Go west, young man!

In the years after the American Civil War, there was a westward expansion like our country had never seen. People picked up and moved west for many reasons: increased population growth in the East, increased financial opportunities in the west, and to seek their fortunes on the frontier. The residents of Somerset County, PA were no different.

The town of Dixon, IL became home for many Somerset County expatriates, including several former members of the 142nd PVI. It seems like it was perfect location for anyone trying to make it as a farmer.




Dixon, IL arch. Originally built as a World War I memorial

 
According to the 1872 Lee County Plat Book,"South Dixon County ranked as one of the first in agricultural wealth. There were about 19,000 acres under cultivation, with a population of 900. The land for the most part is rolling prairie, well watered and fenced, and under a high state of cultivation. The building improvements are good. The Illinois Central Railroad passes through the township, north and south. Eldona is on this line and furnishes a small market for the citizens, but the mass of the inhabitants do their trading and marketing at Dixon, which is one of the finest markets on this line of rail road. Corn and wheat are the primary crops and livestock raised is mostly hogs, sheep and cattle."

Aaron Hartman was a member of Co. C. He and Harriet Elizabeth Young were married in Dixon and had a son Albert before the couple was divorced. Although Aaron left Dixon, son Albert is buried in Emanuel (Heckman) Cemetery.

Brothers Charles I. Will and George A. Will fought with Co. F. Their family moved to Dixon a few months after the war was over. Charles ended up farming his wife's family's land, while George later moved to Nebraska.

Elias Caton was another member of Co. F 142nd PVI. He was friends with the Will family, and after Elias was killed in action at Fredericksburg, VA, his sons Emanuel and William stayed with the Wills. When the Wills moved to Illinois, the Caton boys went with them.

Daniel Heckman fought with Co. F and moved to Dixon, IL in 1865 with his wife Mary. He is buried in Mt. Union Cemetery.

Henry Ware, another member of Co F, moved to Ogle County, IL in 1867 where he was a farmer. He then moved to another farm in Nachusa Twp, Lee County, and finally to Dixon when he retired around 1904. Henry passed away in 1932 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery.

Pvt. George A. Will, Co. F

George Alexander Will was born on Dec 9, 1842 in Somerset County, PA to Hiram and Keziah (Meese) Will. By age 16, he was working in his father's sawmill, but the summer of 1862 brought a call for more troops by President Lincoln. George and his brother Charles both joined Co. F 142nd PA Infantry.  

 

Pvt. Will was wounded in the ankle at the Battle of Fredericksburg on Dec 13, 1862 and was in the hospital for six months. After he was discharged from the hospital, he was transferred to Company D, 18th Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps on August 15, 1863. He was then discharged by General Order on June 29, 1865

 

After the end of the war, the Will family moved to Dixon, Lee County, IL. George stayed there farming with his father and brother until 1871 when he moved to Saunders County, NE. According to Past and Present of Saunders County Nebraska, Vol II , "He homesteaded eighty acres, to which he subsequently added a similar tract by buying railroad land and for forty-six years he concentrated his energies upon the operation of his farm, being assisted by his sons when they became old enough. As the years passed his capital increased and in 1907, feeling that he had accumulated a competence, he retired from active life."  George was also an active member of the Bob McCook G.A.R. Post in Ashland, NE. 

 

Will was married on July 1, 1869 in El Paso, IL to Frances Kurr, a native of Dixon, IL. The couple had four children, three of whom lived to adulthood.

 

George A. Will passed away in 1921 and is was laid to rest beside his wife in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Lancaster County, NE.

A big THANK YOU to Heather Heikkila for a wealth of information on the Will family!

Pvt. Aaron Hartman, Co. C

Aaron P. Hartman was born March 16, 1841 in Pennsylvania to John and Anna Margaretha (Krissinger) Hartman. John died early on in Aaron's life, and he was raised by his mother in the Berlin, Somerset County, PA area and by the time of the 1860 Federal Census was living in the county seat of Somerset, working as a blacksmithing apprentice.

Hartman was mustered into Co. C 142nd PA Infantry on Aug 25, 1862 and mustered out with his company on May 29, 1865 in Washington, DC.

After the war, like many other Americans, Aaron moved back home before heading out west. The Census of 1870 shows Hartman living in Berlin, PA, but he did not stay for long. In 1871, Hartman moved to Lee County, IL. There, on January 2, 1871 he married Harriet Elizabeth (Young) Hartman, with whom he had a son, Albert Welsey. The couple divorced and Aaron moved to Kansas.

