Civil War Blog

Descendants of Philip Keiser Jr. in the Civil War (Part 1 of 3)

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 29, 2011

Philip Keiser Jr. (1800-1839) was born in Pine Grove Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. He married Elizabeth Hoffman (1800-1876), a daughter of Peter Hoffman (1778-1864) and a great-granddaughter of Johann Peter Hoffman (1709-1797), Lykens Valley pioneer settler. All of Philip Keiser Jr.‘s descendants are therefore descendants of Johann Peter Hoffman [see prior posts on Hoffman family, part 1 andpart 2].

In the chart shown above [click on chart to enlarge], the oldest son of Philip Keiser Jr. is shown as Daniel Keiser (1820-1877). Daniel first married Elizabeth Matter, whose family has been previously shown to have been connected to the Eisenhower’s of the Elizabethville, Dauphin County area [see prior post on Eisenhower family]. Prior to the Civil War, Daniel supplied blasting powder to the mines and to the crew that was building the Northern Central Railroad between Harrisburg and Millersburg, and thus played an important role in preparing the infrastructure that supported the Civil War effort. The powder mill was located in Lykens Borough. When Pennsylvania was in danger of being invaded by Lee’s army, Daniel answered the call by joining the 26th Pennsylvania Infantry in June 1863 where he served as Commissary Sergeant until dismissal at the end of July 1863. Daniel also operated an inn in Lykens and during last two years of the Civil War represented Upper Dauphin County in the state legislature.

The Pennsylvania Veteran’s File Card for Daniel Keiser is shown above.

After the death of Daniel’s first wife in 1852, he married Amanda Zerby in 1855. With her, Daniel had ten known children before he divorced in 1874. There are a number of Civil War veterans named Zerby (or Zerbe), but more research is needed to determine is any of them were directly connected to Amanda. After Amanda divorced Daniel Keiser, she re-married in 1877 to a Civil War veteran John Bird (1837-1910) whose name appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument. John Bird had been previously married to Amanda Hand, who upon her divorce from John Hand, turned around and married Elias Haas.

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Three of Daniel Keiser‘s sons fought in the Civil War. All three were children of Daniel and his first wife, Elizabeth Matter:

Henry Keiser (1840-1933), also previously mentioned in other blog posts, served in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company F, for three months as a 4th Sergeant. Then he joined the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G as a Sergeant where he served through 17 July 1865, all the while keeping a diary of his experiences in the war. A copy of that diary is available at the Civil War Research Project. Excerpts from the diary have been previously published on this blog, but it has never been published in its entirety. When Henry returned to Lykens Borough, he was active in G.A.R. affairs and his name is prominently displayed on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument. he is buried at I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Lykens.

Diary of Henry Keiser

Lykens last five living Civil War veterans. Henry Keiser is at the right.

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William Keiser (1844-1921) married Ellen Hoover in Gratz in November 1865. This was after his Civil War service in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company F, as a 1st Corporal from 26 April 1861 to 31 July 1861, and thereafter in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Companies B and G, as a Musician, a Sergeant and then a Lieutenant. The cards shown below from the Pennsylvania Archives document his progression through the ranks from his enlistment in 1861 to his muster out in July 1865:

In 1880, Ellen [Hoover] Keiser died in Delaware from burns received from coal oil. William re-married in 1886 in Smyrna, Delaware.

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George Keiser (1846-1862) was the youngest son of Daniel Keiser who served. He joined the 26th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, Militia of 1863 and served as a Private. The 26th Pennsylvania Infantry participated at Gettysburg in July 1863, and it was there that he probably contracted typhoid fever. He died in November 1863 in Lykens Borough and is buried in Lykens Union Cemetery.

Click on picture to enlarge.

Part of the plaque for the 26th Pennsylvania Infantry on the Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg is shown above with the name of George Keiser underlined in red.

Click on picture to enlarge.

George Keiser‘s name appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument. There is no notation that his death was related to a disease contracted during the war.

George Keiser‘s grave at Old Union Cemetery is shown above.

In addition to the three sons of Daniel Keiser, two of his daughters married Civil War veterans. They were: (1) Mariah Keiser (1841-1908) married Joseph Dunlap (1838-1914); (2) Elizabeth Keiser (1848-1896) married Levi Workman (1844-1907). More information is sought on each of these sons-in-law. Both are included on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument.

