Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on August 30, 2011

(Part 66 of an ongoing series on the Battle of Gettysburg).  Around the base of the Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg are a series of plaques which, by regiment and company, note the names of every soldier who was present at the Battle of Gettysburg.  This post will present the plaque recognizing the men who served in the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry.  By clicking on the plaque it should enlarge so the names can be more clearly read.  Following the plaque is a list of the men who have thus far been identified as eligible for inclusion in this Civil War Research Project who, it is believed, served for a time in the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry .  Not all the names may appear on the Pennsylvania Memorial plaques.  If a name does not appear, it could be that the soldier did serve in the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry, but was not part of the regiment during its days at Gettysburg – or it could mean that the soldier was erroneous included in the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry list.  There could also be errors on the plaque.  Readers are invited to submit comments about any names appearing below, or on the plaque, especially if they believe the soldier was from the Lykens Valley area and should be included in this study.

Click on picture to enlarge.

Men from the Lykens Valley area who probably served in the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry :

Note:  At the present time, no veterans from the Lykens Valley area have been identified in this regiment.  Since research is still being conducted to determine the Civil War regiments in which many of the Lykens Valley area veterans served, it is possible that some names will be added in the future.  Research is on-going and corrections and additions are always welcome.  Readers are invited to submit comments about any veteran found on this plaque, whether or not they have a connection to the Lykens Valley area.  Click here for map.

Information for this post was taken from the files of the Civil War Research Project.  A separate digital file is kept on each soldier who is included in the list of veterans.  Information is sought on any men from the Lykens Valley area who were soldiers or sailors during the Civil War.

Category: Memorials | Comments Off on 90th Pennsylvania Infantry – Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg
Tags: Monument

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on August 29, 2011

OUR NEW POSTMASTER

LYKENS — Henry Feindt, whose appointment as postmaster was sent to the United States Senate for confirmation on Feb. 8, and who received his commission Thursday, Feb. 22nd, was born at Elizabethville on the 1st of January, 1842, and came to Lykens with his parents in May, 1851.  His father, the late F. G.H. Feindt, instructed him early in life in the shoemaker’s art, at which he has worked in connection with other light business almost continuously since the Rebellion.  When President Lincoln issues his memorable call in 1861 for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the uprising in the the South, Mr. Feindt, although but ninetten years of age, joined the heroic throng who sent the glad tidings back to Washington “We are coming, father Abraham, 50,000 strong!”  He served faithfully for the term of 9 months, but as the rebellion was assuming such vast proportions as to threaten the disruption of the Union, he re-enlisted for three years or until the end of the was, and was honorably discharged on the 18th of July, 1865, having served his country faithfully for more than four years. After the war he returned to Lykens, where he has resided ever since.  The appointment could not have been bestowed upon a more worthy citizen, and we have no hesitancy in predicting that the office will be judiciously managed under his administration.

From the Lykens Standard, 1 Mar 1901.

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ATTEND STATE G.A.R. ENCAMPMENT

LYKENS — June 9 – Henry Keiser, Jacob Walter, and Henry Feindt were among the old soldiers who attended the State G.A.R. encampment at Harrisburg this week.

From the Harrisburg Patriot, 10 June 1910.

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STRICKEN VISITING AT PRISON

While visiting the Dauphin county prison yesterday morning, Henry Feindt, postmaster of Lykens, was striken with paralysis.  Medical aid was administered by Dr. D. E. Darlington, who was close by at the time. Mr. Feindt was later removed to the Harrisburg hospital.  According to W. F. Feindt, a son residing at 1830 Regina street, Mr. Feindt was resting well last night and had recovered his speech.

From the Harrisburg Patriot, 8 August 1912.