By 1880, he had remarried, and his new wife Mary and stepson Henry Finch were living in Great Bend, Barton County, KS. Five years later, the three are living in Caldwell, Sumner County, KS.

Aaron Hartman died on March 28, 1892 and was laid to rest under a government headstone in Caldwell Cemetery, Caldwell, KS.

Much of the information provided by "Portrait and biographical album of Sumner County, KS" by Chapman Brothers and from Aaron Hartman's great-great granddaughter Heather Heikkila.

Pvt. Charles I. Will, Co. F

Charles Irwin Will was born in Northampton Twp, Somerset County, PA to Hiram and Kezia (Meese) Will on Aug 15, 1845.

He and his brother George joined Co. F 142nd PA Infantry in August of 1862, mustering into service on August 25th at Camp Curtin, near Harrisburg, PA. He was wounded in the neck at the Battle of Hatcher's Run in February 1865. Pvt. Will recovered quickly from his wound and was back with his unit in six weeks. He was mustered out with his company on May 29, 1865.

After the war ended, the Will family moved westward to Dixon, Lee County, IL, a place where several Somerset County families had immigrated and started farms. The Will family was no different, and in 1877, Charles left his father's land, and began farming his wife's home farm.

Charles was married to Mary E. Mossholder on that farm, and the couple had three children: Ida, Martha, and Ralph.

Charles Will passed away in 1925 and is buried with his wife, son, and parents in Emanuel (Heckman) Cemetery in Dixon, IL.

 

A very special THANK YOU to Heather Heikkila, great-great granddaughter of Charles Will for supplying invaluable amounts of information on her 142nd ancestors!

Pvt. Daniel May, Co. C

Daniel May was born in Somerset County, PA around 1837 to Daniel, Sr., and Elizabeth May. The family were farmers from the Upper Turkeyfoot Township area of Somerset County.

He was mustered into Co. C 142nd PA Infantry on Aug 25, 1862 and died on Feb 14, 1863. Pvt. May is buried at Fredericksburg National Cemetery.

Pvt. Ringold Markel, Co. C

Ringold Markel was born around 1830 in Germany. Two years later, his parents, Leopold and Elizabeth (Wunch) Markel immigrated to the United States and ended up settling around Meyersdale, Somerset County, PA.

Federal Census records from 1860 show Ringold living in Middlecreek Twp, Somerset County, PA and working as a blacksmith.

On Aug 25, 1862, Pvt. Markel was mustered into Co. C 142nd PA Infantry. He was killed in action at Petersburg, VA on Apr 2, 1865, a mere week before the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered, effectively ending the Civil War in the East.




Index for Ringold Markel's pension file


Markel was originally buried on the battlefield, but his body was later moved to Poplar Grove National Cemetery in Petersburg, Section D site 1080.

Information on the Markel family from:

History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; Bedford County by E. Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 337/8

Pvt. Daniel J. Horner, Co. C

Daniel J. Horner was born on May 27, 1843 in Somerset County, PA to John J. and Mary (Beeghley) Horner. He was one of eleven children born to the couple.

Daniel enlisted in Company C 142nd PA Infantry on Aug 11, 1862 and was mustered in on Aug 23. He was severely wounded in his regiment's first battle at Fredericksburg, VA on Dec 13, 1862, and had to have his left leg amputated above the knee. Pvt. Horner was mustered out of the service on Feb 23, 1864.

After he came home, Daniel went to school at  Mount Pleasant College, and at the State Normal School in Millersville, Lancaster County, PA from 1866-1868. He paid for his schooling by teaching during the winter months.

After Daniel moved back to Somerset County, he held a variety of public positions, including Register and Recorder of Deeds, Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners, and Clerk of Courts. As he held these public offices, Daniel also was a store clerk and a carriage manufacturer in the private sector. In 1891 he was elected as an Associate Judge of Somerset County. A very civic minded man, Daniel was a commander of the R.P. Cummins Post 210 of the G.A.R., a member of several fraternal organizations, and was a member of the monument committee for the 142nd monument at Gettysburg, where he spoke at its dedication on Sept 11, 1889.

Daniel married Susan Bell on Dec 14, 1870 and the couple had one child, Marion Bell Horner, who died in 1890 at age 16.

Daniel Horner passed away on Apr 22, 1907 and is buried in Somerset Union Cemetery, Somerset, PA.

Sources:

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Vol. XXXII, Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of 
Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania. Boston, Biographical Review 
Publishing Company: 1899, pp 103-105.

