He was born in 1826/27, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to James Tierney and Sarah McKeever.
(His parents were married by priest McCaffrey on 3 February 1817.)
[sources:
date: 5 (34 in 1861).
place: 5.
parents: 13]
His mother died when he was one year old.
[source: 13]
Before enlisting, he made $10 or $15 per week as a currier, most of which he gave to his father.
He and his father 'were in the same [?] leather business and knew pretty much all that one another did'.
[source: 13]
Description
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, light blue eyes, and dark brown hair.
He had a scar on his left leg.
[source: 5]
During the war
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 18 September 1861.
He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Smith.
He was a private, in company C.
[sources: 1, 5, 14-15 (corp)]
He was killed on picket, on 12 May 1864 at Spottsylvania Court House, Virginia.
He was 'working in the rifle pits at Laurel Hill Virginia and while there was shot by the enemy with a rifle ball and instantly killed'.
His body was left on the field.
He was a corporal, in company C.
[sources: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14-15]
After the war
On 17 October 1868, his father, James Tearney, applied successfully from Pennsylvania for a pension, under the Act of 14 July 1862.
He was a resident of Philadelphia, and his post-office address was 1105 Richmond Street, Philadelphia.
He had had cancer for five years, and was completely unable to work.
He owned his house, which was worth no more than $1500, and was on ground rent (reducing the value to $1200, with taxes of $20 per year).
William McAnally (C) and George F Hirtzel (72nd PA) supported his application.
Hirtzel's testimony may have been rejected because he wasn't in service when Tierney died.
James McCullough (C) (5 Steam Mill Alley) testified later supporting the pension application.
His application was approved on 23 December 1869; he received $8 per month, retroactive to 13 May 1864.
[sources: 11, 12, 13]
Payment of his father's pension was suspended in 1875, probably because his attorney (Matthews, Poulson & Co) had improperly executed documents.
On 24 January 1876, the Pension Office instructed the Pension Agent to resume paying the pension.
[source: 13]
Sources
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)
(James Tierney)
[index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania]
[transcribed 25 April 2015, from Fold3]
Teirney James
Co. C, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Corp'l | Corp'l
REFERENCE CARD.
Original filed under
Tierney James
GENERAL INDEX CARD.
[card 2, transcribed 27 Apr 15]
Tierney James
Co. C, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Corp'l | Corp'l
See also [blank]
[dependent's pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15, James Tearney father of James Tearney]
[abstracted September 2014 from 26 pages on Fold3]
1832 [???]
son's mother died when he was one year old (p.4)
26 Dec 1863
James Tierney mustered as corp, vet vol, at Bealton VA, in C 91 PA (p.11)
enrolled on 24 Dec 1863 at Bealton VA in C 91 PA (p.11)
12 May 1864
James Tierney killed while on picket near Spotsylvania Va (p.4 (13 May, on Weldon RR), p.11 (citing muster-out roll))
4 Oct 1868
received 17 Oct 1868 (p.23)
John F Trenchard MD testified he had known James Tearny for 20 years, that Tearny was old when he first met him, that he has had 'a cancerous affection' for 5 years making him unable to do any work, that he is now totally disqualified from manual labor (p.23)
5 Oct 1868
John ONeall and Lewis Gahgan (both residing in Philadelphia) testified that they had known James Tearney (father) for more than 30 years, and James Tearney (son) for more than 20; that the mother (wife) died in 1832 [?], and that he father never remarried; that the son died unmarried and without children; that before enlisting the son gave his father whatever he made except for pocket money; that the son made $10 or $15 per week; that he sent money to his father from the Army (and they saw $40, $20, and other amounts); that the father is 83 and can't work, and owns nothing but his house (worth no more than $1500), on ground rent (reducing the value to $1200, with taxes of $20 per year), which wouldn't give him a tenth of what he needs; the father was 'almost entirely dependent on his said son for a support, and that when he lost him, he lost almost his all' (p.17)
8 Oct 1868
John ONeall testified that he knew James Tearnan [sic] (father) in Ireland more than 40 years ago, 'He was in his house, and eat and drank + slept', that he knew his wife, birth name Sarah McKeever (ONeall's first cousin), that they lived as man and wife and everyone recognized them as man and wife, that the son who died in service was the son of James and Sarah, that he has heard Tearney say 'he was married by Priest McCaffrey on the 3 day of February 1817', that he knows that priest has been dead for many years, that the wife died in the US before he (ONeall) came to the US, that he (Tearney) has been single since (p.25)
