Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 28, 2017

On Saturday, 13 June 1925, the Ku Klux Klan planned for a celebration to be held at Millersburg‘s Park, Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  The article promoting the event was interesting in that it claimed the celebration would bring back the “old-time way” of celebrating the past.  The Klan also claimed the American flag as its own symbol and even used the word “naturalization” for its induction into membership.

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, 12 June 1925:

K. K. K. WILL CELEBRATE AT MILLERSBURG 13 June 1925

The Ku Klux Klan of this place are making arrangements to hold celebration in Millersburg Park on Saturday, 13 June 1935.  Committees of the various Klans in this vicinity were appointed several weeks ago to cooperate with the Millersburg members of the order, and the encouragement received from Klans in the Upper End indicate that the turn out will be the largest gathering of the Klan and their friends ever held in the Upper End of the county.

The park will be profusely decorated with the emblem of the Klan – the American flag – and the entertainment will continue all day with all kinds of games and amusements to suit both old and young people. The Klan band of Harrisburg and Lykens will be at the park all day to render music for the occasion.  Refreshments of all kinds will be for sale.

There will be a parade in the evening, and it is expected to be the largest of the kind ever held in this section of the country.  Speakers of a national reputation will be present.  There will be Naturalization in short form.  In the evening there will be a grand display of fireworks on the river front, which will bring to the remembrance of the older residents the old-time way of celebrating the natal day of the past.

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News article from Newspapers.com.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Massive Ku Klux Klan Rally in Millersburg, 1925
Tags: Hate, Lykens Borough, Millersburg

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 26, 2017

Willoughby Z. Walt died on 20 January 1916 and is buried at the Herndon Cemetery, Herndon, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.  He is found in the records as both Wald and Walt and his middle initial is found as both “C” and “Z.”

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From the Mount Carmel Item, 29 January 1916:

HERNDON PEOPLE DIDN’T HAVE WILL

While newspapermen were in the county register and recorder’s office at Sunbury Thursday morning waiting to hear the text of the last will and testament of the late Willoughby Wald, of Herndon, Register and Recorder Carr was confronted with a peculiar problem.  The heirs and witnesses came to the office to have the will probated and all formalities were carried through, when it was discovered that they had forgotten the most important part, the will.  Of course, nothing further could be done and the party went back to their home and returned in the afternoon with the prized document, after which the will was formally probated.

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Category: Stories | Comments Off on Willoughby Walt – 208th Pennsylvania Infantry
Tags: Dalmatia, Georgetown, Herndon

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 22, 2017

When he enrolled in the 2nd Company G of the 103rd Pennsylvania Infantry at Harrisburg on 14 March 1865, Edward Walters gave his birthplace as Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and his place of residence as Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.  He was employed as a miner, was about 19 years old, stood 5 foot 3 inches tall, had hazel eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion.  Most of the persons in this regiment and company were from the Lykens Valley, but apparently Edward Walters was an exception.

While serving in the company and regiment between 27 March 1865 and 25 June 1865, Edward Walters met John W. Orndorff, a laborer, who had been born in Wiconisco, Dauphin County, claimed to be 17 years old (he was actually closer to 15), stood 5 foot four inches tall, had brown hair, gray eyes, and a light complexion.

John W. Orndorff was raised in Wiconisco, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and was the son of John Orndorff (1824-1894) and Emeline [Nolen] Orndorf (1826-1904), both of Wiconisco.

John had an older sister, Mary Elizabeth Orndorff, who was born on 5 January 1848 in Wiconisco.

After the war, Edward Walters moved to the area around Wiconisco and worked in the mines there.  He courted the sister of John W. Ordorff most likely though an introduction made by her brother.  About 1866, Mary Elizabeth Ordorff and Edward Walters were married. In 1880, the couple and their children were living in Wiconisco, where Edward was working as a coal miner.

By 1890, however, they had moved to Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County.  In 1900 the family was living in Hazleton, Luzerne County, where Edward was working as a miner, and in 1910 he was still living in Hazleton and working as a miner.

Edward Walters applied for a pension on 1 April 1897, according to the Pension Index Card available from Ancestry.com.  He died on 16 March 1920, in Hazleton, and before the end of the month, his widow applied for benefits.

Although Edward Walters lived and worked for a time in Wiconisco, his name does not appear on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as someone with a connection to the area who served in the Civil War.  His brother-in-law, John W. Orndorff, is included on the monument plaque as someone who joined the Heiler Post after its founding.

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Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Cards are from the Pennsylvania Archives.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Edward Walters Marries Sister of Comrade from 103rd Pennsylvania Infantry
Tags: G.A.R., Lykens Borough, Wiconisco

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 20, 2017

Andrew Weir was born on 19 October 1833 in Scotland and came to the United States about 1855.  By occupation, he was an engineer who worked in the mines around Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, where he lived and raised his family.

