Charles Carroll Ziegler in the American Civil War

Charles Carroll Ziegler, the youngest son of my 3x great grandfather, enlisted in Company E, Pennsylvania 99^th Infantry Regiment on 24 August 1861 as a Private.[1] He was born in Lancaster County on 4 July 1837.[2] At the time of his enlistment, he and his wife, Elizabeth Lorentz had two young children, George and Susan.[3]  Their son, George was likely named for Charles’ father who died in 1838 when Charles was just an infant.

In July of 1863, the 99^th Pennsylvania Infantry was engaged at Battle of Gettysburg. The monument at Devil’s Den is dedicated to this unit.

99th Pennsylvania Infantry

Fought on this line in the afternoon of July 2nd.

Present at Gettysburg 339 Officers and men.
Killed and died of wounds 1 officer and 24 men.
Wounded 4 officers and 70 men.
Captured or missing 11 men.
Total 110[4]

Charles Ziegler was wounded during this battle on 2 July 1863 and died as a result of his wound on 11 July 1863. His cause of death was Vulnus Sclopet,[5] a wound inflicted by a gunshot, in his back.[6] He was promoted to Full Sergeant posthumously.[7]  Charles was 26 years old. 

His widow, Elizabeth L. Ziegler, applied for a pension on 27 August 1863.[8]

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[1] U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865, Pennsylvania, Charles C. Zeigler; online index, (www.ancestry.com :  23 May 2015), citing History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865, These Honored Dead: The Union Casualties at Gettysburg.

[2] Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985, online database, St. John's Episcopal Church, Lancaster Co., Lancaster; burial of Charles Carroll Ziegler, Woodward Hill Cemetery, 17 July 1863; Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : 16 December 2013).

[3] 1870 US census, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Lancaster, ward 9, p. 17, dwelling 117, family 123, household of John Lawrence; digital images online (www.ancestry.com : 23 May 2015), citing NARA publication M593, roll 1356.

[4] http://gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/union-monuments/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-infantry/99th-pennsylvania/ : 23 May 2015.

[5] Search for Vulnus Sclopet; (http://www.fold3.com/spotlight/30859/meaning_of_vulnus_sclopet/ : 23 May 2015).

[6] U.S., Registers of Death of Volunteers, 1861-1865, Chas Zeigler, Sgt, 99 Pa Inf, July 11, Gettysburg, Pa, Vulnus Sclopet back, Reg 554 Pa; digital image online (www.ancestry.com : 23 May 2015), citing NARA RG 94, Box 53.

[7] U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865, Pennsylvania, Charles C. Zeigler; online index.

[8] U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934, Charles C. Ziegler; digital images online (www.ancestry.com : 23 May 2015), citing NARA publication T288, roll 544.

Research Trip aka Repository Heaven

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit several repositories. Since beginning my blog, I have reviewed many of my family files and have made new discoveries. A recent trip to Pennsylvania allowed me to visit family and friends and to do research in these great repositories.

My first stop was the New Jersey State Archives, just across the Delaware River in Trenton. With several family lines in the Trenton area, there are wonderful resources available at this facility. The hours passed too quickly but I did make some great discoveries which I will share in future blogs. My focus at the archives was on birth, marriage and death records for extended family.

An afternoon at the David Library of the American Revolution was enjoyable but yielded little in the way of answers about one of my American Revolution patriots. The librarian was helpful but there does not appear to be a clear record of service to back up the family story. While this does not make the story untrue, it does mean that a different approach to this research question must be taken.

Some of the research for this patriot continued at the Lancaster Historical Society. With deep roots in Lancaster County, there was plenty to research. I must admit that organization was lacking as I wanted to familiarize myself with the holdings and to glance at possible resources for my many Lancaster lines. Inventories, church and cemetery records, and family files are just a few of the items I was able to review while at this amazing repository.

Additionally, I have always dreamed of holding the actual documents that my ancestors carried with them on their journey to this new land. Holding documents dating from 1724 that belonged to John Leonard Ellmaker, my 7x great grandfather, was a thrill and the highlight of my trip!

Found! Honorah Sullivan

Reviewing previously explored databases can lead to new findings. This was the case with the searchable databases at the New Jersey State Archives. Death records are being indexed and added to the searchable database and the database is complete for June 1878 to June 1893. A simple search of Moore in Mercer County provided an answer to a long-standing question.

Edward Moore’s parents are Henry Moore and Nora Sullivan.[1] This fact has been known to me for almost as long as I’ve been interested in genealogy. What eluded me was whether this couple immigrated as their son did around 1850.

Nora and Henry have not been found in census records to date. The areas searched included New York, a possible point of entry, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where Edward married and started his family, and Trenton, New Jersey, where Edward settled at the end of his life. No references or records have been found for this couple. It seemed that they remained in Ireland.

As I’ve mentioned, this blog started my genealogy do-over. Reviewing and organizing my files was long overdue. So when my simple search in a previously reviewed death records at the New Jersey State Archives revealed my 3x great grandmother, I was thrilled. She had settled in the United States and was living with her son, Edward, at the time of her death.[2] Honorah, a widow and born in Ireland, died of old age on 16 March 1892 and was buried at St. John’s Cemetery in Trenton, New Jersey. The *Grandma* headstone near the Moore plot is likely her marker and although no record has been found to prove this, she is the likely candidate. Persistence and luck led to a crack in this brick wall. Now, to find Henry Moore!

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[1] New Jersey, Certificate and Record of Death, 1915, Edward Moore, date of death 6 June 1915; photocopy in family file, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Trenton. 

[2] Certificate of Death, Mercer, New Jersey, Trenton, New Jersey State Archives, death of Honorah Moore, date of death 16 March 1892; copy ordered from archives, received 27 April 2015.

A genealogist walks into a cemetery…

No, this is not a joke but rather a funny story (or a rather funny story) that hopefully both genealogists and non-genealogists can relate too.

My mom, my sisters and I get together for a girls’ weekend at least once a year usually around my mother’s birthday in March. These weekends are fun and filled with laughs! We treasure them and can’t wait to plan the next one. Actually, I’ve had my planning rights revoked since I didn’t really follow the rules of girls’ weekend several years ago.

My 2x great grandparents, Matthew Kearney and Hannah Goodbody Kearney are buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Since girls’ weekend was in New York City, I thought it was a GREAT idea to visit this cemetery. The girls agreed but made the point that it wasn’t as much fun as shopping or having a glass of wine at a nice restaurant.

What I didn’t know about was the rough neighborhood surrounding the cemetery in Flatbush. All of the windows had bars on them and the streets did not seem safe. So while fretting about our safety, we were laughing hysterically about my idea of a good time! Once safely inside the cemetery, we searched for the grave only to find that there was no marker. It was, however, a beautiful and peaceful location and we were glad to have made the trip. A prayer was offered and we continued on with the more traditional portion of our weekend.

My 2x great grandparents, Matthew and Hannah Kearney, are buried with their children, Edward, Matthew, John, Sarah, Mary and granddaughter, Margaret. Although I would like to see a marker placed, I was shocked to receive a bill from the cemetery for annual care in excess of $1,000.00. Other genealogists have mentioned receiving the same unusual request for payment from this cemetery when they have asked for records. The marker can wait but the memories of that visit live on. Well, at least, for me.