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Henry Feindt (1842-1914) served in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry (3 months), Company F, as a Private, from 16 April 1861 to 31 July 1861.  He later served in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company B, as a Private, a Bugler, and a Trumpeteer, from 7 October 1861 to 18 July 1865.  Two brothers, Isaac Feindt and Francis Feindt, also served in the Civil War.  Henry married Emma C. Mann.  He lived in Wiconisco where he worked as a miner and in Lykens where he worked as a shoemaker.  Henry and Emma had seven known children.  His last job was Postmaster of Lykens Borough, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

Some of the information for this post was taken from the Civil War Research Project.  The complete news article announcing Henry’s appointment as Postmaster is available from the project.  If anyone has more information on Henry Feindt, they are urged to contribute it.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | Comments Off on Lykens Postmaster Henry Feindt
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, Elizabethville, Feindt family, G.A.R., Lykens Borough, Mann family, Wiconisco

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on August 28, 2011

This is the eighth in a series of posts on Gratz during the Civil War. The original house on Lot #91 on the north side of Market Street was built about 1825 by John Wolf who bought the land from Simon Gratz.  Wolf sold the land and house to Christian Walborn in 1827 and the property was combined with Lot #93.  Walborn was a potter and operated his business here.  Then in 1830, Walborn assigned the properties to Jacob Herb who was also a potter.

No nineteenth century or early twentieth century pictures of this house have been located.  The above picture is from the second half of the twentieth century, but the basic shape of the house (minus the porch, bay window and roof gable) is evident, and is similar to other two-story houses built in Gratz in the first half of the nineteenth century.  The building at the left was probably used as a potter’s shop and in the Civil War period as a cabinetmaker’s shop.

A Lykens Township medical doctor, Christian G. Dornheim purchased both lots and the buildings on them in 1836.  Lot #91 had a two-story log house on it.  Dornheim continued as a doctor until 1847, but became a huckster in 1847.  When he died in 1857, the executors sold the two lots and buildings to Jonas Kissinger and Sarah Kissinger who, within one day, re-sold the properties to Rudolph H. Dornheim, Christian’s son.  Rudolph H. Dornheim owned the properties from 1857 to 1898 and lived here and raised a family here.

Rudolph H. Dornheim (1828-1912) was born in Germany and came to America at an early age.  His birth year is sometimes given as 1832.  Dornheim was a member of the Gratztown Militia and then joined the 36th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company C, as a Private for the Emergency of 1863.  He served from 4 Jul 1863 through discharge on 11 August 1863.  In 1848, he had married Mary Rowe.  After his service, Dornheim returned to Gratz to continue raising his family.  His son, Henry Gottfried Dornheim, had been born in 1859, an infant daughter died in 1861, a daughter Susan Dornheim born in 1864, and a daughter Frederica Dornheim born in 1866.  Rudolph Dornheim was a cabinetmaker and conducted his business from this Gratz property.  Later in life, he moved to Philadelphia to live with his son and it was there that he died in 1912.  His remains were returned to Gratz and buried in the Gratz Union Cemetery.

There is some confusion as to whether Rudolph Dornheim had additional military service after his discharge from the 36th Pennsylvania Infantry.  The Klingerstown Bicentennial Album indicates that Rudolph was wounded on 1 June 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia, and had his right leg amputated, but it is clear that this did not occur during his service in the 36th Pennsylvania Infantry.  Efforts to locate Rudolph in another regiment have resulted only in finding a R. H. Dunheimer who served in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry (also recorded as Randolph Durnheimer), Company E, as a Private – but the dates of service are not recorded in the records – and the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry was not in Virginia on 1 June 1864.  Was Rudolph H. Dornheim an amputee?  Anyone with information about this is urge to contribute it.

Rudolph Dornheim (1828-1912)

Mary [Rowe] Dornheim died tragically when she fell down the steps at the home of her son in Philadelphia where she was residing late in life.  She is buried in Gratz Union Cemetery with her husband.

Some of the information for this post was taken from the book A Comprehensive History of the Town of Gratz Pennsylvania.  

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Gratz During the Civil War – Rudolph H. Dornheim, Cabinetmaker
Tags: Dornheim family, Gratz Borough, Herb family, Kissinger family, Lykens Township, Regiments, Rowe family, Walborn family, Walking Tour, Wolf family

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on August 27, 2011

DEATH OF VALENTINE LENKER

LYKENS —Valentine Lenker of Williamstown, a former member of the Legislature, and a man known throughout the entire upper end of the county, died Friday noon after a lingering illness, aged 62 years.  Last summer he took a trip west for the benefit of his health and on his return last fall was seized with inflammation of the bowels and bladder which confined him to the house nearly all winter, greatly reducing his strength and physical power.  In March he had recovered sufficiently to be up and about again, bet [sic] the weather being very cold and damp he contracted a cold which settled on his right lung and developed into pleurisy and later into pneumonia.  While convalescing from this trouble and abscess formed and being too weak to withstand the shock to the nervous system death ensued.

