dates of service were from 24 February 1864 through his discharge, given in another record as 5 September 1865.  At the time his company was mustered out, he was absent and in the hospital at Macon, Georgia, where he had been since 18 August 1865.

The Pension Index Card from Fold3, shown above, gives an incorrect discharge date, but confirms the other information about Ezra Cockill previously given here, including his date and place of death.  It also shows that he applied for an invalid pension on 25 March 1878 and received and collected it until his death.  His widow also applied and she collected until her death.

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News clippings from Newspapers.com.

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Tags: Branch Township, Tremont

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 29, 2018

Charles H. Geist served in the 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company H, as a Private during the Civil War.  He was mustered into service on 21 February 1865 and was honorably discharged on 24 August 1865.  On 11 November 1892, he applied for an invalid pension based on his service.  The record card shown above from Fold3 indicates he did not receive benefits.  He died on 8 May 1899.  His widow applied on 18 October 1899 and was awarded benefits.  However, she also was eligible through another husband, Isaac Lutz, who served in the 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company K.

Charles Geist was briefly mention on this blog in a prior post entitled, Halifax Area Civil War Veterans.

After the Civil War, Charles Geist openly supported the white supremacist views of Heister Clymer by signing a call for denial of equal rights to African Americans, both those who were previously slaves and those who were previously freemen. The statement was published in the Harrisburg Patriot of 24 July 1866 and included his name, regiment, company and rank.

Heister Clymer was a white supremacist candidate for Pennsylvania Governor on the Democratic Party ticket in 1866, and was previously profiled here on 26 April 2016.

The call for a meeting of Union Soldiers was printed in the Harrisburg Patriot, 24 July 1866, along with an up-to-date list of Clymer supporters who openly supported Heister Clymer‘s white supremacist views and wanted to deny “negro equality and suffrage” even to those who had been free men before the war.

The undersigned honorably discharged Union soldiers, believing that we battled in the late war for the Union of these States, and had successfully maintained it, view with alarm the persistent efforts of radical men who seem determine, practically to destroy the Union we went forth to save.  They would have the community believe that Union soldiers are willing to give up in the hour of victory the great object to which their sacrifices and toll and blood were given….

Therefore we unite in requesting all the honorably discharged officer, soldiers and seamen of Dauphin County who favor the wise and constitutional policy of President Johnson, who oppose the doctrine of negro equality and suffrage, and desire the election of the Hon. Hiester Clymer, to meet in Mass Convention at the Democratic Club Room, Walnut Street, below Third, Harrisburg, at 7 1/2 o’clock, on the evening of the 25 July 1866, for the purpose of electing fourteen delegates to the Convention of Union Soldiers, which is to assemble in this city [Harrisburg] on Wednesday, 1 August 1866.

The Dauphin County veterans who signed the racist petition calling for the meeting were from a variety of regiments and social levels.  Included in the list were some residents of Upper Dauphin County, the area north of Peter’s Mountain – all of which is included in the geographic area of the Civil War Research Project.

Charles Geist was only one of many honorably discharged Union soldiers who openly supported the white supremacist gubernatorial campaign of Heister Clymer in 1866.  The full list of those with a connection to Upper Dauphin County will be presented over time.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Charles Geist – White Supremacist, 1866
Tags: Halifax, Hate