Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 14, 2018

On Labor Day, 1925, about 30,000 Ku Klux Klan members thronged into the city of Harrisburg for what was described as a the largest Klan demonstration ever held in Central Pennsylvania.

This post is a continuation of the reporting on hate groups that were active in the Lykens Valley area in the years following the Civil War.  It was a widely known fact that the third iteration of the Ku Klux Klan had a significant presence in the Lykens Valley and adjacent valleys during the early years of the 20th Century.  This third iteration of the Klan was strongly white supremacist and was opposed to equal rights for African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.

From the Lykens Standard, 4 September 1925:

K. K. K. to Hold Monster Demonstration

Knights of the Ku Klux Klan have practically all arrangements completed for one of the most gigantic demonstrations ever staged by their organization in the state of Pennsylvania, to be held on Island Park, Harrisburg, on Labor Day.

Klansmen, Klanswomen, Junior Klan, and Krusaders of Pennsylvania and surrounding States will be in attendance and it is said the celebration will almost equal the monstrous demonstration staged at the National Capital the forepart of last month.

Excursion trains from every part of Pennsylvania and adjoining states will carry the Klan to the State Capital where band concerts, drills, National Speakers and monstrous fireworks displays will feature throughout the day.

A contest will be staged with the various Klavaliers competing for a silver loving cup which will be awarded to the best drilled team attending.

It is expected a large delegation from this section will attended; hundreds will go by auto, and Lykens and Williams Vaalley will be well-represented at one of Pennsylvania;s largest K. K. K. demonstration thus far staged in history.

The Harrisburg newspapers covered the event in great detail, often effusing praise on the members of the order for their orderliness and colorfulness.  The following description appeared in the Harrisburg Telegraph, 7 September 1925:

Picturesque Street Scenes

Garbed in the habilaments of the Klan, with all the various decorations of the different bodies a part of the major order, thousands of Klansmen and Klanswomen walked about the streets of the city this morning or rode in gaily decorated automobiles, the K. K. K. and cross of the Klan being prominently displayed at every point.

Color schemes of red, black and white predominated with the cross of the Klan stamped on every white robe, over the heart, and the colored hoods indicative of higher rank lending a clerical aspect to the costume.

Huge motor busses, filled to overflowing with Klansmen and their wives, reached the city from Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New York, and New Jersey.  The railroads brought their quota of marchers, who debouched from the station to cover the city.  Capitol Hill, the River Park, Market Street, and the Square were crowded all day with the hooded host.  One Klansman in full regalia took it upon himself to direct traffic at Front and Market Streets, but he was shortly relieved by Captain of Police Frank Page in favor of a city policeman.

The river bridges, too, presented colorful pictures as their walks were filled with uniformed Klansmen, hiking to and from the island headquarters of the order.

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News clipping from Newspapers.com.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Monster Ku Klux Klan Demonstration at Island Park, Harrisburg, 1925
Tags: Hate, Lykens Borough

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 12, 2018

In the presidential election of 1928, Governor Alfred E. Smith, the candidate of the Democratic Party who by faith was a Roman Catholic, was pitted against Herbert Hoover, the candidate of the Republican Party.  Smith was the first of his religious background to be the standard bearer of a major political party.

In late September 1928, the Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, Hiram W. Evans, sent a statement to the Lykens Standard, claiming that the Republican Party was not contributing any money to the Klan for efforts against Governor Smith. Today, this type of letter sent to a local newspaper in an area of the country where there was strong anti-Catholic sentiment and where the Ku Klux Klan had a significant presence, as an effort to “solidify the base.”

In the statement, Evans did not deny that the Klan was working actively against Smith, but claimed that this effort was because the Klan considered his “ideas” as un-American and subversive.  “Ideas” was a code word for Smith’s Roman Catholic faith, and anyone reading the statement at the time clearly understood what Evans was saying.

This post is a continuation of the reporting on hate groups that were active in the Lykens Valley area in the years following the Civil War.  It was a widely known fact that the third iteration of the Ku Klux Klan had a significant presence in the Lykens Valley and adjacent valleys during the early years of the 20th Century.  This third iteration of the Klan was strongly white supremacist and was opposed to equal rights for African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.

From the Lykens Standard, 28 September 1928:

STATEMENT FROM IMPERIAL WIZARD OF KU KLUX KLAN

For days certain propaganda agencies have filled the newspapers of the United States with articles charging that the Ku Klux Klan was being financed by the Republican Party to make a whispering campaign against Governor Alfred E. Smith.  The fact that for years we have been maligned by such agencies caused us to ignore these statements.  Now, however, since they have been advanced by Governor Smith, the responsible head of the Democratic Party, we can not longer remain silent.

The Klan has never in its history received one dollar for any purpose whatsoever, that did not come from one of the following sources:  (1) From its Kleetoken or membership donation; (2) From Dues; (3) From Klans.