Tomorrow, the second part of this three part series on the descendants of Philip Keiser Jr. will appear and will focus on Jonas Keiser, the youngest son of Philip Keiser Jr. and the brother of Daniel Keiser. The project is always seeking information on Civil War veterans who have a connection to the geographic area of study. Submissions are very welcome – especially stories and pictures!

Information for this post was taken from the files of the project. There is a more complete genealogy of the Keiser family in the book, A Comprehensive History of the Town of Gratz Pennsylvania.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | 2 Comments »
Tags: Bird family, Eisenhower Family, G.A.R., Hoffman family, Hoover family, Keiser family, Lykens Borough, Matter family, Railroad, Regiments, Zerby family

Rep. William Henry Miller, 14th Congressional District

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 28, 2011

The second of the Civil War representatives for the 14th Congressional District of Pennsylvania was William Henry Miller (1829-1870), a Democrat from Harrisburg, Dauphin County. As the representative from the 14th Congressional District, he represented an area which included Gratz Borough. William Henry Miller defeated Galusha A. Grow, a Republican, who was Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Miller was born in Landisburg, Perry County, Pennsylvania. His father, Jesse Miller also served in the U.S. Congress. Jesse Miller represented the same area of Pennsylvania, but in the Jacksonian Era (23rd Congress and 24th Congress). During his time in Congress he was Chairman of the House Committee on Invalid Pensions until he resigned in 1836 when President Andrew Jackson appointed him as Auditor of the U.S. Treasury where he served until 1842. From 1844 to 1845, Jesse Miller served as Pennsylvania’s Canal Commissioner. This was during the great canal era which only lasted until the railroads took over just before the Civil War. From 1845 to 1848, he served as Secretary to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, his last public office before his death in 1850.

The Miller’s moved to Dauphin County in the 1830s and young William Henry Miller attended school in Harrisburg. Later he was admitted to Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster County where he studied law. After graduation in 1846, he began practicing law in Harrisburg and Bloomfield, Pennsylvania. He served as Clerk to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from 1854 to 1863 interrupted with a stint as Clerk to the Pennsylvania Senate in 1858 to 1859.

Not much is known about William Henry Miller‘s one term in the U.S. Congress. He was certainly overshadowed by his predecessor, Galusha A. Grow, who had been Speaker of the House of Representatives. When Miller ran for re-election in 1864, he was defeated by George Funston Miller, no relation, a Republican from Northumberland County.

In 1864, William Henry Miller was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention which nominated George McClellan for President.

After his time in Congress, William Henry Miller returned to Harrisburg where he resumed his law practice and for a time dabbled in journalism. He died on 12 September 1870 and is interred in Harrisburg Cemetery.

William Henry Miller (1829-1870)

More information is sought about William Henry Miller. Anyone who can contribute is welcome to do so.

Th 1862 drawing of the U.S. Capitol Building is from Harper’s Weekly. Information about William Henry Miller is from Findagrave and Wikipedia. The photo of Miller’s grave marker is from Ancestry.com.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | 1 Comment »
Tags: Gratz Borough, Grow family, Miller family

Death and Funeral of George Washington Bitterman

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 27, 2011

DEATH OF G. W. BITTERMAN

LYKENS — G. W. Bitterman of South Second street, who on the evening of 29 March suffered an attack of apoplexy, died from its effects Wednesday morning about 5 o’clock , aged 56 years. Although rational at certain moments, when he would recognize those about him, his memory would again become a blank, and although he bore up nobly under the affliction the case was a hopeless one from the beginning. All that medical skill and careful nursing could do proved of no avail and peacefully in the presence of his wife and daughter and a few friends, he passed into the great beyond just as the first faint streaks of the newborn day were driving the shadow of night away.

George W. Bitterman was a son of Daniel and Mary Bitterman, and was born in Lykens valley, near Specktown, on 9 Apr 1845. When, about four years of age his parents moved to Lykens where his father engaged in the hotel business at the stand now known as the Glen House, then called the Railroad House, which he conducted for many years. His father died about 20 years ago, and his mother about five years ago. The deceased learned the moulder’s trade at the old Wiconisco foundry under Foster, Savage & Barrett, with whom he was employed for a number of years. He also subsequently worked at the eagle Iron Works for J. M. Hensel.

