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November 2019 Posts
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 6, 2020
A listing of the November 2019 posts on The Civil War Blog with direct links:
Joseph H. Reed of Tower City – Miner and Carpenter
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 2, 2020
During the Civil War, Joseph H. Reed served in the drafted regiment, the 177th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I, as a Private from 2 November 1862 through his honorable discharge on 5 August 1863.
Joseph H. Reed was born in Valley View, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, on 28 March 1840, the son of Abraham Reed and Sarah [Harner] Reed. He died on 29 April 1921 at Tower City, Schuylkill County, and is buried at the Greenwood Cemetery at that place.
Regionally, Joseph H. Reed was well-known as is evidenced by the report of his death in the Harrisburg Evening News, 4 May 1921:
G.A.R. VETERAN ILL A DAY, BURIED AT TOWER CITY
TOWER CITY, May 4, [1921] — Funeral services for Joseph H. Reed, 217 West Grand Avenue, Sheridan, were held yesterday morning, conducted by the Rev. Charles Shinhoff, pastor of the Reformed Church. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery.
Mr. Reed died April 29, being ill only one day from a stroke. He was a Grand Army veteran and was born in Valley View. He is survived by his widow and a sister, Mrs. Moyer, of Donaldson.
But the West Schuylkill Herald, of 6 May 1921, printed a much more extensive look at his life::
JOSEPH H. REED
Joseph H. Reed, aged 81 years, 1 month and 1 day, a well known Civil War veteran, died at 8:40 o’clock on Thursday evening at his home at Sheridan following a stroke of paralysis. He was stricken at about 5:30 o’clock and never regained consciousness. About two years ago he suffered two strokes, but had almost fully recovered and prior to the final stroke was enjoying as good health as could be expected from one of his years. The last affliction was as sudden as it was unexpected.
Mr. Reed was born in the Hegins Valley. He came to this valley about 35 years ago and resided here ever since. In his earlier days he worked at the mines. Later he worked at the carpenter trade. For the past several years he lived retired. He was one of the few surviving members of William Thompson Post, No. 174, G.A.R., a member of the Sheridan Gun Club and the U.M.W.A. of Tower City.
His widow, nee Heberling, and one sister, Mrs. Moyer, wife of Dr. D. S. Moyer of Donaldson, are the only surviving relatives. The funeral took place on Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock from his late home at Sheridan and was in charge of the G.A.R. Members of the Legion served as pall bearers.
A delegation of the Mine Workers also attended the funeral. Services were conducted at the house by Rev. Charles Slinghoff, after which the cortege proceeded to Greenwood, where interment was made with full military honors.
Joseph Reed is honored by being recognized on the Tower City Veterans’ Memorial.
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News clippings from Newspapers.com.
Henry Rishe – Blacksmith in the Lykens Valley
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 30, 2019
Henry Rishe, who served in the 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil War, died at his son’s home in Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania, on 31 December 1904. However, he spent most of his life in the Lykens Valley area, and as can be seen by his obituary, was associated with several communities, including Tower City, Millersburg, Berrysburg, and Tremont.
The obituary appeared in the West Schuylkill Herald, 6 January 1905:
HENRY RISHE
Henry Rishe, a well-known blacksmith and a veteran of the Civil War, departed this life rather unexpectedly at the home of his son, Frank Rishe, who resides at Altoona, on Saturday afternoon at 4:55 o’clock. The deceased left here several months ago. Most of his time since then he spent with his son at Altoona. On Friday morning of last week he was stricken with apoplexy. He became unconscious, lingering that way until the following day when he passed away. His family here were notified by telegram of his serious illness and his son Nelson Rishe, at once left for this bedside and was with him when he died. On Monday he brought the remains to Tower City, arriving here on the 6:30 p.m. train.
Funeral Director Dresiigacker was in waiting and conveyed the remains to his late home on Grand Avenue, where they were prepared for burial. The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon at 2 0’clock. Rev. Charles M. Wolfe, of Williamstown, conducted a service at the house. The pall bearers were selected from members of the G.A.R. Interment was made in Greenwood Cemetery.
Deceased, whose age was 69 years, one month and eighteen days, was born at Tremont, Pennsylvania, was a son of Jacob Rishe and Mary Rishe. His mother died when he was but eight years of age. He was early thrown on his own resources and when a boy he drifted to Millersburg, where he learned the blacksmith trade. When the war broke out he resided at Berrysburg. He enlisted as a Private in Company H, 192nd Pennsylvania Volunteers [192nd Pennsylvania Infantry] at the end of his term of enlistment he returned to Berrysburg.
After this he carried on the blacksmithing trade at various places, locating at Tower City about 16 years ago. Here he opened up a blacksmith shop on the site now [1905] occupied by the handsome residence of President of Council William Elliott. He later sold his business to his son, Nelson Rishe, who removed the building to Hand Street, where the latter is still carrying on the business. Of late years, owing to failing health he was unable to do much and he spent most of his time visiting his sons and relatives at various places, his family residing here [Tower City] in the mean time.
On January 3, 1861, he was married to Miss Mary A. Kines, of Perry County. Seven children were born to them, who with the widow survive, he being the first out of the family to pass away. The children are: Edgar Rishe, of Lime Ridge; Frank Rishe, of Altoona; Mame [Rishe] Anderson wife of L. E. Anderson, State Run; Charles Rishe, Nelson Rishe, Cora Rishe, Anna [Rishe] James, [the] wife of Clair James, all of Tower City.
For his Civil War service, Henry Rishe is recognized on the Tower City Veterans’ Monument.
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News story from Newspapers.com.
Death & Funeral of Frank Reiner
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 26, 2019
A brick in the path leading to the Tower City Veterans’ Memorial at Tower City, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, recognizes the Civil War service of Frank Reiner (1842-1920). There is also an engraved metal plate on the memorial itself recognizing his Civil War service:
During the war, Frank Reiner, who is also found in the records as Franklin H. Reiner, served in Company A of the 194th Pennsylvania Infantry as a Private.
There was brief mention of his death, which occurred on 19 May 1920, in both the Pottsville Republican and the West Schuylkill Herald, 21st and 22nd May 1930:
Frank Reiner, an aged Civil War veteran, died at the Soldiers’ Home, Erie. His remains have been shopped to Tower City, his former home, for burial.
The funeral was reported in the West Schuylkill Herald of 20 May 1920:
FUNERAL OF FRANK REINER
The remains of Franklin Reiner, aged 78 Years, a well known civil war veteran, who died May 19 at the soldier’s home at Erie, were brought to the home of his son Morgan Reiner at Tower City.
The funeral took place Monday morning, interment being made in the Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery at Orwin.
The deceased had been a resident of Clarks Valley and Tower City for more than 40 years and was well known. His widow and several sons and daughters survive.
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News clippings from Newspapers.com.
Francis Asbury Awl – White Supremacist, 1866
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 19, 2019
F. Asbury Awl (1837-1907) was previously profiled here in a post entitled Brothers Who Were Colonels. What was not mentioned in that post was that he had racist views which were openly professed in 1866.
After the war, Francis Asbury Awl 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.
F. Asbury Awl 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.
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