He was born in 1818/19 (or 1830/31?), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or Berks, Pennsylvania. [sources: date: 5 (31 in 1862), 11 (63 in 1878), 14 (42 in 1861), 15 (42 in 1861)). place: 11 (Philadelphia PA), 15 (Berks PA)]
When he enlisted, he was a blac[k]smith. [source: 15]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and had a light complexion, blue eyes, and light hair. [source: 15]
He was mustered into service on 27 September 1861 (or 6 August 1862?). He enlisted, and was mustered in as a private, in company D, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was enlisted by Captain Sinex, and mustered into service by Captain Dye. [sources: 1 (6 Aug 62), 2, 5 (6 Aug 62), 8 (27 Sep 61), 12, 13 (27 Sep 61), 14 (27 Sep 61), 15 (27 Sep 61)]
He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. [source: 7]
He was discharged at Camp near Beverly Ford, Virginia, on 10 September 1863, on surgeon's certificate of disability. He was a private, in company D (12). [sources: 1, 3, 4 (by Maj Genl Sykes), 5, 8 (16 Sep 63), 12]
He applied unsuccessfully on 20 October 1869 for a pension. [sources: 2, 8]
On 1 August 1878, he died, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died of chronic bronchitis. He was a safe maker, and was married. He died at, or was buried from, 1026 Tasker Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Fernwood Cemetery, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. [sources: 6 (before Mar 1882), 9, 10, 11 (Sixth St Union Cem)]
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) (David Skein)
2 pension index, by name (David J Skein)
3 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 10 September 1863 (Pri Skeen)
4 company D, register of men discharged, entry 32 (David J Skeen)
5 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 30 July 2004 (David Skein)
6 'Soldiers' headstones', from Chester Daily Times, 30 March 1882, page 3 (searched 29 December 2005) [list of soldiers' graves to be marked with marble headstones] (D J Skein)
7 Pennsylvania Memorial, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (David Skeen [sic])
8 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company D (David J Skeen)
9 records of headstones of deceased Union volunteers, 1879-1903 (David J Skein)
10 Pennsylvania veterans burial cards, 1777-1999 (David U Skein)
11 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1 August 1878 (David Jones Skeene)
12 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (David J Skeen)
13 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) (David T Sheen)
14 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 27 July 2004 (David T Sheen)
15 company D, descriptive roll, entry 23 (David J Sheen [I originally read this as 'Skeen', and I'm not confident 'Sheen' is right])