Those Who Still Remember, Part III

In an earlier post on this site, Those Who Still Remember, Part II, I highlighted a couple of Civil War Reenacting groups portraying different companies of the 142nd PVI. One of those units, Company F, has a second website designed to help those who would like to get involved with Civil War Reenacting and Living History. Among other things, their site lists all the gear and accouterments that you'll need, links to sutlers where you can buy it all, as well as a very detailed description of what a reenactment looks like from start to finish from a reenactor's side. It's a great site for anyone who is interested in Living History, but isn't sure where to start. Please visit them at http://www.civilwarreenactor.org/

Pvt. Simon Nicola, Co. C

Pvt. Simon Nicola was born in 1841 in Somerset County, PA to John and Mary (Ansell) Nicola. Simon's childhood was spent on the family farm in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, and the 1860 Federal Census lists his occupation as farmer.

Like many other young men in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Simon answered the Union's call to arms. He was mustered into Co. C 142nd PA Infantry on Aug 25, 1862. Regimental records end his record of service as Missing in Action at the Battle of Wilderness.

According to Government records and his mother's pension though, Simon was captured at the Battle of Wilderness on May 5, 1864 and taken to the Prisoner of War camp in Florence, SC. It was there that Simon died on October 25, 1864 and it is there that he was buried.

Below is a picture of the cemetery in Florence, SC where Pvt. Nicola and thousands of other Union Veterans are buried.

A special THANK YOU to Donna D'Agostino for information about Pvt. Nicola

1st Sgt. John J. Hoffman, Co. C

John J. Hoffman was born around 1838 in Somerset County, PA to John and Nancy Hoffman. His childhood was spent with his family in Jenner Crossroads, Somerset County, where his father was a farmer.

John was mustered into Co. C 142nd PVI on Aug 25, 1862 as his company's 1st Sergeant. He was discharged on Dec 28, 1863. The 1890 Veterans Schedule states that he was wounded in the left forearm.

After the war, John returned to Somerset County and worked at various jobs, including as a printer and as a vocal teacher. He and his wife Amanda had at least nine children.

Eventually, John found himself living across the state from his home county, in Philadelphia. By this point, he was widowed and living with his son George.

John J. Hoffman passed away on Dec. 3, 1909 and was laid to rest in Somerset Union Cemetery, Somerset, PA.

Pvt. John S. Heinbaugh, Co. C

John S. Heinbaugh was born in 1841 in Somerset County, PA to Jacob and Eliza (Snyder) Heinbaugh. John spent his childhood with the family in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, PA, where his father worked as a farmer, like so many others in that locale.

In 1858 John was married to Catharine Nicola by E.K. Haines, a Justice of the Peace. The two would go on to have eight children. Catharine's brother, Simon, was also a member of Co. C 142nd PVI.

John became Pvt. Heinbaugh on Aug. 26, 1862 and was one of the fortunate ones that mustered out with his company at the end of the war, on May 29, 1865.

After the war, John and his family moved to Rockwood, PA where he was a blacksmith, before settling in Westmoreland County, PA. In 1890, John applied for an invalid pension due to "total loss of left hand that occured while coupling cars at the Buck Eye Coke Works..." This injury occurred in Stauffer, PA in July of 1888.

John S. Heinbaugh passed away on June 4, 1896 in Mt. Pleasant, PA and was laid to rest in Greenlick Cemetery, Bullskin Twp, Fayette County, PA.

A special THANK YOU to Donna D'Agostino for information about Pvt. Heinbaugh

Sgt. Benjamin F. Harcomb, Co. C

Sgt. Benjamin F. Harcomb/Harkcom was a member of both the 142nd and the 211th PA Infantries. He enlisted in the 142nd on Aug. 25, 1862 and was discharged on Feb 25, 1863. He would later join the 211th and left their service on Sept 12, 1864.

He is buried in Bakersville Cemetery, Somerset County, PA.

Pvt. Peter Growall, Co. C

Peter Growall, brother of Pvt. Anthony Growall, was born in 1829 to John and Elizabeth (Johnson) Growall. The family lived in Milford Twp. Somerset County, PA.

By 1850 Peter was married to Elizabeth (Betsy) Rugg and  worked as a laborer. The couple had six children. In the early 1860s, Betsy's parents died, and the couple moved to their house on the Upper Turkeyfoot Twp/Lower Turkeyfoot Twp line.

Above is a picture of the house where Betsy Growall lived while Peter was in the 142nd.

