An article that appeared in the Harrisburg Telegraph of 20 September 1913 described the ongoing effort to place a monument to the Civil War soldiers and soldiers of other wars at some suitable place in the town.

WAR MONUMENT FOR MILLERSBURG

Marker For Soldier Dead Will Be Erected on Suitable Site in the Town

By Special Correspondence

Millersburg, Pennsylvania, September 20 [1913] — The monument to be erected in Millersburg in honor of the soldier dead of the Civil Wars and other wars, arrived in town on Wednesday and is a fine piece of workmanship.  The design is that of a young soldier in a model of the uniform worn by the boys of ’61, standing at parade rest, with rifle butt on the ground.  The figure is six feet tall and was cut from a block of Italian marble by an Italian sculptor in Italy.  The height of the monument from the base is eighteen feet and will be erected this fall if a site can be decided upon.  There has been a number of places mentioned, such as Oak Hill Cemetery, the parks and at the intersection of Center and Market Streets.  The latter place seems to be favored by the people more than the others.

The memorial was eventually located in the Central Square in 1914, but was dedicated only to the memory of those who fought in the Civil War.

For a previous blog post here, see Millersburg Soldier Monument.

For a previous blog post on the dedication of the monument, see Dedication of the Millersburg Soldier Monument, 1914, on the Lykens Valley Blog.

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News clipping from Newspapers.com.

Joseph H. Reed of Tower City – Miner and Carpenter

November 2019 Posts

December 2019 Posts

More Tributes to William C. Mills – Naval Battle Survivor

Henry Rissinger of Jackson Township – Retired Farmer

Jacob Minnig of Donaldson & Porter Township

Tyrus Snyder -173rd Pennsylvania Infantry

Joseph R. Snyder – Militia Man from Millersburg

Jonathan B. Stutzman – 50th Pennsylvania Infantry

Elias Tressler – Last Civil War Veteran in Gordon, Died 1928

Elias Tressler, a Civil War veteran of the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry, died on 13 May 1928 at the home of his daughter in Gordon, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. He was the last surviving veteran who lived in that community.

ELIAS TRESSLER

Elias Tressler, aged 85 years and 10 days, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Isaac Bobb, at Gordon, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, May 13th [1928] at 10:45 o’clock.  The aged man had been bedfast for a year suffering of diabetes and cancer.

Born in Northumberland County, near Mahanoy, he was married to Susannah Bohner, October 4, 1866, to which union was born eight children, six of whom preceded him in death.  His wife died six years ago.  Since that time he has made his home with his daughter at Gordon.

A Civil War Veteran, Mr. Tressler was in a number of major engagements, and fought in the Battle of Gettysburg.  He was the last of Civil War veterans, residing in Gordon.

He is survived by two daughters:  Mrs. Bobb, of Gordon, and Mrs. C. C. Lebo of Elizabethville, also by four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held from the Bobb home Wednesday evening, and this morning the body will be taken to the Red Cross Lutheran Church, where further services will be held at 10:30 o’clock, and interment made in the adjoining cemetery.

Finding Elias Tressler in the records is sometimes difficult because his surname is incorrectly given as Pressler or Dressler.

His Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card from the Pennsylvania Archives (above) gives limited information… only that he served in Company D of a drafted militia, the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry. Another source gives his service dates as mustered in on 27 October 1862 and mustered out on 1 August 1863, and the entire service at the rank of Private.

The Pension Index Card from Fold3 (above), indicates that he applied for an Invalid Pension on 24 July 1883, which he received and collected until his death. The death date is confirmed on the card, as are the dates of service.

The Pennsylvania Veterans’ Burial Card (above), available through Ancestry.com, gives addition information, including his birth date of 3 May 1843, and the place of final rest, St. Peter’s Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, Washington Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Note also that his service began, according to the card, on 16 October 1862.

