;

Civil War Blog

A project of PA Historian

Jacob Kissinger – Home Guards and 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry

| September 29, 2012

A biography of Jacob Kissinger appeared in the Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, page 886-887, published in 1896 by the J. M. Runk Company of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.  A slightly edited version of that article appears below: Jacob Kissinger, farmer and stockman of Gratz, Pennsylvania, was born in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 14 November 1843. […]

Richard Cutchall and Webster Wynn

| September 28, 2012

The following sketch for Richard Cutchall appeared in the Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, pages 861-862.  In fact-checking the sketch, several inconsistencies were found with the available records.  Were there two men named Richard Cutchall?  For some unknown reason, the Richard Cutchall of the biographical sketch moved to Middle Paxton Township, Dauphin County, and after […]

Gratz During the Civil War – Keiter-Snyder Property

| September 21, 2012

The row of houses on the south side of Market Street in the first block east of Centre Street (formerly Chestnut Street) now appears as abandoned and partially boarded-up.  During the Civil War, this was the property of two Gratz businessmen, Philip W. Keiter and Cyrus Snyder.  The original buildings were built some time before […]

Gratz During the Civil War – Ritzman House

| September 20, 2012

This house and Lot #89 at the western end of the original plot of the town of Gratz, was purchased by Suzanna [Matter] Ritzman in 1858 from the estate of Christian Yerges.  The house dates to about the year 1843 and was probably built by Yerges when he owned the property. The earliest available picture […]

Gratz During the Civil War – Harner House

| September 19, 2012

As with some of the lots in Gratz, this Lot #63 changed hands many times in the years before the Civil War.  The house that existed here during the Civil War was demolished in the second half of the 20th century.  It remains a vacant lot today.  Two of the early owners of this property […]