Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 9, 2018

Aaron Bressler‘s name appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a Corporal from the Lykens area who never joined the Heilner G.A.R. Post at that place.  Aaron Bressler was the son of John Bressler (1809-1886) and Susannah [Light] Bressler (1810-1875) and was born in Mifflin Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 27 November 1842.

On 25 September 1861, Aaron Bressler enrolled at Harrisburg in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and on 7 October 1861 he was mustered into service as a Private in Company B, at Harrisburg.  At the time, he was 19 years old, stood 5 foot 3 inches in height, had black hair, a dark complexion, and black eyes.  He gave his occupation as plasterer and his residence as Dauphin County.  The Veterans’ File Card (above) from the Pennsylvania Archives notes that on 1 September 1862 he was promoted to the rank of Corporal.  On 9 December 1862, he was discharged on a Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability.

Whatever reason for his discharge, the disability was not serious enough for Aaron Bressler to apply immediately for pension benefits.  However, on 11 May 1878, he did apply and received the benefits, which he collected until his death, which occurred on 12 August 1902.  Following his death, his widow applied and she received benefits until her death, which occurred in 1931.

Aaron Bressler married Mary E. Penrose (1846-1931) and with her had at least six known children.

Late in life, Aaron Bressler and Mary [Penrose] Bressler moved to Canton, Ohio.

Lykens Valley area newspapers reported on two trips that Aaron made back to the area of his birth.

On 22 September 1899 the West Schuylkill Herald (Tower City, Pennsylvania) printed the following:

Aaron Bressler, of Canton, Ohio, visited his brother Riley Bressler at this place.  He came east to attend the G.A.R. Encampment at Philadelphia.

On 27 September 1901, the Lykens Standard reported:

Aaron Bressler and wife of Canton, Ohio, were called here on account of Mrs. Charles Moyer, his sister, who is at the point of death.  Mr. Bressler served as an aid to the Chief Marshall during McKinley’s burial.  We were glad to see and shake hands with them again.  They will stay a few weeks.

After his death in 1902, Aaron F. Bressler was buried in Canton, Stark County, Ohio:

Additional information about Aaron Bressler can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.

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Tags: G.A.R., Lykens, Mifflin Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 8, 2018

A 1904 picture post card view of the house in which Jennie Wade was shot at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

For a story about Jennie Wade previously posted here, see:  Midwives and the Civil War.

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Image provided by Debby Rabold, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from a family collection.

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Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 7, 2018

From the Harrisburg Telegraph of 5 March 1881, comes the following detailed story of the death (by suicide) of Civil War veteran Frederick Bellon:

The Lykens Suicide

The Lykens Register gives us the following particulars of the suicide in that place on Wednesday:

“Frederick Bellon, a young unmarried man, who lived with his mother on North Street, this borough, came to a terrible en by his own hand between 11 and 12 o’clock on Wednesday night.  He was found in an attic room at his home with the top of head blown off and his brains and scull scattered about the floor.  A Springfield breech-loading rifle near by did the bloody work, and death must have been instantaneous, the muzzle of the fire-arm having evidently been placed in his mouth before it was discharged.  The case is a sad one — too sickening to detail in all its horror.  Bellon was a member of Captain Myers’ military company and took his gun home to put it in condition for the trip to Washington with the company; meanwhile, being addicted to very intemperate habits, he was attacked with mania-a-putu, which drove him to take his life.  One or two men who attempted to secure the weapon were shot at and narrowly escaped.  When found the unfortunate man had all his clothes on, but was in his bare feet.”

At the time of the Civil War, 27 August 1864, Frederick Bellon at age 19, enrolled in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Harrisburg.  On the same day and at the same place, he was mustered into service as a Private in Company B, which was heavily composed of men from the Lykens Valley area.  He gave his residence at the time as Schuylkill County, his occupation as carpenter, and his place of birth as Germany.  He stood 5 foot 6 inches tall, had a dark complexion, hazel eyes and black hair.  Records of the regiment indicate that he was discharged by General Order on 29 May 1865, after which he settled in Wiconisco Township, Dauphin County, where he lived with his mother and worked as a carpenter.

At his death, he was buried at the Union Cemetery in Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  However, at this time of the writing of this blog post, his grave marker was not seen or photographed and he does not have a Findagrave Memorial.

However, the name of Fred Bellon does appear on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument:

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Tags: Lykens, Wiconisco Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 6, 2018

M. W. Bowers is named on the Millersburg Soldier Monument found at Market Square, Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  M. W. Bowers has been found to be Michael W. Bowers who is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, Millersburg.  Above is the application for a government-provided headstone for his grave.  Michael W. Bowers died on 20 April 1869.  The contract for the headstone was dated 21 January 1883 and the competed stone was delivered to the Oak Hill Cemetery,  The stone, if still in place, has not been photographed and placed on his Findagrave Memorial.

On 4 May 1861, at Perry County, Pennsylvania, Michael W. Bowers enrolled and assigned to the 7th Pennsylvania Reserves, also known as the 36th Pennsylvania Infantry.  At Washington, D.C., on 27 July 1861, he was mustered into service as a Private in Company B.  At the time he joined, he was a 19-year old painter from Millersburg who stood 5 foot 6 inches tall, dark hair, light complexion, and grey eyes.  According to the Veterans’ File Card (above) from the Pennsylvania Archives, he was mustered out of service on 16 June 1864.

In checking the Pension Index Cards on Fold3, no card was found for anyone applying under that service, including a widow or minor children.

In 1850, a 7-year old Michael is living with his mother, Ann Bowers, who appears to be a widow.

In 1860, M. W. Bowers, age 17 and single, is working as a laborer, still living with his widowed mother.

As previously stated, Michael W. Bowers died on 20 April 1869 and is buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery.

According to Findagrave, the mother, died in 1877 and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.

The stone, shown above, indicates that she was the wife of Michael Bowers. This is a possible indication that Michael’s father’s name was also Michael.

No other information has been found.

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Tags: Millersburg

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 5, 2018

An undated black and white post card view of the Old Dunkard Church and woods at Antietam, Maryand, “as in war times.”

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Image provided by Debby Rabold, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from a family collection.

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