One final point. Veterans often claimed that they fought in battles in which they could not have possibly been present. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought on the 1st to 3rd of July 1863, at a time when the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry was involved in Dix’s Peninsula Campaign, and attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Corps. On 9 July 1863, though, his regiment was ordered to Washington, D.C., and from there, on 14 July 1863, joined the Army of the Potomac at Hagerstown, Maryland assigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Corps. Thereafter for the days 19th to 25th July the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry was in pursuit of Lee to Williamsport, Maryland, followed by a march to Warrenton Junction, Virginia. From Warrenton Junction, the regiment was ordered to Harrisburg, where it was mustered out of service.

According to a brief history of the 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry, the regiment fought in no major battles.

Jonathan B. Stutzman was born on 6 May 1846 and died 19 April 1921. In 1860, he was living in Hegins, Schuylkill County, with his father, Christian Stutzman.

On 29 February 1964, J. B. Stutzman enrolled at Pottsville in Company A of the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A. and on 1 March 1964, he was mustered into service as a Private. At the time, he was 18 Years old, stood almost 5 foot 6 inches tall, had brown hair, a light complexion, and blue eyes. He claimed to be a laborer, by occupation. Jonathan served until 30 July 1865, when he was honorably discharged.

On 28 November 1869, at Tremont, Schuylkill County, Jonathan B. Stutzman married Sarah Wean, who died in 1874 after the couple had two children. Then, in 1875 in Schuylkill County, Jonathan married a second time to Annie Miller. The couple had at least four known children together. Annie survived Jonathan and lived until 1931.

Census records for Jonathan Stutzman indicate that he lived in Frailey Township, or Donaldson, Schuylkill County from 1870 to his death. In 1870, his occupation was shoemaker; in 1880 he indicated he was a miner; in 1900 he was a day laborer; in 1910 he was a cobbler [shoemaker], with his own shop; and in 1920, he was still a shoemaker.

On 1 August 1890, Jonathan B. Stutzman applied for an invalid pension, which he was granted and collected until his death, whereupon his second wife Anna [Miller] Stutzman applied on 16 June 1921. She collected the pension until her death, which as previously stated, occurred in 1931.

On 23 April 1921, the West Schuylkill Press & Pine Grove Herald published his obituary:

Jonathan B. Stutzman, a prominent resident of Donaldson, died on Tuesday night, aged seventy-four years.  Mr. Stutzman was a veteran of the Civil War.  Among the survivors are the widow and son, William Stutzman and several other children.  The funeral services will be held in the Reformed Church at Donaldson, on Sunday morning at 10 o’clock.  Rev. C. A. Huyette will officiate.  Undertaker Otto has charge.

Burial was in the cemetery at Donaldson.

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Photo of Jonathan B. Stutzman and his grave marker are from a public family tree on Ancestry.com. Obituary is from Newspapers.com. Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card is from the Pennsylvania Archives. Pension Index Card is from Ancestry.com.

Joseph Snyder, died on 2 July 1906, and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He was married to the former Mary Ada Stewart, who died in 1923 and is buried at the same place, along with an infant daughter, Mary E. Snyder (1860-1860), who died before the war. With his wife, Snyder had at least two other known children.

Joseph Snyder was a Civil War veteran by virtue of his service in the 6th Pennsylvania Infantry (Emergency Militia of 1862). He enrolled at Halifax, Dauphin County, on 13 September 1862 and was discharged at the end of the emergency on 27 September 1862. According to the information on the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, available from the Pennsylvania Archives and shown above, he was 27 years old at the time of his enlistment, although some genealogical sources give his birth date as 3 July 1838, which would have made him 24 at the time of enrollment.

The 1900 Census for Millersburg indicates that he was a farmer.

The Harrisburg Telegraph of 6 July 1906, published his obituary, but did not mention his Civil War service:

MILLERSBURG NOTES

Joseph Snyder, Odd Fellow for Forty Years, Is Dead

Millersburg, July 6 [1906] — Joseph Snyder, one of Millersburg‘s oldest citizens, died after a month’s illness.  Mr. Snyder was a member of Perseverance Lodge, Odd Fellows, for over forty years.  The lodge turned out in a body at his funeral.  He was 68 years old.  The funeral was held yesterday afternoon.  Rev. A. B. Saylor, of the United Evangelical Church, officiating.