In 1863, he registered for the draft, but was not drafted.  However, he did answer the call to militia service when on 21 July 1863 he joined the 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Militia), Company E, as a Private, for the Emergency of 1863.  Not much is known about the service of this militia regiment except that it was formed after Gen. Robert E. Lee‘s forces had retreated from Pennsylvania. The emergency being over as of 18 August 1863, Andrew Weir was discharged.  No other Civil War service has been located for him, and, because his militia service was for less than three months, he was not eligible for a pension.

On 20 March 1856, Andrew Weir married Elizabeth Jones.  On 14 March 1906, the couple announced their 50th Wedding Anniversary where they would be repeating their vows in a second marriage ceremony which would be held at Williamstown.  A local newspaper reported on the event as follows:

Thirty-nine descendants and a host of friends will attend the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Weir next Thursday.  Mr. Weir is a well-known retired business man.

The feature of the celebration will be a second marriage ceremony for the couple.  Rev. Albert M. Milner will perform the ceremony. 

The couple were married in Pottsville, 20 March 1856.  They have fifteen children.  Rev. John McCool, who married them, christened fourteen of the babies, and when he officiated the last time he did so while blind.

Mr. Weir is 72 years old, and his wife four years his junior,  Mr. Weir is especially vigorous for his years.  Whenever he visits his daughter, Mrs. F. E. Smith, of 3056 North Second Street, Philadelphia, he takes a daily walk from her home to Broad and Chestnut Streets and back.

Mrs. Weir’s sister observed her golden wedding anniversary two years ago.

The portrait of Mr. Weir found at the top of this post, was taken from the above news article.  Mrs. Weir’s portrait was also with the article and is shown below.

After the Civil War, Andrew Weir worked for a time (1870) as a grocer in Reilly Township, Schuylkill County, but by 1880 he had returned to Williamstown and his primary occupation as an engineer at the mines.  In 1900, he gave his occupation as a day laborer, and in 1910, he was working as a laborer at the Williamstown Water Company.

Andrew Weir died on 5 November 1922 in Williamstown.

Both Andrew Weir and Elizabeth [Jones] Weir are buried at the United Methodist Church Cemetery in Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

The Civil War service of Andrew Weir does not appear to be recognized at his grave site, nor is there currently any mention of his service at his Findagrave Memorial.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Andrew Weir – Immigrant from Scotland & Engineer at Mines
Tags: Reilly Township, Williamstown

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on December 18, 2017

An obituary of John Weiser appeared in the Elizabethville Echo, 9 March 1905.  Mr. Weiser was a Civil War veteran from the area of Pillow, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, who served in the 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

The funeral of John Weiser was held at Pillow last Sunday morning, Rev. S. P. Brown officiating.  A large number of people attended, relatives from Erdman, Klingerstown, Leck Hill [sic], Williamstown, and Minersville being present, and members of the P.O.S. of A. Camps of Berrysburg and Pillow attending in a body.  Mr. Weiser having been a charter member of Pillow Camp No. 614.  Rev. Brown preached an able sermon from Eph. 6:13 – “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  Interment was made in the Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery.

Mr. Weiser was born in Jordan Township, Northumberland County, 20 October 1842 and died 1 March 1905.  He worked on the farm for a number of years, and then learning the tanning trade, being employed by Hexekiah Matter of Pillow.

In 1862 he enlisted, and served for over 3 years in the army, belonging to Company I, 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry and was shot through the left ankle in one of the great battles.  He was a member of the Gratz G.A.R. Post, until nine years ago, when he suffered a paralytic stroke, the left side being affected.  Until this disability, he had not applied for a pension, saying that he would not accept any aid from the Government while able to do a days work.

In 1868 he was married to Jestina Rothermel, five children being born to them, three of whom survive, Mary Weiser and Jennie Weiser of Pillow, and Jacob M. Weiser of Elizabethville.

The Pension application card for John Weiser, shown above from Fold3, bears out the statement in the obituary that he did not apply for pension benefits until he suffered the paralytic stroke which occurred approximately nine years before his death.  According to the card, the pension application was made on 13 December 1895.

On the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives, there is no mention made of where John Weiser was wounded.  However, he did mention to the taker of the 1890 census that he had a disability of a “wounded ankle” as a result of his war service.  And, undoubtedly, the information on where and when he was wounded can be found in the actual pension application file, which was not consulted for this blog post.

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News clipping is from Newspapers.com.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Obituary of John Weiser, 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry
Tags: Berrysburg, Elizabethville, Erdman, G.A.R., Gratz Borough, Jordan Township, Klingerstown, Leck Kill, Pillow, Williamstown