Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 23, 2017

The name Gustavus Martin appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as a veteran of the Civil War who joined the Heilner Post after its organization.

A search of the military records notes that Gustavus Martin first enrolled in the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company F, as a Private on 3 March 1865, and was mustered into service the same day at Harrisburg.  He was 31 years old at the time (born about 1834, was 5 foot 7 inches tall, had dark hair, a fair complexion, and hazel eyes.  He indicated he was a miner and was a resident of Dauphin County.  On the 24 July 1865, he transferred to Company F of the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry.  He was mustered out of service on 11 August 1865.  [Note:  The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, above, is from the Pennsylvania Archives].

In 1870, Gustavus Martin, age 35, was living in Wiconisco Township with his family and working as a miner.  His wife, Wilhemina, was 31 years old and “keeping house.”  Both Gustavus and Wilhemina Martin were born in Wurtemberg [Germany].  Children in the household, all born in Pennsylvania, were:  Charles Martin, age 8; Augustus Martin, age 7; Lewis Martin, age 4; and Helena Martin, age 2.

In 1880, Gustavus Martin, age 48, was living in the Borough of Lykens with his family and working as a coal miner.  His wife, Wilhemina was 44 years old and keeping house.  Sons Charles and Gustavus were 18 and 17 respectively and working as laborers, while son Louis, age 15, was “picking slate.”  Others in the household included Caroline Martin, age 12 [possibly Helena from the 1870 census]; Clara Martin, age 9; John Martin, age 7; and Emma Martin, age 5.

The 1890 Veterans’ Census notes service for an August Martin, living in Lykens Borough, in the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry, but no war-related disabilities were reported.

In 1900, Gustavus Martin was a widower, living in Lykens Borough, and working as a mine laborer.  In his household were three sons, also working as mine laborers:  Lewis Martin, age 34; John Martin; age 24; and Frank Martin, age 15.

Death certificates were required in Pennsylvania starting in 1906.  Since Gustavus Martin was not found in the 1910 Census, and since no death certificate has been located for him, it could be assumed that he died between 1900 and 1906.  No burial place has been located for him on Findagrave.  Also, no obituary has been located for him in available, on-line Harrisburg newspapers.

More information is sought about this Civil War veteran whose name appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument.  Readers who can add to this story are urged to share by adding comments to this blog post or sending the information via e-mail.

Category: Queries, Research | 2 Comments »
Tags: Lykens Borough, Wiconisco Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 20, 2017

On 19 August 1861, Robert McClelland, age 32, enrolled in the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A, at Tremont, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.  At the time, he was a coal miner whose residence was Tremont.  Other sources note that he was married and had five living children when he enrolled, the youngest, Eleanor McClelland, just born less than a month earlier, 28 July 1861.  On 9 September 1861 he was was mustered into the company as a Private.  He probably knew personally many of his fellow soldiers, because this regiment was heavily composed of men who lived and worked along the route from Lykens Township, in Dauphin County, to Tremont – and many of this company were fellow miners.

The information on the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Index Card (above from the Pennsylvania Archives) does not include where and when Robert McClelland died – but does indicate that he died of wounds received in action.   Recently, information about his death was made public on Fold3 with the publication of a Minors’ Pension File.

On 11 July 1868, Ellen Grayston, widow of Robert McClelland, who had since remarried to Robert Grayston at Pottsville, 4 November 1865, applied for pension benefits for minor children of her deceased husband.   Since she had legally re-married, she was not eligible for benefits for herself.   On one of the opening pages of that application, the following was stated:

Robert McClelland died at Beaufort, South Carolina, on the first day of June, A.D. 1862 in consequence of wounds received in the battle of Pocatallago, South Carolina, 29 May 1862.

In order to prove that her children were the children of Robert McClelland, Ellen had to provide evidence that she had been legally married to him, and that the children were recognized as his at the time of their birth.  She also had to provide evidence of her second marriage.  This information included more about her – including that she was Ellen Burke before marriage, and that she had been born in Ireland 37 years prior to the application, or about 1831.

The testimony Ellen provided was not only from residents of Tremont, Wiconisco, and Pine Grove, but also, she had the complicated issue of proving the birth of her eldest child, Agnes McClelland, who was born in the Parish of Gowan, County of Lanark, Scotland, on or about 16 October 1849.  Letters had to be written to Scotland seeking documents that proved the marriage and birth, which were eventually provided from Glasgow.  Although Agnes was nearly twenty years old at the time of the pension application, she would have been eligible for retroactive benefits from the time of her father’s death in 1862 to her 16th birthday (which occurred prior to the pension application).  Fortunately for Ellen Grayston, she had the strong support of her attorneys as well of two residents of Tremont, namely Ann Gammell and Edward Rumberger, who provided significant legal support for her claim of benefits for her children.

The 48-page pension application file, as previously stated, is now available on-line through Fold3.  For those interested in obtaining a copy of the file, a subscription to Fold3 is required (for those without a personal subscription, check your local library).

While further research needs to be done on Robert McClelland who was a resident of Tremont at the time he joined the war effort, the time and place of his death have now been discovered.   Anyone who has further information about this soldier and/or his family is asked to provide it by adding a comment to this blog post.

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Robert McClelland, Miner of Tremont – Died at Beaufort, South Carolina, 1862
Tags: Lykens Township, Pine Grove, Tremont, Wiconisco

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 18, 2017

Through the pages of newspapers of the time, this horrendous murder story will be told.  Sarah Ann [Reed] Klinger, a widow of a Civil War veteran and a pensioner, was brutally murdered in her home near Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, on 21 November 1906.