Because Joseph Snyder only served in a militia regiment for less than the amount of time required for a pension, he is not found in the pension application files. However, his home town of Millersburg did recognize him on their Civil War monument.

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News article from Newspapers.com.

The obituary of Civil War veteran Tyrus Snyder appeared in the Lykens Standard of 23 May 1919:

CIVIL WAR VETERAN DIED SATURDAY – FUNERAL WEDNESDAY

Tyrus Snyder, an aged citizen and veteran of the Civil War, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Paul Yentsch, on East Main Street [Lykens], Saturday, at 4 P.M. from infirmities due to old age.  He was aged 80 years, 4 months, and 5 days.

On October 16, 1962, Mr. Snyder enlisted and was mustered into the United States service as t Harrisburg as Private to serve in Captain Cornelius A. Harper‘s, Company K, 173rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry [173rd Pennsylvania Infantry], under the command of Col. Daniel Magel.  The regiment proceeded to Washington, D. C., and from there to Norfolk, Virginia, where they were engaged in drill and doing guard duty at various points until July 9, 1863, when they joined Meade’s Army in pursuit of Lee who was retreating from Gettysburg.  During his enlistment he was subjected to long and tedious marches and received a citation for guard duty done on Orange and Alexander Railroad.  He was honorably discharged August 18, 1863, at Harrisburg.

Mr. Snyder was a member of Heilner Post, G.A.R. 232.

Surviving to mourn their loss are the following children:  George Snyder, of Coatesville; Calvin Snyder, Shamokin; Andrew Snyder, Lykens; Harry Snyder, Inglenook; Ellen, Mrs. Brady Klinger, Wiconisco; Carrie, Mrs. Grant Ritzman, Shamokin; Mary, Mrs. Richard Clough, Wiconisco; Etta, Mrs. Paul Yentsch, Lykens; and Katie, Mrs. Richard Davidson, Williamstown.

There are fifty-seven grandchildren and fifty-seven great-grandchildren.

The funeral was held from the home of his son Andrew Snyder, where the body was taken after death, on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock with services in the Baptist Church, Rev. A. H. Souillard, of Minersville, officiating.  Burial was made in the Wiconisco Cemetery, which is now referred to as the Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery.

On 4 October 1892, Tyrus applied for a pension under the name “Cyrus Snyder.” The record card, above, from Ancestry.com, shows that he received the pension award, which he collected until his death, which occurred (according to other information), on 17 May 1919.

At the time of his death he was a widower. His wife, the former Sarah Specht, had died in 1904, and she was buried in the plot Tyrus had purchased in the Wiconisco Cemetery. When Tyrus died in 1919, he was buried next to her. See photo at top of post.

For his service as a veteran of the Civil War, Tyrus Snyder was recognized on the Lykens G.A. R. Monument. and his name appears among the privates who joined the G.A.R. post there after its organization.

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Obituary from Newspapers.com.

On 22 April 1861, Jacob Minnig of Donaldson, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, enrolled in and was mustered into service in the 6th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G, at Harrisburg as a Private. At the time, he said he was 28 years old (born about 1833) and was a laborer by occupation. His three-months service concluded in August 1861, or more precisely on 26 July 1861, as stated in the 1890 veterans’ census, a portion of which is shown below.

In a search of the Fold3 Pension Index Card for that regiment and company, a card was located to indicate that on 1 December 1890, Jacob Minnig applied for a pension, which he received and collected until his death, the date of which is not recorded on the card. The service on which the pension was based, was the 6th Pennsylvania Infantry , and no other service was given in the application.

Also, from the card, it is noted that a widow applied and received benefits.

The Pension Index Card from Ancestry.com give the name of the widow as Elizabeth Minnig and the date of her application as 21 September 1897. It can be concluded therefore that Jacob Minnig died after the 1890 census but before the date of Mrs. Minnig’s pension application – and more probably closer to the date of her application.

