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Civil War Blog

A project of PA Historian

John Botdorf of Herndon – Killed at Po River, Virginia

The Widow Mary Botdorf, living in Jackson Township (Herndon Post Office), Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, reported to the 1890 Census that her husband John Botdorf had served in the 136th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company C, as a Private, from 7 August 1862 through his discharge on 29 May 1863 (nine months and 22 days), that he was […]

Civil War Descendants of Nathaniel Gist

Christopher Gist, an immigrant from England around 1682, settled in the Baltimore area of Maryland in 1691.  His marriage to Edith Cromwell had connected him to one of the prominent lines of English descent, that of Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector.  The son of this marriage, Richard Gist (1684-1741), was the father of western explorer […]

Civil War Burials in Coleman’s Church Cemetery

St. Matthew’s or Coleman’s Church in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was organized as a Union Church of Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Congregations on Whitsunday, 1857 (Pentecost, or seven weeks after Easter).  The first church building was erected shortly thereafter and resembled the present structure (shown above), except that it didn’t have a basement.  Today, […]

William Irving, First Defender

William Irving was one of Lykens elderly and respected citizens.  He was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 1841 and came to Lykens Borough, Dauphin County, in 1874 and entered the bottling business in which he engaged until 1874 when he entered the hotel business.  He conducted the Valley House which was located at Main and […]

Joseph Witman – Tinsmith of Gratz and Halifax

Joseph Witman (1833-1898), a tinsmith of Gratz and Halifax, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, had an interesting Civil War service record which covered the entire period of the Civil War.  He served first in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company F, as a Private, from 26 April 1861 until his discharge on 31 July 1861, and then joined […]