Mr. Lenker was born at Berrysburg and resided there until about three years ago, when he moved to Williamstown.  When young he was apprenticed to the saddler trade, at which he worked until last fall, with the exception of the time be served with the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry during the rebellion and during the sessions of the Legislature of 1887-90, when he represented the Second district of Dauphin county.

He is survived by two sons, Charles and Harry, and two daughters, Mrs. Maggie Hoover and Mrs. Annie Robinson.  His wife preceded him to the grave a number of years ago.

Deceased was a member of Heilner Post, No. 232, G.A.R. of this place, and of Berrysburg Camp, P.O.S.A.  He was also a consistent member of the Methodist church, and attended services regularly as long as his health permitted.

He was a kind, affectionate father, a generous hearted neighbor, always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need, and his death in Williamstown loses one of its best citizens.

The funeral was held Tuesday, Rev. W. H. Aspril of the Williamstown M. E. Church officiating.  Interment took place in the Berrysburg M. E. Cemetery.

 Besides the friends and relatives from Williamstown, a delegation from Heilner Post, G.A.R. of this place, accompanied the remains to their last resting place.

The pall-bearers were Harry Curtis, J. R. Carl, William Rickert, George DeWalt, Samuel Stroup and members of the P.O.S. of A. of Williamstown.

The above obituary appeared in the Lykens Standard, 10 May 1901.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Death of Valentine Lenker
Tags: Berrysburg, G.A.R., Hoover family, Lenker family, Lykens Borough, Regiments, Robinson family, Williamstown

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on August 26, 2011

William Thomas was born on 3 April 1838 in Wales and came to America at an early age with his father, John Thomas, who was a coal miner.  The family settled in Wiconisco, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania.  Like his father, William became a coal miner and in 1860, he was working in the mines around Lykens.  After the Civil War began, William joined the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company B, as a Private, 7 October 1861.  Prior to his joining, William began keeping a diary which he maintained throughout his war service which ended with his muster out on 18 July 1865 at Lexington, Kentucky.

The Diary of William Thomas was the basis for a book written by John W. Rowell in 1971, Yankee Cavalrymen:  Through the Civil War with the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, published by University of Tennessee Press.  While Rowell used another diary, that of Cornelius Baker of Perry County, Pennsylvania, it is Thomas’s diary that is most extensively quoted from throughout the book.

John W. Rowell‘s bibliography contains numerous primary source references, including mention of the Diary of William Thomas.  However, Rowell used a typescript of the diary, and not the diary itself.

Thomas, William *  Typewritten copy of Thomas’s diary, Sept. 16, 1861, to July 18, 1865, and photographs.  In collection of LeRoy Robert Matter, Harrisburg, Pa.

In searching the web for the diary, all references cycle back to Rowell’s book and the LeRoy Robert Matter typescript that he used rather than the diary itself.  Searching for LeRoy Robert Matter produces a genealogical reference in the family tree of Elsie Mae Klinger.  There is no indication anywhere of where the original of the diary is located nor is there any indication of who did the typescript and when it was done.  If John W. Rowell had access to a copy of the typescript in order to write his book, there is also no indication as to whether he kept a copy of the typescript.

Is the original diary still available and if so where is it located?  Is the typescript available, and if so, where is it located?  Is it possible for the Civil War Research Project to obtain a copy of the typescript?  Anyone with any information about the Diary of William Thomas is urged to contact the project.

The portrait of William Thomas is from the collection of the Civil War Research Project.  A copy of the book, Yankee Cavalrymen, can also be found at the Gratz Historical Society.

Category: Queries, Research, Resources | Comments Off on Where is the Diary of William Thomas?
Tags: Baker family, Lykens Borough, Regiments, Thomas family, Wiconisco