Peter was mustered into Co. C 142nd PA Infantry on Aug. 26, 1862. He passed away on Dec. 16, 1862 in Fredericksburg, VA of typhoid fever. He was laid to rest in Fredericksburg National Cemetery among thousands of other Civil War veterans.

A special thanks to Samuel Miller.  Some great information for this post was taken from his book, A Place Called Hexie, which can be purchased by clicking here.

Pvt. Anthony Growall, Co. C

Anthony Growall was born in 1825 in Somerset County, PA to John and Elizabeth (Johnson) Growall, one of at least a dozen children born to this couple.

On Aug 26, 1862 Anthony was mustered into Co. C 142nd PA Infantry at Camp Curtin. He transferred to  160th Company, 2nd Battery of the Veteran Reserve Corps on February 15, 1864. He stayed with this unit until his discharge on July 3, 1865.

Anthony was a carpenter by trade and owned a sawmill in Rockwood, Somerset County. His first wife, Sarah, was tragically killed in a sawmill accident in March of 1880.

Above is a report on the accident in the March 31, 1880 edition of The Indiana Weekly Messenger. 

Anthony would later remarry Annie Cooper.

 Photo of a boiler explosion at J.P. Growall's planing mill in Rockwood in 1900. Anthony is the man on the far left.

Anthony Growall passed away on March 15, 1902 in Rockwood, PA and is buried in the Hauger Cemetery a few miles outside of town in Black Twp.

 

A special THANK YOU to Joe Growall for the picture of the mill explosion.

Pvt. Michael A. Firestone, Co. C

Michael A. Firestone was born on March 2, 1834 in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA to Michael and Elizabeth (Ansell) Firestone. He was one of ten brothers and sisters.

Michael was mustered into Co. C 142nd PA Infantry on Aug 25, 1862 and was wouded by a minie ball in the right thigh during the Battle of Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862. After he was discharged from the hospital, he was transferred to the 95th Company, 2nd battalion of the Veteran Reserve Corps on December 17, 1863, and  discharged by General Order August 24, 1865.

Michael was married to Lavina Nicola in 1860, and after the war the couple moved westward by one county and settled in Springfield Twp, Fayette County, PA and had three children.

Michael A. Firestone passed away on July 8, 1919 in Snydertown, Fayette County, a town he had moved to five years before. His funeral, held on July 11th in his home, was reported by The Daily Courier (Connellsville, PA) being one of the largest in Snydertown in recent memory. He was laid to rest in Hill Grove Cemetery in Connellsville, PA.

The following are clippings from The Daily Courier the week that Michael died. The obituary incorrectly names his parents.

 

More information on Michael Firestone's life and family can be found by clicking here: minerd.com

Pvt. William Faith, Co. C

William Faith was born on Aug 17, 1839 in Pennsylvania, and his childhood was spent in Somerset County. William enlisted in Co. C 142nd PVI on Aug 25, 1862 and was discharged on Feb 26, 1863. His obituary, which errently states that he was in the cavalry during the war, mentions him having war wounds.

William Faith obituary from The Daily Courier (Connellsville, PA)

In 1866, William was married to Tryphena Cable and the couple had eight children together.

Pension index, listing Tryphena as his widow

As an adult, census records show that William and his family moved to different parts of Fayette and Westmoreland Counties until his death in 1910. He and Tryphena are buried together in Mt. Olive Brethern Cemetery, Bullskin Twp, Fayette County, PA.

Corp. Samuel Gerhart, Co. C

Samuel Gerhart was born in 1841 in Somerset County, PA to Jacob and Catherine (Brougher) Gerhart. Samuel's father, a German immigrant, was a farmer and the family lived in the Paddytown section of Upper Turkeyfoot Twp.

Samuel was mustered into Co. C 142nd PVI on August 25, 1862 in Camp Curtin, near Harrisburg, PA. He was captured by Confederate forces at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864 and was taken to the Confederate POW camp at Andersonville, GA. It was here that Samuel Gerhart died and was buried on Sept 17, 1864.

The 142nd PA's position on May 5, 1864, when Samuel was captured. Please click on the map to see a larger version. Position is to the left of "WARREN."  Map courtesy of The Civil War Trust. Please click here and check out their preservation efforts.

Image of Andersonville Prison taken in 1864

Sgt. Augustus Davis, Co. C

Augustus C. Davis was born around 1845 in Somerset County, PA to John and Mary (Braillier) Davis. He was mustered into Co. C 142nd PVI on August 25, 1862 at Camp Curtin, near Harrisburg, PA. Sgt. Davis was wounded during the 142nd's actions at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 and was discharged due to these wounds.