Neither the Republican Party nor the Democratic Party, neither any individual or corporation has ever directly or indirectly furnished a single dollar to the Klan for any purpose whatsoever.  The Klan seeks no political preferment and has no political affiliations.

For years we have been fighting to preserve Americanism against subversion by un-American agencies and ideas.  Our fight against Governor Smith is because he represents these agencies and believes in these ideas.

Because of these facts the Klan has for years been publicly fighting Mr. Smith by the widest possible dissemination of the truth.  We have shouted, not whispered, and Governor Smith need not be surprised that millions of the American people know that he is unfitted for the presidency.

His statement that the Ku Klux Klan is receiving money from any source outside the Klan is unqualifiedly wholly false.  His attempt to raise the religious issue and to arouse hatred is clearly the desperate expedient of a man who knows he is beaten.

(signed)………………..

HIRAM W. EVANS

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News article from Newspapers.com.

This post was previously published on the Lykens Valley Blog.

Category: Reflections, Research, Stories | Comments Off on Statement on Election of 1928 by Imperial Wizard of Ku Klux Klan
Tags: Lykens Borough

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 9, 2018

John H. Wert, Civil War veteran, died on 18 November 1913, and his obituary appeared in the Lykens Standard on 21 November 1913:

DEATHS AND FUNERALS

John H. Wert, an old resident of this section, died at his home in Coaldale, Wiconisco Township, at 6:30 a.m., Tuesday, after a week’s illness of bladder trouble, aged 76 years.  The funeral will be held from his late home at 2 p.m. today.  Interment in Wiconisco Cemetery.

Deceased was the father of eight children, of which number the following survive:  Annie [Wert] Nolen, Mrs. Clen Nolen, of Pemalton, Illinois; James Wert, Charles Wert, and William Wert of Harrisburg; Emma [Wert] Laudenslager, Mrs. Ed Laudenslager, at home; and Mattie [Wert] Enders, Mrs. Frank Enders, of Philadelphia.  He is also survived by three sisters, Mrs. John Madden of Ohio; Mrs. George Hochlander and Mrs. Susannah Boyer of Enterline.  There are 17 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.  His wife preceded him in death about three years ago.

Deceased was a veteran of the Civil War, having served nine months in Company I, 177th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry [177th Pennsylvania Infantry], and was honorably discharged at the expiration of his term of enlistment.  He has resided at Coaldale for the past 42 years.

The family desire to thank all who assisted them during his last illness and at the funeral of deceased.

Previously, John H. Wert was featured in this blog in a post on honorable discharges from the 177th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I. and he was also featured in a post on burials at the Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery, Wiconisco.

Also, it should be noted that he is also named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a veteran who joined the Heilner Post after its organization.

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News article from Newspapers.com.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Obituary of John H. Wert of Coaldale
Tags: Coaldale, Enterline, Wiconisco Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 7, 2018

William Romberger was born some time between June 1827 and May 1828 in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the son of Jacob Romberger (1806-1864) and Margaretha Rebecca [Conrad] Romberger (1810-1878).  It is believed that he died about 22 November 1862 by drowning in the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg.  Supposedly his intention in leaving Camp Curtin was to visit his family in Jackson Township, Northumberland County. Upon the discovery of his carpetbag in the river, it was presumed that he drowned, but his body was not found until January 1863.  As of this writing, no place of burial has been identified.

In his research entitled Civil War Veterans: Rumbergers/Rumbargers/Rombergers/Rambergers in the Civil War (unpublished), Dr. John A. Romberger identified “William Romberger” as No. 10 in a list of 40 veterans.  Other than indicating that William Romberger served in the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry no other information was given.

For the purpose of researching this veteran, 12 documents are presented below from the pension application file.  Each can be enlarged by clicking on the document, each can be downloaded and each can be printed.

Rather than tell the story of William Romberger, this post encourages the reader to construct a story from the documents.  This is a process used by historians and researchers who use primary sources to tell about the past.  Additional resources, if found by the reader, can be added to the story.

If there are any interesting conclusions, the reader is encouraged to add them as comments to this post.

Documents:

Pension Document #1

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Pension Document #2

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Pension Document #3

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Pension Document #4

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Pension Document #5

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Pension Document #6

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Pension Document #7

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Pension Document #8

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Pension Document #9

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Pension Document #10

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Pension Document #11

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Pension Document #12

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Category: Research, Resources, Stories | Comments Off on William Romberger – Drowned in Susquehanna River Near Harrisburg, 1862
Tags: Jackson Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 2, 2018

The obituary of William Marsh appeared in the Harrisburg Telegraph, 10 January 1922:

William Martz, Aged 75, Dead at Williamstown

Williamstown, Pennsylvania, 10 January 1922 — William Martz, aged 75, a veteran of the Civil War, died Sunday evening in his home on East Market Street.  he is survived by his wife, Mrs. William Martz and one daughter, Mrs. Grant Scholfall [sic].  Funeral services will be held at his home, Thursday afternoon at 3 o’clock, the Rev. Mr. Smith, officiating, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Frankinfield.  Burial will be made in the Methodist Cemetery.