On 26 August 1866, he married Miss Sophia Feindt, daughter of F. G. F. Feindt of this place.

On 16 October 1862, he was enlisted as a private in Co. K, 173rd Reg. Penn’s Drafted Militia [173rd Pennsylvania Infantry] and served with bravery and distinction until 18 August 1863, when he was honorably discharged by reason of expiration of term of enlistment. On the organization of Co. E, 7th Regiment N.G. of Pa. [7th Pennsylvania National Guard], of this place, he was elected 1st lieutenant, and was at Pittsburg [Pittsburgh]with his company during the memorable railroad riots of July 1877. He was also an active member of Heilner Post, No. 232, G.A.R. of this place since its organization, and took a deep interest in its welfare. His valuable assistance to the Post and Relief Corps will be greatly missed, as he could always be depended upon to assume his share willingly of any work relating thereto.

George W. Bitterman is named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a Private who joined the Heilner Post after its organization.

For some years Mr. Bitterman has been a sufferer from a festering sore on one of his legs, which confined him to the house for weeks at a time, but as soon as able was out and engaged in some kind of work, being ever of an industrious disposition. At the time he was stricken, he was in the employ of Joseph Duncan, proprietor of the Eagle Iron works, and had worked up to 6 o’clock that evening. After supper he complained of pain in the stomach and a physician was summoned who prescribed for him, but later in the night he was seized with an attack of apoplexy, which finally resulted fatally as above stated. His is survived by his wife and one daughter, Jeanette, and one sister, Mrs. George W. Sponsler of South Second street.

The funeral will be held to-morrow afternoon at 2 o’clock. Rev. D. L. Mackenzie of Zion Lutheran Church officiating. Services will be held at the church, after which interment will take place at Odd Fellows’ cemetery.

FUNERAL OF G. W. BITTERMAN

LYKENS — The funeral of G. W. Bitterman, mention of whose death was made in last weeks Standard, took place from his late residence on South Second street, Saturday afternoon, and was largely attended. Services were held at the house, Rev. D. L. Mackenzie of Zion Lutheran church officiating. The funeral was in charge of Heilner Post, No. 232, G.A.R., who with the employees of the Eagle Iron works, where deceased was employed, attended in a body. The pallbearers were members of the G.A.R. Interment was made at Odd fellows’ cemetery.

The floral offerings were beautiful and consisted of a pillow by the employees of the eagle Iron works; a cross by employees of Walter Duncan & Co.’s hosiery mill; lillies by Mrs. Henry Smith and Mrs. G. Sponsler; white lilly by Miss M. Q. Miller; jassamines by Mrs. Josiah Minnich; sheaf of wheat by Women’s relief Corps. Flowerbearers, Claude bailey and Frank Stoner.

Those from a distance attending the funeral were Harry Weaver and wife, Maggie Weaver, Merrill Weaver, Riley Hawk and wife, Berrysburg; Josiah Hoover and wife, Edmund Hoover and wife, Charles Hoover, Lykens Township; Samuel Etzweiler and wife, John Kuntzelman Sr. and wife, John Kuntzelman Jr. and son, Mrs. William Lebo, Tower City; Jacob Lebo, Dauphin; Henry Myers, J. H. Fry and wife, Shamokin; Edward Hoover, Waynesville.

The family desire to thank the friends and neighbors who so kindly assisted them in their sad affliction.

EPILOGUE

Some time after 1890, George W. Bitterman began receiving an invalid pension for his Civil War service. After his death, Sophia [Feindt] Bitterman applied for a widow’s pension, which she received until her death in 1920.

Articles are from the Lykens Standard, 12 April 1901 and 19 April 1901. Copies of the complete articles from the Lykens Standard are available in the project files. The Pension Index Card is from Ancestry.com.

Category: Resources, Stories | Comments Off on Death and Funeral of George Washington Bitterman
Tags: Berrysburg, Bitterman family, Feindt family, G.A.R., Lykens Borough, Lykens Township, Regiments, Specktown, Tower City, Wiconisco

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