After the war, Davis married Mary Gaither and held a variety of jobs: speculator, hardware merchant, and postmaster.

Augustus C. Davis passed away in 1923 and is buried in Somerset Union Cemetery.

Sgt. Samuel H. Brougher, Co. C

Samuel H. Brougher was born in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA in 1844. He was one of nine children born to Peter and Elizabeth (Hauger) Brougher. Samuel enlisted as a sergeant in Co. C 142nd PA Infantry on Aug 25, 1862, and died in a hospital in Philadelphia on April 4, 1865, mere days before the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. He was laid to rest at Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Thank you very much to John at mtmoriah.info for the picture of Sgt. Brougher's grave. Check out their great page on the Mt. Moriah Cemetery at http://mountmoriah.info/index.php?title=Main_Page

Pvt. Benjamin A. Boyts, Co.C

Benjamin A. Boyts was born around 1844 in Pennsylvania. In 1860, just before the war, Benjamin was farming and living in the home of his parents, John and Mary A. Boyts in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA.

He enlisted in Co. C of the 142nd PVI on August 25, 1862 and was mustered out at the end of the war on May 29, 1865.

Eventually, Benjamin would marry his wife Maggie and move westward, settling in Kansas City, MO. On March 21, 1912, a 68 year old Benjamin Boyts moved into the National Home for Disabled Veterans in Leavenworth, KS. At the time of his admission, his disablities were labeled as asthma, an old gunshot wound to the ankle, and myalgia.

Three months after his admission to the Home, Benjamin Boyts passed away on June 20, 1912. The cause of death was listed as mitral stenosis, a type of heart disease. He was laid to rest in Leavenworth National Cemetery the following day.

Sgt. Benjamin Franklin Boyts, Co. C

Benjamin Franklin Boyts was born in 1840 in Somerset, PA to Jonathan and Elizabeth Boyts. He was a brother to Capt. John H. Boyts.

His early life was spent farming and he then worked as a clerk in Frostburg, MD.

Sgt. Boyts enlisted in Co. C 142nd PVI on August 25, 1862. On May 5, 1864, he was wounded at the Wilderness. This wound kept him hospitalized for the remainder of the war, and he was in the hospital when his company was mustered out a year later.

He was married to Ceclia M. Reid sometime between 1870 and 1880.

After the war, B.F. Boyts lived in Pittsburgh before he moved to Connellsville, Fayette County, PA where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a partner in a pump manufacturing plant in Connellsville and was very involved in the financial, civic, and spiritual life of that city. He was one of the founders of the Trinity English Lutheran Church and made sure the bills were paid during its early days.

The above picture is taken from the Nov. 27, 1911 evening edition of The Daily Courier (Connellsville, PA).

On Nov. 27, 1911, after years of failing health, B.F. Boyts passed away in Connellsville, and is buried there in Hill Grove Cemetery. His pastor, Rev. Ellis B. Burgess ended his eulogy with these words:

"Farewell my brother and my friend. You and I have been very close together in the Kingdom here below; we will not be separated very widely in the kingdom above."

Capt. John H. Boyts, Co. C

Capt. John H. Boyts was born on March 9, 1838 in Somerset, PA to Jonathan and Elizabeth Boyts. By 1860, John was listed as a clerk in the Federal Census records. He was commissioned Captain of Company C on August 27, 1862 and was mustered out six months later on February 22, 1863.

In 1865, John was married to Emily Scull.

Capt. Boyts passed away on Jan. 8, 1900 and is buried, with Emily, in Union Cemetery, Somerset, PA.

Corp. Joseph Bitner, Co. C

Corp. Joseph H. Bitner was mustered into Co. C 142nd PA Infantry on August 25, 1862. He was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. His wife, Rebecca's,  tombstone is located in the New Centerville Lutheran Cemetery in Somerset County, PA and contains a memorial to him as well.

The inscription is very worn, but reads that Joseph H Bittner was:

"Killed July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg
Aged 26y 11m 23d
Buried on the battlefield"

Pvt. Frederick Dumbauld, Co. C

Frederick Dumbauld was born on June 25, 1837 in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA to Jonathan Cable and Elizabeth (Dull) Dumbauld. He was one of at least eight children born into this family.

Frederick joined Company C of the 142nd PVI on Aug 25, 1862 and was mustered out with his unit on May 29, 1865.