In searching the cemeteries in the western Schuylkill County area, a stone was found on Findagrave for a Jacob Minnig (1833-1897). The stone is at the St. Peter’s Evangelical and Reformed Cemetery, Tremont. On the same stone is an Elizabeth A. Minnig (1839-1923) and a Henry I. Minnig (1877-1893), the latter probably being a son.

A flag can be seen in the photo of the grave marker (upper right) which most likely indicates that this is the grave of a veteran.

No obituary has been located for a Jacob Minnig for that year.

Additional information is sought from blog readers who can provide it for this veteran who was one of the first to answer the call for service.

Henry Rissinger was born 25 March 1845, the son of David Rissinger and Lovena Rissinger. During the Civil War he served in the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company A, as a Private, from 19 February 1864 through 19 May 1865. He married Mary Garverich and with her had at least eight known children. Henry died on 9 November 1926 at his home in Jackson Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and was buried at Fetterhoff’s Cemetery in Halifax Township, Dauphin County.

The obituary of Henry Rissinger appeared in local and regional newspapers:

From the Harrisburg Evening News, 10 November 1926:

Henry Rissinger, Civil War Veteran Dies

Henry Rissinger, 81, a Civil War veteran died last evening at his home in Jackson Township.   Funeral services will be held on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at his home, with further services at Fetterhoff, where burial will be made.  The Rev. Mr. Stahley, of Fisherville, will officiate.

Survivors are the following children:  Daniel Rissinger, Milton Rissinger, and Charles Rissinger, of this city [Harrisburg]; James Rissinger, of Wiconisco; George Rissinger, of Highspire; Franklin Rissinger, of Bressler; Miss Sally Rissinger, of North Dakota; and Miss Elizabeth Rissinger, at home; nineteen grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 10 November 1926:

HENRY RISSINGER

HenryRissinger, 81, Civil War veteran and retired farmer, died last night in his home, in JacksonTownship, Dauphin County, near Halifax.

He is survived by eight children, nineteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.  The children are:  Daniel Rissinger, Milton Rissinger, and Charles Rissinger, of Harrisburg; James Rissinger, of Wiconisco; George Rissinger, of Highspire; Franklin Rissinger, of Bressler; Miss Sallie Rissinger, of South Dakota; and Miss Elizabeth Rissinger, at home.

Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon, at 1:30 o’clock, in the home, with a further service in the Fetterhoff Church, the Rev. Mr. Stabley, of Fisherville, officiating.

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From the Elizabethville Echo, 11 November 1926:

HENRY RISSINGER

Henry Rissinger, a Civil War Veteran, aged 81, died at his home in Jackson Township on Tuesday evening November 9th, and is survived by six sons and two daughters:  Daniel Rissinger, Milton Rissinger, and Charles Rissinger, of Harrisburg; James Rissinger of Wiconisco; George Rissinger of Highspire; Franklin Rissinger, of Bressler; Miss Sallie Rissinger of North Dakota; and Miss Elizabeth Rissinger at home; also 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30, Saturday afternoon at his home and at Fetterhoff’s Church, where interment will be made.  Rev. J. F. Stabley will officiate.

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From the Elizabethville Echo, 18 November 1926:

Funeral services for Henry Rissinger, aged Civil War veteran who died Tuesday, November 9th, were held at Fetterhoff’s Church Saturday afternoon, with burial in the adjoining cemetery.  Rev. J. F. Stabley officiated.

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From the Lykens Standard, 19 November 1926:

SENILITY CLAIMS JACKSON TOWNSHIP RESIDENT

FISHERVILLE, November 16 [1926] — Henry Rissinger, aged 81 years, 7 months and 14 days passed away at his home near this place Tuesday of last week at 5:30 P.M., from infirmities of old age.

His wife, who before marriage was Mary Garverich, preceded him in death June 10, 1926.  Surviving are eight children:  Daniel Rissinger and Milton Rissinger, of Harrisburg; James Rissinger, of Wiconisco; George Rissinger of Harrisburg; Frank Rissinger, of Bressler; Elizabeth Rissinger at home; and Mrs. Sallie Olson of North Dakota.

A military funeral in charge of the American Legion Post of Elizabethville was held on Saturday at 1:30, the Rev. J. F. Stabley, officiating.  Burial was made in the Fetterhoff Cemetery.

