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Civil War Blog

A project of PA Historian

The Ku Klux Klan Funeral of James Spangler in Lykens, 1925

| January 8, 2018

James Spangler, born 3 October 1880, son of Civil War veteran George Spangler (1846-1921) of Lykens, was instantly killed on 16 July 1925 while working on Level 3 of the Short Mountain Colliery, when a shot that he and his fellow worker were preparing, exploded prematurely.  The notice of the accident appeared in the Lykens […]

Lykens Collieries Closed to Allow Attendance at Ku Klux Klan Rally, 1924

| January 4, 2018

In 1924, a huge ceremonial Ku Klux Klan rally was held at Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, which was attended in great numbers by Klan members and want-to-be Klan members from the Lykens Valley.  Attendance was undoubtedly enhanced by the closing of the collieries from Lykens to Pine Grove and by the special excursion train that […]

Samuel Wenrich & Amelia [Faust] Wenrich – Both War Veterans?

| January 2, 2018

Buried together at the St. Paul (Artz) Cemetery in Sacramento, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, are two veterans of the Civil War, or so it would seem from the bronze G.A.R. flag-holder markers adjacent to their grave stones.  Samuel Wenrich and Amelia [Faust] Wenrich were husband and wife.  This is one of the few graves in the […]

George H. Troutman – Another Veteran Overlooked by Millersburg?

| October 13, 2017

George H. Troutman was born in 1819 and died in 1885, probably at the home of his daughter in Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He is buried at St. Luke’s Parish Cemetery, Malta, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Previously on this blog a query was made about the George Troutman who served in the 177th Pennsylvania […]

Was Joel Shearer a Civil War Veteran?

| July 14, 2017

Joel Shearer died on 9 November 1882 and is buried at St. Luke’s Parish Cemetery, Malta, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.  At his grave, there is a G.A.R. star-flag holder.  However, no regiment or company has been located in which he served.  And, there is nothing on the grave marker itself to indicate that he served. According […]