also that Tearney is about 85 years old, and has been too feeble for years to support himself and has depended on his son for support (p.26)
[17 Oct 1868]
James Tearney father of James Tearney (C) applied for a pension under the acts of 14 July 1862, 6 June 1866, 27 July 1868
resident of Philadelphia, post office 1105 Richmond St Philadelphia (p.4)
father had cancerous hnumor since 1863, 83 years old, totally unable to work
father owns property worth $1200 to $1500, a house; was dependent on son
son earned $12 to $15 per week before enlisting and gave father most
attorney Mathews Poulson + Co Philadelphia (p.4)
witnesses John ONeall and Lewiis [?] Gahgan (Mary Tearney signed but her name was crossed out--perhaps she was too closely related?) (p.4)
examining clerk: Wm B Gove [?] (p.3)
admitted 23 Dec 1869, pension of $8 per month (act of 14 July 1862), retroative to 13 May 1864 (pp.3, 12)
certificate dated 8 Jan 1870; sent to Mathews Poulson + Co Philadelphia (p.12)
27 Oct 1868
dated 8 Oct 1868 (p.7)
William McAnally [sic] formerly sgt C 91 PA and George F Hirtzel 356 Delwin St (co. F Baxter's Fire Zouaves) testified (p.7)
they knew James Tearnan [sic] (corp, C 91 PA) was killed on or about 13 My 1864, that he was 'working in the rifle pits at Laurel Hill Virginia and while there was shot by the enemy with a rifle ball and instantly killed' (p.7)
they frequently saw money he sent in letters to his father, and know he was his father's main support before entering the army, since his father was too old and ill to work (p.7)
21 Nov 1868
the Adjutant General's Office reported the above-summarized information to the Pension Office (p.11; see p.14 for the request for information)
30 Nov 1868
the pension office received a response to circular 16 [request for information about service], and sent circular 16 for the service of McAnally and Hirtzel (p.15)
2 Dec 1868
the Adjutant General's Office reported to the Pension Office that William McNally was enrolled as a vet vol on 26 Dec 1863 at Bealton Va in C 91 PA, and mustered in as a pvt on 26 Dec 1863 at Bealton VA, that on the May-June 1864 co. C muster roll he is reported Corpl present for duty; on the 10 July 1865 muster-out roll he was reported sgt honorably discharged with his company (p.9)
the AGO also reported that George F Hirtzell was enrolled on 10 Aug 1861 at Philadelphia in F 72nd PA (aka Baxter Zouaves), and mustered in as a pvt on 10 Aug 1861, and on the co. F muster-out roll dated 24 Aug 1864 he is reported discharged 27 September 1861 for disability and his name was not on the 1864 muster rolls (p.10)
4 Dec 1868
the Pension Office received a response to their requests of 30 Nov 1868, and sent circular 14 to the Surgeon General (p.15)
20 Jan 1869
the Pension Office received a response to circular 14 (p.15)
4 Oct 1869
James J McCullough (resident of Philadelphia) testified that he has known James Tearney (father) for more than 12 years, and he hasn't been able to work during that time, that he knew the son since several years before enlisting, and that the son during that period was almost the sole support of the father; that he was a currier and earned $12 to $15 per week, and gave nearly all to his father; 'They [the father and son] were very intimate, both being in the same [?] leather business and knew pretty much all that one another did' (p.20)
'That deponent was in the same Company with James Tearnan [sic] and were also comprades and messed together and he knows positively that when ever he was paid up he sent his money to his father for his support' (p.20)
McCullough saw Tearney send money in letters, sometimes $20, sometimes $40; 'He used to talk of the matter and say his old father was perhaps suffering for some money before he would be paid off' (p.20)
[McCullough gave his address as:] No 5 Steam mill Alley (p.20)
3 Nov 1869
the Adjutant General's Office sent the pension office information about Wm McNally (p.6)
he was reported a pvt, corp, and sgt in Co C 91st PA. for May-June 1864 reported corp present (p.6)
on muster out roll (10 July 1865) reported sgt mustd out and honorably discharged with co (p.6)
no co. C muster roll has 'Wm McAnally' (p.6)
25 Oct 1869
the pension office sent circular 3 to the Adjutant General (p.15)
[illegible] 1875
the Pension Office instructed the pension agent to suspend payment of the pension (p.13)
24 January 1876
the Pension Office sent a letter to the Pension Agent instructing him to resume payment of the pension (p.13)