He was born on 30 May 1847 (2; 4 (18 in 1864), 5 (65 in 1910), 9 (63 in 1910)). He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2, 4, 9).
When he enlisted, he was a laborer (4).
His brother may be the John McCoy who also served in the 91st Pennsylvania (see 9).
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, grey eyes, and brown hair (4).
He also served in company C of the 1st, and company A of the 2nd, US Artillery (8). He also served in company K and H of the 3rd and A of the 5th US Cavalry (8).
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 5 January 1864 (1, 4). He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Lane (4). He was mustered in as a private in company H, by Captain Lane (1, 4, 12).
He was wounded on 5 May 1864 at Wilderness, Virginia (1).
On 14 August 1864, he returned to the regiment from hospital (6).
The company H Register of Deserters reports him as deserting on 1 April 1865, at the Battle of Five Forks, Virginia (3, 4). However, the entry is crossed out; I do not know whether that means he returned, or that he never deserted.
He mustered out on 10 July 1865, with his company (1). He was a private, in company H (12).
On 9 October 1865, he and others published an ad in the Philadelphia Inquirer supporting Jacob E Ridgway for State Senator in the second district (11).
He joined the regular army in 1866 (2). In March 1880, he retired as a Sergeant from the 3rd US Cavalry (2). He also served with the 5th US Cavalry (2).
He is said to have known William F ("Buffalo Bill") Cody (2).
In 1881/82, he married Virginia A [unknown surname] (9). In 1910, she had had 15 children, 7 of whom were alive (9).
On 11 February 1891, he applied successfully from Washington, DC, for a pension (7, 8).
He died on 7 September 1910, in Washington DC (2, 7). He was living at 2316 H Street Northwest (5).
In 1910, he was living at 312 McLean Avenue, Washington, DC (9). He was living with his wife Virginia, brother John (perhaps John McCoy?), seven children, and a lodger (9). He was a clerk at the Navy Yard (9).
On 15 September 1910, his widow, Virginia A McCoy, applied successfully from Washington, DC, for a pension (7, 8).
In 1920, his widow, Virginia A McCoy, was living at 312 McLean Street, Washington, DC (10). She was living with five of her children, the wife and two children of one of them, and a boarder (the same one as in 1910) (10).
On 28 November 1923, a minor dependent, Charles R McCoy, applied successfully from Washington, DC, for a pension (7, 8).
Michael McCoy is researching William James McCoy; contact him at [email protected]. (This address is not valid; please contact me with the correct address [26 Mar 10].)
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster) (William McCoy)
2 e-mail, Michael McCoy, citing a family Bible (William James McCoy)
3 company H, register of deserters, #24 (William McCoy)
4 company H, descriptive roll, #121 (William McCoy)
5 death notice, Washington Post 20 September 1910, page 3 (William McCoy)
6 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 14 August 1864 (Private McCoy)
7 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company H (William McCoy)
8 pension index, by name (William McCoy)
9 1910 US census, District of Columbia, supervisor's district [blank], enumeration district 71, microfilm series T624, film 151, page 20 B = 5 handwritten (William A McCoy)
10 1920 US census, Washington, District of Columbia, supervisor's district [blank], enumeration district 85, microfilm series T625, film 207, page 125 A = 13 handwritten (Virginia A McCoy)
11 support for Jacob Ridgway for Pennsylvania state senator, Philadelphia Inquirer 9 October 1865, page 8 (Wm F McCoy)
12 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (William McCoy)
| line | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 |
| street | McLean Ave | ||||||||||
| house nr | 312 | ||||||||||
| dwelling nr | 93 | ||||||||||
| family nr | 96 | ||||||||||
| name | McCoy, William A. | - Virginia A. | - John S. | - Francis H. | John S | Charles R | Michael D | Ethel M | George O [?] | Mary A [?] | Noonan Michael V. |
| relationship | Head | Wife | brother | son | son | son | son | daughter | son | daughter | lodger |
| sex | M | F | M | M | M | M | M | F | M | F | M |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| age | 63 | 45 | 35 [sic; presumably 55] | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 52 |
| marital status | M1 | M1 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | Wd |
| #years present marriage | 28 | 28 | |||||||||
| mother of # children | 15 | ||||||||||
| mother of # living children | 7 | ||||||||||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Dist of Col | Pennsylvania | District of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col |
| father's birthplace | Ire English | Ire English | Ire English | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Ire English |
| mother's birthplace | Ire English | Ire English | Ire English | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Dist of Col | Ire English |
| immigrated | |||||||||||
| naturalized/alien | |||||||||||
| speaks English | English | English | English | English | English | English | English | [erased?] | [erased?] | [erased?] | English |
| occupation | clerk | none | laborer | none | apprentice | newsboy | newsboy | none | none | none | Blacksmith |
| nature of industry etc. | Navy Yard | Store | Machinist | Navy Yard | |||||||
| employer etc. | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | ||||
| out of work 15 Apr 1910? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | yes | No | |||||
| # weeks out of work 1909 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| can read | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| can write | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| school since 1 Sep 09 | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | ||||||
| owned/rented | O | ||||||||||
| owned free or mortagaged | M | ||||||||||
| farm/house | H | ||||||||||
| nr on farm schedule | |||||||||||
| civil war vet | UA | UA [sic] | |||||||||
| [It's tempting to speculate that 'UA' belongs on line 58, and not 57, and that John McCoy is the John McCoy who served in the 91st] | |||||||||||
| blind | |||||||||||
| deaf & dumb | |||||||||||
| line | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| street | McLean St | ||||||||||
| house number | 312 | ||||||||||
| dwelling visit number | 247 | ||||||||||
| family visit number | 249 | ||||||||||
| name | McCoy Virginia A. | - John S Jr. | - Minetta [?] | - Charles P. | - Evelyn A. | - Charles | - Ellan [?] V | - George W. | - Mary A. | - John S. Sr. | Noonan Michael B. |
| relationship | Head | Son | Daughter | Son | Daughter in law | Grandson [?] | Granddaughter | Son | Daughter | Brother in law | Boarder |
| own/rent | O | ||||||||||
| free/mortgaged (if owned) | F | ||||||||||
| sex | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | M |
| race | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| age at last birthday | 55 | 25 | 35 | 24 | 17 | 1 0/12 | 19 [?] | 17 | 12 | 65 | 62 |
| marital status | Wd | S | S | M | M | S | S | S | S | S | Wd |
| year of immigration | |||||||||||
| naturalized/alien | |||||||||||
| year of naturalization | |||||||||||
| attended school since Sept 1919 | No [?] | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| can read | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| can write | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| birth place | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | Pennsylvania | District of Columbia |
| native language | |||||||||||
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | Ireland | Ireland |
| father's native language | Irish | Irish | |||||||||
| mother's birthplace | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | Virginia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | Virginia | Ireland | Ireland |
| mother's native language | Irish | Irish | |||||||||
| can speak English | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| occupation | none | Inspector | none | Bookkeeper | none | none | Instructor [?] | Letter Carrier | none | Window Cleaner | Blacksmith |
| industry, business | Navy Yard | War Dept | Playground | US Govt | Navy Yard | ||||||
| employment status | W | W | W | W | W | W | |||||
| number of farm schedule | |||||||||||