By 1870, Frederick was married to Jane McNeill. At the time of the Federal Census, the couple had an eight month old son named Harvey and Frederick was listed as a farmer. A decade later, the couple is living in the town of Milford, Davis County, KS, and has five children. Tragically, their first son, Harvey only lived to be ten months old and was buried in Pennsylvania.

Photos courtesy of Ryan Sechler

Above is a picture of Frederick Dumbauld and all his siblings. Frederick is the 2nd man from the right. Below is just him.

Frederick died on Oct. 30, 1917. According to the 1910 Federal Census, Frederick and Jane were still living in Kansas, so he may have died there. He is, however, buried in the Old Bethel Church Cemetery in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA, the same cemetery that his ten month old son is buried in. His wife Jane stayed in Kansas, which is where she filed for a widow's pension and is buried.

Those Who Still Remember, Part I

On Sunday May 14, 2011, several men of the 142nd were remembered by an SUV Camp in Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA. Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Mt Union Church Camp 502 and its Auxiliary held a memorial program in the Kingwood Church of God. They were unable to be outside at the cemetery due to poor weather. The camp laid wreaths on the graves of the Civil War veterans buried at the Kingwood Church of God and Lutheran Cemeteries.

Three of these men were members of Co. C 142nd PA Infantry:

For more information on Jacob Kreger, click here

  

For more information on Jonas Meyers, click here

For more information on Jacob Phillipi, click here

As previously stated, the memorial service was held inside the Kingwood Church of God. The land for this church was donated by Pvt. Jacob Kreger, and a set of stained glass windows in the sanctuary still bear witness to his generosity.

 

Stained glass windows from the Kingwood Church of God, Upper Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA

Close up of the name panel located in the bottom right of the picture above

Keeping alive the memory of these veterans is an everyday occurence for some. Joshua Sechler, current SUV member and descendent of Pvt. Jonas Meyers, stated:

“Fortunately when I was young my family instilled in me a deep rooted love for our great nation.  I am very proud of my ancestor and all the men and women who fought to decide the fate of our nation during the American Civil War.  It is of the highest importance that we always remember their sacrifices not only on specific holidays, but everyday as we live our lives.”

For more information about what the Sons of Union Veterans are doing in Somerset County, PA, please visit their website at www.mtunion.org/Civil_War.html

Pvt. Samuel Nicola, Co. C

Samuel A. Nicola was born around 1827 in Pennsylvania to Samuel and Margaret (Jennings) Nicola.  He was married to Margaret Firestone in her parents' home in Draketown. The couple had four children: William, Elisha, Sabina, and Mary.

Samuel was mustered into Company C of the 142nd PVI on Aug 25, 1862 at Camp Curtin, near Harrisburg, PA. He was absent and in the hospital at the time that his company was mustered out.

According to one of Pvt. Nicola's descendents, Samuel had a lot of pain in one of his eyes. The pain was so severe that during his time in the service, he had to wear a kerchief over that eye, and eventually he lost sight in it. The poor vision also led an accident that hospitalized him. One night, Samuel was pouring himself some coffee, and the combination of poor eye sight and night time led him to spill it down into his shoe, severely burning his foot. This accident led to his walking with a limp for the rest of his life.

After the war, Samuel, Margaret, and their family lived in Lower Turkeyfoot Twp, Somerset County, PA, near the town of Ursina. The 1870 Census lists the family's surname as "Nicklow", a change that most of their descendents would later make.

Samuel passed away on Oct 24, 1893 and is buried in the Ursina Cemetery in Lower Turkeyfoot Twp.

A very special THANK YOU to Florence (Nicklow) Elliott, great-granddaughter of Pvt. Nicola.

Those Who Still Remember, Part II

This site aspires to one day be the central online location for information on the 142nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, but it is by no means the only place that still remembers the men and deeds of this fine regiment. Two reenacting units, portraying Companies F & G, respectively, are very active in the living history community.

Plaque for the 142nd on the base of the Pennsylvania State Monument at Gettysburg

142nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company F is a family reenacting unit headquartered administratively in Middletown, MD and has reenactors from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey.
Please see their company's website at http://tcb1863.com/17101.html

Close up of the 142nd Monument in Somerset, PA.

142d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Co. G is headquartered in Stroudsburg, Monroe County, PA. The original Co. G was raised in that same locale. They have a very substantial website with some great information on the original unit at http://www.142pvi.org/.  

Base of the 142nd Monument at Gettysburg with flags and flowers from those who still remember