Jacob Klinger was born on 3 April 1843 in Lower Mahantongo Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.  During the Civil War, he served in the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, as a Private, from 27 October 1862 through 1 August 1863.  Jacob Klinger died in early 1899. He had been collecting a pension, which, after his death, Sarah applied for and was receiving at the time of her murder.

Sarah Klinger – Civil War Widow Bludgeoned to Death in 1906 (Part 1)

Sarah Klinger – Civil War Widow Bludgeoned to Death in 1906 (Part 2)

Sarah Klinger – Civil War Widow Bludgeoned to Death in 1906 (Part 3)

Sarah Klinger – Civil War Widow Bludgeoned to Death in 1906 (Part 4)

Sarah Klinger – Civil War Widow Bludgeoned to Death in 1906 (Part 5)

Sarah Klinger – Civil War Widow Bludgeoned to Death in 1906 (Part 6)

Category: Research, Stories | Comments Off on Best of 2016 – Sarah Klinger – Civil War Widow Bludgeoned to Death in 1906
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Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 16, 2017

The Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card for John McCurtin (shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives), indicates that a 45 year old John McCurtin, enlisted at Berrysburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania on 25 September 1861, in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company B.  At the time, he indicated that he resided in Dauphin County and was a stone cutter by occupation.  He stood 5 foot 9 inches tall, had dark hair, dark complexion, and hazel eyes. The card notes no date of discharge.  Instead, John McCurtin was recorded as “Deserted January 1862 Jeffersonville, Indiana.”

What is known about him prior to the war is that he was a stone cutter living in Mifflin Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in both the 1850 and 1860 censuses.  He was also found as head of household in the same place in the 1840 census.  His birth year, based on the various records, was as early as 1810 and as late as 1816.

In 1860, John’s household consisted of his wife Hannah, and six children:  Henry McCurtin, age 18; Mary McCurtin, age 16; Milvena McCurtin, age 13; Hannah McCurtin, age 11; Sarah McCurtin, age 6; and Matilda McCurtin, age 3.

Based on the information in the 1860 Census, and on John McCurtin‘s occupation of stone cutter, the family was located in Mifflingburg, Union County Pennsylvania, in the 1870 Census:

In that John McCurtin was alive and working in 1870, the question is open as to why he was recorded as deserted in 1862 and whether that had any consequence for him.

Returning to the Census of 1860, it must be mentioned that Henry McCurtin, son of John McCurtin, was also a Civil War soldier – who also served in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company B, beginning as a Private and concluding his service as a Corporal at discharge.  Henry McCurtin also appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument.

At this point in the research on John McCurtain, it is not known what happened to him or to his wife Hannah.  They have not been located in the 1880 Census.

As for the son, Henry McCurtin, he is in the 1870 Census for Washington Township, Dauphin County, where he is enumerated in the household of John N. Huffman, a tavern keeper. Henry’s occupation is laborer.  There is a Mary McCurtin, in that household, named just under Henry in the listing and two years younger, who might be Henry’s wife.  As of this writing, Henry McCurtin has not been located in any census beyond 1870 nor has he been found in the pension records.

The military record of Henry N. McCurtin notes that he enrolled in the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Berrysburg on 16 November 1861, more than a month after his father enrolled.  He also was mustered into service the same day as he enrolled, again, more than a month after his father was mustered into the same regiment.   Ar the time of Henry’s joining, he gave his occupation as a coach painter, and his birthplace and residence as Dauphin County.  He said his age was 20, but he was actually a bit younger, he stood 5 foot 5 inches tall, had dark hair, dark complexion, and hazel eyes.  On 1 January 1864, he re-enlisted, as did many of his comrades, at Mossy Creek, Tennessee, and with that enlistment came a promotion to the rank of Corporal.  What might be possible, although not confirmed by any military records, was that Henry joined to replace his father, and that replacement was not recorded on any of the records thus far seen.  John’s desertion date of January 1862, may not have been a desertion, but may have been incorrectly reported as such.  Further research may confirm this theory.

Any information on what happened to either of these two men would be appreciated!  Please add as comments to this post.

Category: Research, Stories | 1 Comment »
Tags: Berrysburg, G.A.R., Lykens Borough, Mifflin Township, Washington Township

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 13, 2017

The name Owen McDermot appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument as an area veteran who was not a member of the Heilner G.A.R. Post.  Who was he?

The only person of that name who was found in the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Card File was Owen McDermott, who at 18 years old, enrolled in the 136th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company C, as a Private on 10 August 1862, at Duncan’s Island, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  He was mustered into service on 23 August 1862 at Harrisburg.  His discharge occurred on 29 May 1863, when he was mustered out.

That same Owen McDermott applied for a pension on 18 August 1891, which he received.  After he died, widow applied on 27 February 1896, and she received benefits.  The information on the Fold3 version of the Pension Index Card does not include Owen’s date of death.

The information of the Ancestry.com version of the Pension Index Card, includes the widow’s name of Mary.  It also shows that both pension applications were made from Pennsylvania.

Presuming that Owen McDermott was alive in 1890 when the Veterans’ Census was taken, a search was made to see where he was living.  However, no matching person was found.

No other information has been located on any person named Owen McDermott who could be the one named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument.  So, who is Owen McDermott?

Category: Queries, Research, Stories | Comments Off on Who Was John McDermot – On Lykens Monument?
Tags: Duncan's Island, G.A.R., Lykens Borough