According to the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card (from Pennsylvania Archives), William Marsh enrolled in the 46th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, on 2 September 1861, at Harrisburg.  He was mustered into service as a Private on the 31 October 1861 at Muddy Branch, Maryland.  At the time, he claimed to be 19 years old, was working as a farmer, and was a resident of Millersburg.  He was 5 foot 6 inches tall, had light hair, a fair complexion, and grey eyes.  On 26 November 1862 he was promoted to Corporal and on 18 November 1863, he was promoted to Sergeant.  On 1 January 1864 he re-enlisted at Dechart, Tennessee.  The reverse of the card also states that he was wounded on 25 May 1864 and was absent, in the hospital, at the time of Muster Out, which occurred for others in the company on 26 May 1865.

Additional military information can be found in the 1890 Veterans’ Census (not shown here), in which he indicated that he was wounded at the Battle of Allatoona Mountain, Georgia (pictured above from Wikipedia) — his right elbow was shattered.   That battle took place on 5 October 1864.

The Battle of Allatoona, also known as the Battle of Allatoona Pass, was fought 5 October 1864, in Bartow County, Georgia, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. A Confederate division under Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French attacked a Union garrison under Brig. Gen. John M. Corse, but was unable to dislodge it from its fortified position protecting the railroad through Allatoona Pass. [Source:  Wikipedia]

The wounds received by William Martz on 25 May 1864, as reported on the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, were received just prior to the Battle of Dallas, which also occurred in Georgia from 26 May 1864 to 4 June 1864.

The Battle of Dallas was a series of engagements during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. They occurred between May 26 and June 4, 1864, in and around Dallas, Georgia, between Lt. General William J. Hardee‘s Confederate corps and the Union defense line, held by the XV Corps under Maj. General John A. Logan of the Army of the Tennessee. The Battle of New Hope Church and the Battle of Pickett’s Mill are often sub-grouped as part of the overall engagement at Dallas. [Source:  Wikipedia].

Therefore, if both records are correct, William Martz, was wounded twice – with the one significant wound being to his right elbow.  But it is the right elbow wound that connects him to a post-Civil War document – a prison record from Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia:

The document, from Ancestry.com, states that William Martz was sentenced on 11 May 1869 to a term of one year for burglary, that he began his sentence on 13 May 1869, and that he was from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  Also, in his physical characteristics, it is stated that his “right elbow joint was stiff from gunshot wound.”

The circumstances around which he was sentenced and convicted are not known at this time. A small blurb appeared in the Harrisburg Telegraph of 11 May 1869:

William Martz – burglary.  Pay $1 to Commonwealth, restore property, and go to the Eastern Penitentiary for one year.

Census records for William Martz indicate that he was living in Washington Township, Dauphin County, with his family in 1850 and 1860, and that after the Civil War, he moved to Wiconisco and worked as a miner (1870).  Later records have him and his family living in Williams Township and Williamstown, where he died in 1922.  Those records, coupled with the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, which names his residence as Millersburg, make him eligible for the Civil War lists of all those communities.  However, the only community that has actually honored him on a monument is Lykens where his name appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument.

We know that when William Martz was at the Eastern State Penitentiary that he was married and had a child (see prison record above).  We know from other records that his wife was Malinda Susan Heinbaugh (1846-1922).  And, we know from other records that the name of the child who survived him was Jennie E. Martz (1873-1972), who married Henry Grant Schoffstall (1865-1943) of Gratz Borough.  Unless Jennie’s dates are incorrect, she therefore could not have been the child who was mentioned in the prison record.  Was Malinda the spouse who was mentioned?

Possibly the information can be found in the pension application file.  The above card from Ancestry.com, shows that after William died, Malinda applied for pension benefits – but she did not receive them.  In checking the death date for Malinda, which is located in both a Pennsylvania Death Certificate and an obituary:  she died 23 April 1922, just about 3 1/2 months after William died.  Her non-receipt of the pension was most likely due to the failure of the heir, her daughter, to follow through on the application after Malinda’s death.  She would have been eligible for benefits from the date of William’s death to the date of her death, if she met the other criteria – and her heir could have received those benefits as an inheritance.  Possibly also, the application, which required proof of marriage to William, was not complete.  William may also have had a prior marriage.

A request is made to anyone who has seen the pension file to respond as to whether anything further can be said about the marriage or marriages of William.

Category: Research, Resources, Stories | Comments Off on William Martz – Did He Have a Connection to Millersburg?
Tags: Millersburg, Washington Township, Wiconisco, Williams Township, Williamstown