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News articles from Newspapers.com.

William C. Mills, who was previously profiled here on this blog, was a survivor of the sinking of the Congress by the Merrimac during the Civil War. The print above, shows the explosion that occurred on the Congress that resulted in its burning and sinking. The sinking took place in the Battle of Newport News, which occurred on 8 March 1862. Approximately 120 sailors, including the captain, lost their lives in the sinking.

William C. Mills died 21 September 1916 at Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He was recognized there on the Millersburg Soldier Monument, which was erected only two years before his death. As a resident of Millersburg, it is highly possible that he was present at the monument dedication in 1914 and appeared in the photo of the veterans:

Unfortunately, to date, no information has been seen to accurately identify those in the photograph.

William C. Mills was known well enough throughout the state of Pennsylvania for his obituary to appear in City newspapers.

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From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 22 September 1916:

CAPT. MILLS OF CIVIL WAR FAME DIES

MILLERSBURG, Pennsylvania, September 21 [1916] — Capt. William C. Mills, last of the survivors of the battleship Congress, which was sunk during the Civil War by the Merrimac, died at his home here early this morning.  He was 75 years old.

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From the Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 September 1916:

MILLERSBURG – William C. Mills, died this morning.  He was seventy-five years old and was the last of the survivors of the crew of the Congress that was sunk by the Merrimac.

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From the Lancaster Semi-Weekly News Era, 23 September 1916:

CAPTAIN WILLIAM C. MILLS, said to be the last of the survivors of the warship Congress, which was sunk during the Civil War by the Merrimac, died at his home at Millersburg, Pennsylvania, of heart disease there Thursday morning.   He was seventy-five years old.

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From the Carlisle Evening Herald, 22 September 1916:

LAST SURVIVOR OF SHIP CONGRESS DIES

William C. Mills, aged 74 years, a retired miller of Millersburg, died Thursday morning at 5:30 o’clock at his home in Lenkerville following a sudden attack of neuralgia of the heart.  He was a Civil War veteran and the last survivor of the Congress sunk by the Merrimac during the war.

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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 22 September 1916:

CAPT. W. C. MILLS, MEMBER OF CUMBERLAND CREW, DIES

Millersburg, Pennsylvania, September 22 [1916] — Captain William C. Mills, a veteran of the Civil War died suddenly of heart disease yesterday at the home in Lenkerville, aged 77 years. Mr. Mills came to Lenkerville from Chester County after the war and for many years followed milling. During the war he was a member of the warship Cumberland, and was one of the crew who escaped when rammed by the Merrimac in Hampton Roads. He also witnessed the battle between the Merrimac and the Monitor after the destruction of his ship. He is survived by two sons, William C. Mills Jr., of Millersburg, and Harry F. Mills of Hazleton, and four daughters, Mrs. Annie Noble and Mrs. H. H. Heicher, of Harrisburg; Mrs. William H. Goodwin of West Chester, and Miss Sue Mills at home.

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Finally, the one local newspaper, the Elizabethville Echo, 28 September 1916, also announced his death, but was the only one that included his prior service the 9th Pennsylvania Infantry:

William C. Mills

The death of William C. Mills, aged 74, occurred at his home in Lenkerville on Thursday morning, September 21st, caused by a sudden attack of neuralgia of the heart.  He was born in Chester County and was a soldier in the Civil War, serving in Company F, Ninth Pennsylvania Infantry and later was in the Marine service.  He was on the ship Congress when it was sunk by the Merrimac.  Mrs. Mills died eight years ago.  There are five daughters and two sons surviving.  Funeral services were held on Sunday afternoon.

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News articles from Newspapers.com.

Dr. Henry L. Orth – Superintendent of State Hospital for Insane

Obituary & Funeral of Aaron Ossman of Hegins and Tremont

Daniel A. Reisch – White Supremacist, 1866

Francis Asbury Awl – White Supremacist, 1866

Death & Funeral of Frank Reiner

Henry Rishe – Blacksmith in the Lykens Valley