He was born in March 1849 (7; 4 (18 in 1864), 7 (51 in 1900), 8 (31 in 1880)). He was born in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (4, 7, 8).
When he enlisted, he was a farmer (4).
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and had a sandy complexion, blue eyes, and auburn hair (4).
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 24 February 1864 (1, 4). He was enlisted for three years, at Reading, Pennsylvania, by Captain Kapp (4). He was a private, in company F (1, 11).
At some point, he was due $300 boundy, and had drawn $27.25 worth of clothing since he had enlisted (4).
He was reported gained as a "recruit from depot" on 20 April 1864 (3).
He was wounded on 27 October 1864 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia (1).
On 27 April 1865, he was promoted to corporal, effective 1 April 1865 (1, 2).
He mustered out on 10 July 1865 with his company (1). He was a corporal, in company F (1, 6, 11).
On 21 June 1867, he (and Henry Hause (F)) testified that William Conrad (F) died at Malvern Hill Hospital on 12 May 1864 of a wound received in battle (10). They knew this because they were in the same company, and stayed with him until he died (10). They were both living in Chilsquaque Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (10).
In 1869/70, he married Elizabeth [unknown family name] (7). In 1900, she had had 10 children, 8 of whom were alive (7).
In 1880, he was living at 202 Chestnut Street, Elmira, Chemung County, New York (8). He was living with his wife Elizabeth and children William, Mary, Catharine, and Jacob (8). He was a farmer, but had been out of work for 10 [?] months in the previous year (8).
On 9 May 1889, he applied successfully from New York for a pension (5, 6).
In 1890, he was living at 522 State, Elmira, New York (9). He had been wounded, by being slashed in the head (9). He was receiving a pension (9).
In 1900, he was living at 416 Perry Street, ward 4, Elmira, Chemung County, New York (7). He was living with his wife Elizabeth and children William, Jacob, Lizzie, and Edward (7). He was a stationary engineer, and had been out of work one month in the previous year (7).
On 16 November 1903, his minor dependent, R Brushr [??], applied successfully from Pennsylvania for a pension (5, 6). The pension index by regiment card notes: "Helpless child Supp to Minor" (6).
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) (Absalom Shell)
2 special order 25, HQ 91st PA, 27 April 1865 (Absalam Shell)
3 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 20 April 1864 (Schell)
4 company F, second descriptive roll, #26 (Absalom Shell)
5 pension index, by name (Absalom Shell)
6 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company F (Absalom Shell)
7 1900 US census, New York, Chemung County, Elmira City, ward 4, supervisor's district 15, enumeration district 16, microfilm series T623, film 1016, page 187 A = 7 handwritten (Abslom [?] Shell)
8 1880 US census, New York, Chemung County, Elmira, supervisor's district 9, enumeration district 77, microfilm series T9, film 817, page 391 B = 10 handwritten (Absolom Shell)
9 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, New York, Chemung County, Elmira, supervisor's district 9, enumeration district 120, page [blank] (image 28 of 90 on Ancestry) (Absalom Schell)
10 mother's pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15, certificate WC 121,942, Mary M Conrad mother of William Conrad (Absalom Shell)
11 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Absalom Shell)
| line | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| street name | Chesnut St | |||||
| house number | 202 | |||||
| dwelling visit # | 92 | |||||
| family visit # | 96 | |||||
| name | Shell Absolom | - Elisabeth | - William | - Mary | - Catharine | - Jacob |
| color | W | " | " | W | " | W |
| sex | M | F | M | F | " | M |
| age | 31 | 30 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| month born if born in year | ||||||
| relationship | wife | son | Daughter | Daugh | son | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| married | 1 | 1 | ||||
| widowed/divorced | ||||||
| married during year | ||||||
| occupation | Farmer | Keeps House | ||||
| months unemployed | 10 [?] | |||||
| currently ill? | ||||||
| blind | ||||||
| deaf/dumb | ||||||
| idiotic | ||||||
| insane | ||||||
| disabled | ||||||
| school this year | 1 | 1 | ||||
| can't read | ||||||
| can't write | ||||||
| birthplace | Penna | " | " | New York | New York | New York |
| father's birthplace | Pa | " | " | " | Pa | " |
| mother's birthplace | Pa | " | " | " | Pa | " |
| line | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| street | Perry St | |||||
| house number | 416 | |||||
| dwelling number | 131 | |||||
| family number | 144 | |||||
| name | Shell Abslom [?] | - Elizabeth | - William | - Jacob | - Lizzie | - Edward |
| relationship | Head | Wife | Son | Son | Daughter | Son |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | M | M | F | M |
| birth date | Mar 1849 | Aug 1849 | Feb 1871 | Jan 1879 | Sept 1882 | Aug 1880 [sic; presumably 1890] |
| age | 51 | 50 | 29 | 21 | 17 | 9 |
| married? | M | M | S | S | S | S |
| # years married | 30 | 30 | ||||
| mother of how many children? | 10 | |||||
| # of children living | 8 | |||||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | New York | New York | New York | New York |
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| immigration year | ||||||
| # years in USA | ||||||
| naturalized citizen? | ||||||
| occupation | Stationary Engineer | Puddler | Shoemaker | Weaver (cotton) | At School | |
| # months not employed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| # months in school | ||||||
| can read | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| can write | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| speaks English | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| owned/rented | R | |||||
| free or mortgaged | ||||||
| farm/house | H | |||||
| # of farm schedule | ||||||